Scaled Aims For Late September X Flights

SPACE TRAVEL

Scaled Aims For Late September X Prize Flights

Los Angeles - Jul 09, 2004
During an interview on US news network MSNBC this week, SpaceShipOne pilot Mike Melvill told Deborah Norville that Scaled Composites is planning to shortly give the required 60 days notice that it will fly back to back X Prize qualified flights in an attempt to win the $10 million X Prize.

We plan on trying toward the end of September this year, said Melvill. I'm hoping to encourage another individual to do it, but I'll be standing by in case they need me, he told MSNBC viewers.

According to the rules governing the X Prize teams must provide a 60-day advance notice of any qualifying flights.

Previously Scaled officials have said they could perform three test flights within the two-week period, so that they can still win the prize should the first or second flight fail to qualify.

In the MSNBC interview Melvill said that a banging noise he heard during the flight was caused when a chunk of solid fuel jammed the rocket nozzle for a split-second before the pressure built up and expelled the chunk.

"It was something weird we hadn't seen happen with that rocket motor," he said.

SpaceShipOne, built by Scaled Composites in conjunction with Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen, was the first non-governmental flight on June 21, 2004, to leave the Earth's atmosphere. The aircraft reached a record-breaking altitude of 328,491 feet (approximately 62 miles or 100 km) over the Mojave desert in California.

SPACE TRAVEL

It Was Our Day

Mojave CA (SPX) Jun 22, 2004
Monday's launch of SpaceShipOne was more than a day like Kitty Hawk, when history was made on a deserted hilltop, more than a day like Alan Shepard's flight, when a nation watched its government's belated entry into a great-power race. It was a day that dreamers made, and shared, a day when eternal dreams of going out into the black came so much closer to coming true, writes John Carter McKnight.

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.