Setback for Rutan

In article ,
Jim Yanik writes:
Peter Kemp wrote in
news
Looks like the flight did not go to plan.

According to BBC reports quoting Rutan there were severe control
problems that forced the pilot (ok, ok, astronaut) to resort to backup
controls just after boost (uncommanded roll) and again near Apogee
(nothing specific mentioned).

He says they're not flying again until they know what the hell
happened, and the next flight will not now be the first for the
X-Prize, but another test flight.

Can't say I blame him, and Starchaser (the next closest IIRC) are 18
months away, so time isn't that critical.

What sort of maneuvering controls do they have for when the SS1 is out of
the atmosphere and the aero control surfaces don't work? If any.

There's a Reaction Contol System (RCS), for Roll, Pitch adn Yaw. I
don't have any specifics on it - Rutan says that it's a "Cold Gas"
system, which is usually compressed gas, but could potentially be
HTP (High Test Peroxide). The RCS can control attitude, but can't
change the trajectory.


--
Pete Stickney
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many
bad measures. -- Daniel Webster