Rutan's SpaceshipOne Hits 200,000 Feet

An anonymous reader writes "Burt Rutan's privately-built SpaceshipOne is one step closer to winning the X-Prize after zooming to what witnesses say was somewhere around 200,000 feet on only its third powered flight. (See also the partial update from Scaled Composites.)"

Um ah...

[Anonymous Coward]

zooming to what witnesses say was somewhere around 200,000 feet...

Can you even see Spaceship 1 at 200,000? If I recall, the engine cuts off and Spaceship 1 coasts up the rest of the way, so there is no trail to follow.

Two thirds of the way there...

[tinrobot]

Isn't the goal 62.5 miles... that's about 330,000 feet.

They're getting awfully close. I get the distinct feeling this one is going to win it very soon.

Videos

[HeghmoH]

I really, really want some videos of this or any other of SS1's test flights. Does anybody know if such things are out there to be downloaded?

Re:Re-launch?

[robbymet]

It takes the Shuttle to so long to relaunch because the entire craft needs to be recertified before relaunch. That is because the design has virtually no margin, so under normal operating conditions there are components that are on the verge of failure. These components must all be inspected and potentially replaced before another flight can occur. A small, reasonably designed vehicle should be able to hit a two week turn around no problem. DARPA's RASCAL and FALCON programs require a 24-hour turnaround.

Does anyone know?

[Crazieeman]

How is John Carmack progressing with Armadillo Aerospace? The only major flights I keep hearing about are Rutan's.

Personally I've been rooting for Carmack, but thats probably because I've just been a long fan of all of his work..

Does The X-Prize Ship

[jwbrown77]

Have to launch under it's own power (meaning the whole ship is reuseable)? Or is it ok if it uses external breakaway parts like the Shuttle?

Another competitor

[wizarddc]

I can't remember if he was involved in XPrize or not, but there was a guy building a ship that used peroxide as his propellant. He was most definitely a back yard builder, he had his two huge tanks for his H202 in his garage. Does anyone remember who he was, or have a link to him? I was really interested in his project a while ago, but I've lost his url.

Re:Two thirds of the way there...

[plj]

According to international settings in Mac OS 10.3.3:

60,960.00 metres in UK
60,960.00 meters in US ;-)
60.960,00 metres in Germany and Spain
60 960,00 metres in Finland, France, Russia and Sweden (I live in Finland)
60960.00 meters in US/POSIX

Actually, space as a thousand separator sucks ass. There are zillions of non-aware (i.e. english-centric) programs that want to wrap words in the middle of numbers...

Interesting trivia

[Stephen Samuel]

I presume that this is just coincidence, but it turns out that 41 miles is also the altitude for first-stage separation for Saturn V rockets going to the moon [christa.org])
See the section How Apollo Got to The Moon.

Some intriguing pics of the flight here

[Anonymous Coward]

One [scaled.com]

Two [scaled.com]

Re:geez

[amightywind]

No, LEO starts at around 200 miles (above 300 km). And the altitude is only half the trick to orbit, the other is speed...

Since we're being so precise you mean geocentric position and velocity. There are infinitely many orbits both, circular and ellipical, for arbitrary altitude and speed.

Re:Re-launch?

[Rorschach1]

The fact that they're staying suborbital is the big difference. Still, any time you're messing with powerful rockets and huge aerodynamic stresses, it's best to take your time and check things out.

As for the claim that improvements in technology since the time the shuttle was designed have reduced processing time... well, I'm not so sure about that. I only deal with unmanned expendable vehicles, but there is a LOT that goes into getting them ready for launch. Of course, a large part of that is administrative stuff. I've heard that it takes 2 million signatures to get the shuttle off the ground, and I believe it.

SpaceshipOne may not have so much of that to worry about now, but don't worry... the bureaucrats will catch up eventually.

Re:altitude is only half the trick to orbit, the o

[STrinity]

Actually, the way I heard it, altitude is only 1/25 the trick to orbit. The other 24/25 is speed.

Mostly right. If you just put an object 500 miles above the Earthing, it'll start falling. To achieve orbit, you have to have enough velocity perpendicular to the pull of gravity that you move away from the planet as fast as you're falling.

Mojave Spaceport..

[Anonymous Coward]

A most interesting titbit in that article that I don't see anyone else has mentioned is that they've applied for a licence to allow Mojave airport to also become an inland commercial spaceport.

Like an airport.. but FOR SPACE! Wow! ;)

This is amazingly cool news and almost could be straight out of the pages of a science fiction book. Perhaps in a few years it will be major center for space traffic and commerce?

Re:altitude is only half the trick to orbit, the o

[Short Circuit]

Here's an idea on re-entry:

Thrust up and away from your current vector. If you can reduce your angular velocity with minimal encounter of atmosphere during the process, you can reduce your dependence on heat shielding.

Interesting Scaled facts!

[Anonymous Coward]

Check it out!
White Knight, the carrier is N318SL.
SS1, the spacecraft is N328KF.

Note below that SS1 is a model 316 and WK is model 318.

Makes you wonder what they have lurking as model 317!!!

[begin FAA registry querry results]

N318SL is Assigned
Aircraft Description
Serial Number 001 Type Registration Corporation
Manufacturer Name SCALED COMPOSITES LLC Certificate Issue Date 07/05/2002
Model 318 Status Valid
Type Aircraft Fixed Wing Multi-Engine Type Engine Turbo-Jet
Pending Number Change None Dealer No
Date Change Authorized None Mode S Code 50663044
MFR Year 2002 Fractional Owner NO
Registered Owner
Name SCALED COMPOSITES LLC
Street 1624 FLIGHT LINE
City MOJAVE State CALIFORNIA Zip Code 93501-1663
County KERN
Country UNITED STATES
Airworthiness
Engine Manufacturer AMA/EXPR Classification Experimental
Engine Model UNKNOWN ENG Category Research and Development
A/W Date 07/01/2003
Other Owner Names
None
Temporary Certificate
Certificate Number T024366 Issue Date 07/05/2002 Expiration Date 08/04/2002
Fuel Modifications
None

N328KF is Assigned
Assigned/Registered Aircraft
Aircraft Description
Serial Number 001 Type Registration Corporation
Manufacturer Name SCALED COMPOSITES LLC Certificate Issue Date 03/20/2003
Model 316 Status Valid
Type Aircraft Glider Type Engine None
Pending Number Change None Dealer No
Date Change Authorized None Mode S Code 50706357
MFR Year 2003 Fractional Owner NO
Registered Owner
Name SCALED COMPOSITES LLC
Street 1624 FLIGHTLINE HANGAR 78
City MOJAVE State CALIFORNIA Zip Code 93501
County KERN
Country UNITED STATES
Airworthiness
Engine Manufacturer NONE Classification Experimental
Engine Model NONE Category Research and Development
A/W Date 12/09/2003
Other Owner Names
None
Temporary Certificate
None
Fuel Modifications
None