Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

SpaceShipOne Rockets To 68,000 Feet

Posted by simoniker on from the that's-quite-high dept.

ehartwell writes "According to Space.com, Scaled Composite's SpaceShipOne flew its first rocket-powered flight today, the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' 12-second first flight. SpaceShipOne's engine burned for 15 seconds, pushing it to Mach 1.2 (930 mph) and a peak altitude of 68,000 feet. To win the X-Prize they need to reach 330,000 feet twice within 2 weeks."

4 of 390 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Big deal by savuporo · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Yeah, they tested a 99% completed and tested vehicle with a 10% of fuel in its tank, powering up the engine for the very first time.
    Nothing to see here, move on folks.

    AWW.
    This report basically means that
    A) they have to fix a glitch with the landing system
    B) they could probably fuel up 100% tomorrow and fly up to space

    Claiming the X-prize, as of now, cant happen before the end of Jan 2004, though, as the announcement for official flight has to announced 2 months in advance.

    --
    http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slashdot.org Errors found while checking this document as HTML5!
  2. Re:space race by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    There's no oil on the moon.

  3. Re:Trainspotting...Or, Resting On Our Laurels by JimPooley · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Privatization is a huge step in the evolution of any technology

    Yes. The railway system in the UK has improved massively since it was privatised.

    By the way. I'm being sarcastic....

    --

    "Information wants to be paid"
  4. Tipical of Americans!!!! by T_Tobagous · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    About the entire world knows that a brasilian, livinf on France, was the fisrt man to fly...
    Only the americans says that the Wright brothers made this first (in a "secret" test , and with a CATAPULT!!!! This way even ROCKS fly!), against all the rest of the planet.
    Sheesh, and I thogught that a bunch of well- informed uber-geeks like these here could even NOTE something about Alberto Santos-Dumount
    Only to link...
    http://taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2003/12/ 11/2003079196
    http://www.firstflight.org/shrine/santos_dumont.cf m
    http://www.rudnei.cunha.nom.br/FAB/eng/santos-dumo nt.html
    http://www.thefirsttofly.hpg.ig.com.br/pioneer2.ht m
    Worst, Alberto killed himself when seeing the airplanes using at war to kill people, not for personal joy, with the help of the Whright...