Rutan hits 200k feet! Almost there!

In article om,
"John T" writes:
"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net

Why?

Just because.

I don't think there's any sort of "Wow! NOBODY's done this before!" aspect
to this. Of *course* men have flown in space. The only difference here -
and the challenge of the task - is to do it with private money.

Why is that a challenge? Because traditionally space travel has only been
done at the expense of billions of dollars and huge government
bureaucracies. The X-Prize is out to demonstrate that space travel doesn't
have to remain the domain of governments.

And that was also, in fact, the Big Deal behind teh Orteig Prize.
Transatlantic flights had been done for nearly a decade before
Lindberg (Or Byrd, or Nungesser & Coli, ir Wooster) entered into the
picture. While not reoutine, there had been a number of crossings,
but of either so limited value (Alcock & Browm - a great flight, mind,
but so razor-edged that it wasn't in any wise anything but a valiant
first attempt) or required a system and infrastructure equivalant to
the Shuttle R.34 and the Graf Zeppelin) The Orteig Prize was large
enough to get civilians involved, rather than governments, and allow
the civilians to finance "responsible", rather than daredevil,
projects.

If the U.S. or Soviet Governments had seen any need for a 3-seat
Spaceplane, they were perfectly capable of building one in the early
1960s. They didn't need one. The X-Prize is serving to jumpstart the
civilian side at teh most basic (and most attainable level).

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

"Chad Irby" wrote in message
om...

But it also doesn't mean that it *was* possible.

Since it didn't happen, then the burden of proof is on *your* side.


I thought I had already done that. The X-15 was turned in less than two
weeks and it flew above 100 km. Put those together and you've got a
spacecraft being reused in less than two weeks. If there was something to
be gained by actually flying it twice above 100 km within a two week period
it would have been done.

"John R Weiss" wrote in message
news:Stfpc.51641$xw3.3123300@attbi_s04...

If it's so mundane, why hasn't anyone claimed the prize yet?


It hasn't been claimed because it hasn't been done. A better question is
why was the prize offered?

No, it wasn't.

Yes it was.


And by the way, "ensure" means to make certain. "insure" means
to (promise to) make reparations, and "assure" means to make
confident.


Partially correct. Were you trying to make a point?

Yes.

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

"Teacherjh" wrote in message
...

Yes it was.


Actually, it wasn't. You just think it was.



Yes.


You failed.

On Fri, 14 May 2004 12:24:26 -0400, Peter Stickney wrote:

In article ,
(Prowlus) writes:
Rusty Barton wrote in message . ..
On Thu, 13 May 2004 20:30:08 GMT, "Thomas J. Paladino Jr."
wrote:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4970837/



SpaceShipOne re-entry - Flight 13P



Speaking of Re-entry ain't the front of the craft a bit unprrotected
in that department?

Reentry isn't really that big a deal for an X-prize contender.
depending on the flight profile used, Maximum Mach Number would be in
teh region of Mach 5. Not an everysay occurance, but also a much mre
pleasant environment than, say, a reentry from orbit.

Think X-15 (Which was flying the same profile in 1963) rather than
Space Shuttle. There's a big difference between the two.


Agreed. A shuttle is coming in at Mach 25+ from a much higher altitude.
It basically free falls, using gravity as it's engine, not to mention its
base speed of Mach 25+ before it even starts to "fall" back towards Earth.
The frictional forces at those speeds compared to the speed that
SpaceShipOne will be flying is night and day. No comparison.

On Sat, 15 May 2004 01:26:06 +0000, Steven P. McNicoll wrote:


"Vaughn" wrote in message
news

Sorry, but I have to go with Pete here, the relevent point is that
it is being done by a small private corporation...and they are making
it look easy!


What is significant about a private corporation duplicating a feat that a
government agency accomplished decades earlier?

Can't believe you guys are feeding this troll.

The answer is obvious and been stated many times already.

He's trolling. Period.

On Sat, 15 May 2004 00:26:35 +0000, Steven P. McNicoll wrote:


"BllFs6" wrote in message
...

ever heard of the time value of money?


Yup. Ever given a straight answer to a simple question?



face it...your either a troll or a person with no vision whatsoever....


So killfile me. Many other ignorant jerks have.

LOL! Troll! I can't believe so many are being reeled in by this guy.
He's a troll. And, he's right. Either killfile him or ignore him. He's
adding nothing to thread and asking questions which are common sense or
been previously explained 100 times over.

He's a silly, ignorant troll. Let him stay under his bridge.

On Fri, 14 May 2004 22:41:29 +0000, Steven P. McNicoll wrote:


"Chad Irby" wrote in message
om...

A suborbital flight, and repeat it with the same vehicle in a 14 day
period?

Funny, I can't remember hearing of such a thing.


The capability was there. Individual X-15s were flown within two week
periods a number of times and the craft was flown above 100 km.



I think you don't understand the actual rules or intent of the Ansari
X-Prize.


You'd be wrong abut that.

So he openly admits that he's trolling. Nuff said.

On Sat, 15 May 2004 02:44:02 +0000, John R Weiss wrote:

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote...

The point is the X-Prize does not require any new technology or
capability.

If it's so mundane, why hasn't anyone claimed the prize yet?

Doh! How dare you attempt to confuse a troll with such an excellent
question. Shame on you!