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. John Carmack ? by EmCeeHawking · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sounds like someone needs to stop spending so much time tweaking the Doom3 Engine and get on the stick. Sundays and Tuesdays aren't going to be enough to beat a fulltime effort.

  2. No kidding by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Duke Nukem: Forever team has been working on a fusion reactor in their spare time. We can all see what that did to that project's timeline.

  3. Re:50 years from now... by fiftyLou · · Score: 5, Funny

    The ability to educate one's self should be the greatest lesson of a compulsary education.

    Agreed. With the ability to dress one's self coming a close second.

  4. Re:who makes this component at armadillo ... by mrjah · · Score: 5, Funny

    "ESTES"

    They use D motors.