Mike Melvill has become the first person to earn astronaut wings in a non-government sponsored vehicle, and the first private civilian to fly a spaceship out of the atmosphere.
Leave a message of congratulations at
-- Gareth Slee
Stupid gravity! Homer Simpson: (Falling out of treehouse)
Not every person that flew into space in a government-sponsored vehicle earned astronaut wings. Astronaut wings were awarded by the USAF to USAF pilots who flew above fifty miles.
Of course it all depends where you draw the line for space....
For the X-Prize, I believe I am correct in saying that the line is drawn at
62 miles/100 km, which is just an arbirtrary value - 99km is just as much 'space', but if you don't draw the line somewhere its impossible to say :-)What is clear is that this is a real milestone, since nothing like this has been done before, and most of all compared to the sort of money governments spend on this type of stuff, it really is a huge achievment. Rutan and the Scaled team deserve all the praise they get, all that remains now is to complete the X-Prize flights, and prove that it *can* be done (and done in an innovative way).
-- Niall Oswald ========= UKRA 1345 L0 EARS 1151 MARS
"Gravity assisted pieces of the rocket raining from the sky should be avoided. It is also financially undesirable."
-Portland State Aerospace Society
governments
But something like this has been done before, over forty years before. This is just the first time it's been done without government funds.
I want some video already!
Pax
A single suborbital flight yes.
But the X-prize task is TWO such flights with the same spacecraft in a 2 week period, each carrying a 3 person crew. NO ONE, INCLUDING NASA, has ever done that.
Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!
That's something I'm not clear on... the media reports the X-Prize as being for a three-man flight or equivalent weight. Was today's flight properly laden to qualify for the first flight?
-- Carl D Cravens ( snipped-for-privacy@phoenyx.net) Wichita, Kansas, US -- Read my model rocketry journal at
No, this was a test flight with pilot only. Some of the other coverage indicated that the real attempt would be in September or so.
No.
That's what I was saying....just not clearly enough :-)
-- Niall Oswald ========= UKRA 1345 L0 EARS 1151 MARS
"Gravity assisted pieces of the rocket raining from the sky should be avoided. It is also financially undesirable."
-Portland State Aerospace Society
Congrats.
BARELY made it.
Because it's 100 kilometers.
62.14, ectually...
David Erbas-White
Jerry wrote:
LOL!
The original mission trajectory would have placed them up at 68mi. They made 62mi.
Despite the failure of a critical system (trim actuators) which caused unplanned roll, and a less-than-ideal trajectory, they were able to fulfill the primary mission objectives. I'd say that's pretty cool.
Which is why it achieved 100km.
Point!
62.1212121212
Is full of crap religiously.
Includes the person, his flight suit and his personal equipment. It is intended to encourage the use of flight suits and safety equipment since it is "free" under the rules.
Or you could go in a bathing suit and bring 4 times as many cameras :)
Hi Frank!
Jerry
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