SpaceShip One X-Prize Flight #1 Launch Mike Melvill

SpaceShipOne launches from White Knight carrier airplane on the first of two X-Prize winning flights in 2004.

Flight 16P of SpaceShipOne was a spaceflight in the Tier One program that took place on September 29, 2004. It was the first competitive flight in the Ansari X PRIZE competition to demonstrate a non-governmental reusable manned spacecraft, and is hence also referred to as the X1 flight. A serious roll excursion occurred during boost, so the flight did not achieve the expected altitude. However, it exceeded 100 km altitude, making it a successful X PRIZE flight.
After takeoff, White Knight and SpaceShipOne ascended to the launch altitude, planned to be around 14 km. At 08:09 SpaceShipOne was released, glided for 6 s, then went into nose-up attitude and the rocket motor was ignited. The rocket motor was capable of burning for approximately 87 s, having been upgraded since the previous flight. It was planned to shut off the motor at an altitude of 345,000 feet (105 km), presumably to avoid pushing the envelope too far.

The spacecraft started rolling rapidly 50 s into the burn, while travelling at Mach 2.7. This was probably due to, or at least exacerbated by, pilot error. The pilot was not highly concerned by this, being confident that he could correct the situation, and he allowed the burn to continue during the roll. He later said "I thought it was kind of cool".

The apogee altitude was estimated by the nearby Edwards Air Force Base, based on radar data, to be 337,569 feet (102.9 km). Due to the early burn cutoff, this was far less than originally anticipated.

Overall, the craft did 29 complete rolls. Atmospheric reentry proceeded normally, with the craft rapidly righting its attitude due to the stable high-drag configuration. It changed back to gliding configuration normally, glided back to the spaceport, and landed safely at 08:34.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• SpaceShipOne
• White Knight
• Richard Branson
• Burt Rutan
• Paul Allen
• Mike Melvill
• Brian Binnie
• Virgin Galactic
• Mojave Aerospace Ventures
• spaceship
• space
• ship
• spaceflight
• commercial
• private
• X-prize
• xprize
• X Prize

[TeflonHuman]

Too bad the press failed to hail this as a milestone in the history of spaceflight.

[neocoders]

I recall seeing cockpit footage somewhere, and when the pilot commented how he wasn't bothered by the roll, I thought "that man is a dude".

[deathtohighonribena]

so now there could be space 911?

[mfb0]

@2012goingNutz In terms of energy, the orbit is far away. You need about 1MJ to get 1kg to a suborbital flight, but ~40MJ for the orbit. And rockets need exponential size and mass to deliver a certain energy to the payload.

[2012goingNutz]

the shape looks like the sakaro bird found in Egypt. I wonder.

[2012goingNutz]

What a time to live in. He did it with some backyard parts. Needs thrusters to be more stable in upper atmosphere. A few bottles of compressed helium would work. We need to figure how to go beyond physically. Orbit seems to be pretty easy at this point. Where are thoes warp engines?

[SporadicHesitation]

@TeflonHuman freaking press!!!

[Htown20XX]

I think the best way is a scramjet if the heat issues can be solved and if they can be made cheap. The fuel is cheap the vehicle is what makes launches expensive

[Htown20XX]

They should change the defination of space craft to be something that can go into orbit. This can not go into orbit it can't go fast enough. A 62 mile suborbital flight is a lot easier than orbiting.

[datzfast]

@Fragem420 you are watching it in 240p you can watch it in HD if you buy the 1080p DVD. most crap on you tube is in 240P so you can download it in moments instead of days. dont you know anything?

[kiithsjet2]

@cadu1995 probably not that its over my head, its that you need to strengthen your command of the english language so that ideas may be conveyed to native speakers. its called lens flare btw. and it has to do with how bright the light source is, shape of the lens, what the lens is made of, distance from light source, the angle in which the light source meets the lens, and lots of other crap and the flare will look completely different from case to case unless all variables are the same.