Did anyone watch the live TV coverage early this morning on the first private flight into outer space? I barely caught the tail end of this at around 5 this morning. What essentially happened is that after months of testing, a private spacecraft climbed out of Earth's atmosphere and made it into the fringes of outer space. SpaceShip One was carried aloft on a custom made carrier plane known as the White Knight. Much like the X15 /B-52 combination of the 1960s, SpaceShip one was carried to about 50,000 ft. elevation before the mothership let the spaceship go. After a few seconds the rocket engine fired and pushed civilian test pilot Mike Melvill briefly out of the atmosphere and into the history books as being the first private citizen to go into space in a private spacecraft. I don't know about you guys, but I think this is really cool.
Granted, the private manned space industry is in its embryonic infancy here. People are trying and SpaceShip One is the first out of the gate. All of this was funded without taxpayer dollars which I think is very cool. Remember like the Wright Brothers a hundred years ago, the best innovations and inventions come out of the private sector. This is big!
BTW, there is a $10 Million cash prize being offered by an organization named Ansari for the first civilian spacecraft to carry 3 people into space and return them safely to Earth. This has to be done in 2 separate flights within 2 weeks of each other.
Could space travel become a reality for Hawaii residents? Tell us what you think.
Related Links
Passenger-Carrying Spaceship Makes Desert Debut
Spaceship One Home Page
Scaled Composites
Ansari X Prize
Spaceship One attached to its mothership jet, White Knight.
Photo courtesy of Scaled Composites, press kit.
Granted, the private manned space industry is in its embryonic infancy here. People are trying and SpaceShip One is the first out of the gate. All of this was funded without taxpayer dollars which I think is very cool. Remember like the Wright Brothers a hundred years ago, the best innovations and inventions come out of the private sector. This is big!
BTW, there is a $10 Million cash prize being offered by an organization named Ansari for the first civilian spacecraft to carry 3 people into space and return them safely to Earth. This has to be done in 2 separate flights within 2 weeks of each other.
Could space travel become a reality for Hawaii residents? Tell us what you think.
Related Links
Passenger-Carrying Spaceship Makes Desert Debut
Spaceship One Home Page
Scaled Composites
Ansari X Prize
Spaceship One attached to its mothership jet, White Knight.
Photo courtesy of Scaled Composites, press kit.
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