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SpaceShipOne Flight Test

Posted by michael on from the keep-parachute-handy dept.

Soft writes "Scaled Composites' entry for the X-Prize, the SpaceShipOne, has had a successful first (unpowered) flight test. The spacecraft was dropped from the White Knight carrier aircraft at 47,000 ft (14 km) and 105 kt (194 km/h, 120 mph) and touched down after a 1.1-hour glide at Mojave airport. Photos are available."

2 of 175 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Flight Time? by Megahurts · · Score: 4, Insightful

    wouldn't the sink rate have more to do with aerodynamics than weight? And all other things being equal, wouldn't a heavier ship be expected to sink faster than an identically shaped but lighter one?

  2. Re:Creating life vs. creating technology by Grishnakh · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Male life is expendable, female is not. So let the stupid males do risky stuff and get killed, and the smart ones can copulate with the women and advance the race by creating new life. Now if only women would stop seeing the risky males as attractive mates, and go for us quiet, non-risky types instead.