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New SpaceShip One Photos Online

Posted by timothy on from the with-a-fisheye-lens-I'm-in-space-now dept.

Alex Edwards writes "Scaled now have the latest photos from their last 200,000-ft. trip online. The earth curvature on this one shows just how close they got to space."

6 of 49 comments (clear)

  1. Whoa. by torpor · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Was it just me, or did anyone else get that "WHOA!" stomach-sinking feeling from that curvature pic?

    I bet that transition stage at the top of the curve is one -hell- of a ride. When those wings move around and suddenly you're faced back -at- the ground, and coming down ... wow. I bet that is one hell of a rush.

    Hope I get a chance to ride this thing in my life time! You figure it'll be available for 'normal public' within 5 to 10 years time, maybe ... ?

    --
    ; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
  2. Random Thoughts by at_kernel_99 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    First, I'm rather amused by the 'N' number on the side of spaceshipone's fuselage. It somehow feels odd that some FAA inspector has to come out to scaled & inspect & signoff on a spacecraft. I'd love to see a pic of the required word EXPERIMENTAL in the cockpit.

    Regarding the rather unconventional 'feathering' control surfaces on spaceshipone, I recall coverage some years ago of Burt examining a project called 'freewing'. I wonder how much influence that project had on the resulting design of ss1?

    1. Re:Random Thoughts by _mythdraug_ · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Even more amusing than seeing the N number... Looking it up in the FAA registry.
      Type Aircraft Glider
      Type Engine None

      Engine Manufacturer NONE
      Classification Experimental
      Engine Model NONE
      Category Research and Development

      A/W Date 12/09/2003
  3. Check out the shuttle-cocking of the wings by xmas2003 · · Score: 4, Interesting
    In addition to the curvature of the earth (yes, magnified by the wide-angle lens), check out the shuttle-cocking of the wings in mentioned picture. You can read more about how they are using this high drag approach for their re-entry in their FAQ.

    GREAT job Scaled Folks - next stop is 100 Kilometers up! ;-)

    P.S. While they are up there, can you take some more some pictures of my house! ;-)

    --
    Hulk SMASH Celiac Disease
  4. Re:200000 feet = 38 miles up by Kesha · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I am pretty sure MiG-25 (Ye-266M) still holds the record for absolute altitude of 123,492 ft.
    Here is more info on it: http://aeroweb.lucia.it/~agretch/RAFAQ/MiG-25.html

    Anyway, here is a link to a gallery of photos from inside a MiG-25 at close to that altitude:
    http://www.spaceadventures.it/25.htm

    Paul.

  5. Video by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Some of the pictures mention they come from video. Has the video been posted anywhere? I looked through the whole scaled composites site and couldn't find it.

    Thanks for the help.