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History was made when the world's first privately built spaceship, SpaceShip One, left the Civilian Flight Test Center at Mojave, California, attached to the belly of the White Knight. After circling to 47,000 feet, SpaceShip One was released and pilot Mike Melvill fired its rocket, boosting it to over 62 miles (100 kilometers) above the surface of the Earth, qualifying it as the world's first privately built spaceship.
Sue, Bobby and I were there in person to witness history.
![]() We arrive early | ![]() Along with thousands of others |
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![]() The sun rises over the desert runway | ![]() Bobby programs the scanner |
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![]() Reporters come from as far away as Germany | ![]() The crowd waits |
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![]() White Knight and SpaceShip One take to the sky | ![]() Followed by the Starship chase plane |
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![]() White Knight and SS1 continue circling | ![]() SpaceShip One rockets spaceward |
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![]() Trails past the sun | ![]() And keeps on going |
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White Knight and SpaceShip One circled for nearly an hour. |
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![]() White Knight returns alone | ![]() SpaceShip One reappears with its chase planes |
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![]() And gets closer | ![]() The crowd watches |
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![]() SpaceShipOne is back! | ![]() Mike Melvill heads into the history books |
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![]() Civilian Flight Test Center | ![]() Scaled Composites |
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SpaceShip One was built by Burt Rutan and Scaled Composites, who have been building "next generation" aircraft for years, including Voyager, the only aircraft in history to have travelled around world the non-stop without refueling. Note: SpaceShip One's registration - N328KF - representing 328,000 Feet. It is registered as an experimental glider. Its rocket engine is powered by laughing gas (nitrous oxide) and rubber (hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene). |
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![]() Mojave - the small desert town | ![]() With a high tech attitude ;) |
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How do I feel about the flight of Space Ship One? I have spent over 2500 hours as pilot in command of small airplanes. I feel fortunate to have had such a blessed life, but those moments I enjoy far above the Earth are the result of work done and risks taken by pioneers in aviation - the Wrights, Curtiss, Lindbergh, Piper, Cessna, and many, many more. As each frontier is explored and conquered, new pioneers are needed to open fresh frontiers. Burt Rutan and Mike Melvill are expanding the boundaries of aviation to new heights. |
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![]() View from Mike Melvill's SpaceShip One June 21, 2004 | ![]() View from Alan Shepard's Mercury MR-3 May 5, 1961 |