Rutan's SpaceshipOne Hits 200,000 Feet

An anonymous reader writes "Burt Rutan's privately-built SpaceshipOne is one step closer to winning the X-Prize after zooming to what witnesses say was somewhere around 200,000 feet on only its third powered flight. (See also the partial update from Scaled Composites.)"

Comments

Sounds like...

[brejc8]

Rutan's SpaceshipOne Hits 200,000 Feet
As it launched it turned 90 degrees and skimmed along an inch off the ground through the croud.

There should have been an earth shattering ka-boom

[StarWynd]

Chalk up another booming flight of the privately-backed SpaceShipOne

I don't know about everyone else, but I just hate it when my spaceship goes *boom*.

Not the best way to determine altitude

[Anonymous Coward]

after zooming to what witnesses say was somewhere around 200,000 feet ...

Witnesses looking up into the sky:
"Wow, that looks like, what, about 100,000 ..."
"Nah, looks more like, I'd say 200,000 feet to me."
"Ya, about 200,000 feet looks right."

Thanks !

[AtariAmarok]

You've brought back many a memory of model rocketry. Bless the memory of Vern Estes.

Re:geez

[Mattcelt]

but what is 3 miles between slashdot posters?

Not enough.

Re:Just think

[WaxParadigm]

They could sell this Technology to the NKoreans and then they would have a working ICBM.

Not just an ICBM but a manned ICBM. You can imagine the intense competition for that job.

Re:geez-- employee of NASA??

[peragrin]

he said 93Miles 150 KM not 93 km. if minimum stable orbit is 350km what is it in miles?

You must work for NASA right?