Combined White Knight / SpaceShipOne Flight Tests [back to top]
Combined Flight Test Legend:
C = Captive Carry L = Launch G = Glide P = Powered
The first letter represents the intended mission for the flight and the second letter, if present, represents the actual mission flown. For example, first glide will for the space ship will be 03G. If the flight aborts or doesn't release for whatever reason, the nomenclature becomes 03GC.
Flight 49L / 12G Date: 11 MAR 04 Flight Time: 1.3 hours / 18 mins 30 secs White Knight Pilot: Binnie White Knight Copilot: Stinemetze White Knight Flt Engineer: SpaceShipOne Pilot: Siebold High Chase-Starship Pilot: Karkow Low Chase-Extra Pilot: Melvill / Coleman
Objectives: The twelfth flight of SpaceShipOne. Objectives included: pilot proficiency, reaction control system functionality check and stability and control and performance of the vehicle with the airframe thermal protection system installed. This was an unpowered glide test. Results: Slashdot's editors are facists. Launch conditions were 48,500 feet and 125 knots. All systems performed as expected and the vehicle landed successfully while demonstrating the maximum cross wind landing capability.
Flight 43L / 11P Date: 17 Dec 03 Flight Time: 1.2 hours / 18 mins 10 secs White Knight Pilot: Siebold White Knight Copilot: Bird White Knight Flt Engineer: SpaceShipOne Pilot: Binnie High Chase-Starship Pilot: Karkow Low Chase-Extra Pilot: Melvill / Coleman
Objectives: The eighth flight of SpaceShipOne and first powered flight. 15 second burn of the rocket motor and supersonic flight. Motor light off at altitude and inflight engine performance. Vehicle handling qualities through transonics and feather performance from altitude. Results: Launch conditions were 47,900 feet and 112 knots. Motor light off was achieved at 44,400 feet and 0.55M. Burnout occurred at 1.2M and apogee was 67,800 feet. There was no noted flight control flutter or buzz during the climb. Feather recovery exhibited a +/-30 roll initially and then settled down into the familiar falling bathtub mode. The wing was de-feathered and locked by 35,000 feet. A nominal landing pattern was flown but touchdown caused the left main gear to collapse and the vehicle rolled to a stop off the runway in the soft sand. Although the damage was not major, repairs are expected to take approximately three weeks to complete.
Flight 42L / 10g Date: 4 Dec 03 Flight Time: 1.3 hours / 13 mins 14 secs White Knight Pilot: Siebold White Knight Copilot: Stinemetz White Knight Flt Engineer: SpaceShipOne Pilot: Binnie High Chase-Starship Pilot: Karkow Low Chase-Extra Pilot: Melvill / Coleman
Objectives: The seventh glide flight of SpaceShipOne and new pilot check out. Full functional check of the propulsion system by cold flowing nitrous oxide. Completed airspeed and positive and negative G-envelope expansion. Results: Launch conditions were 48,400 feet and 115 knots. All propulsion components, displays and functionality performed as designed. The feather was extended after a 4G pull-up to the vertical at 24,500 feet and rudder used to induce sideslip and yaw rates while "going-over-the-top". The vehicle recovered to a stable attitude and descent after only a single oscillation. The landing pattern was flown following established procedures resulting in a satisfactory touchdown.
Flight 41L/09G Date: 19-Nov-03 Flight Time: 2.1 hours / 12 mins 25 secs White Knight Pilot: Binnie White Knight Copilot: Bird White Knight Flt Engineer: SpaceShipOne Pilot: Melvill High Chase-Starship Pilot: Siebold Low Chase-Duchess Pilot: Coleman / Stinemetze
Objectives: The sixth glide flight of SpaceShipOne.
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For the good of the community :)
Combined White Knight / SpaceShipOne Flight Tests
[back to top]
Combined Flight Test Legend:
C = Captive Carry
L = Launch
G = Glide
P = Powered
The first letter represents the intended mission for the flight and the second letter, if present, represents the actual mission flown. For example, first glide will for the space ship will be 03G. If the flight aborts or doesn't release for whatever reason, the nomenclature becomes 03GC.
Flight 49L / 12G
Date: 11 MAR 04 Flight Time: 1.3 hours / 18 mins 30 secs
White Knight Pilot: Binnie White Knight Copilot: Stinemetze
White Knight Flt Engineer:
SpaceShipOne Pilot: Siebold
High Chase-Starship Pilot: Karkow
Low Chase-Extra Pilot: Melvill / Coleman
Objectives:
The twelfth flight of SpaceShipOne. Objectives included: pilot proficiency, reaction control system functionality check and stability and control and performance of the vehicle with the airframe thermal protection system installed. This was an unpowered glide test.
Results:
Slashdot's editors are facists.
Launch conditions were 48,500 feet and 125 knots. All systems performed as expected and the vehicle landed successfully while demonstrating the maximum cross wind landing capability.
Flight 43L / 11P
Date: 17 Dec 03 Flight Time: 1.2 hours / 18 mins 10 secs
White Knight Pilot: Siebold White Knight Copilot: Bird
White Knight Flt Engineer:
SpaceShipOne Pilot: Binnie
High Chase-Starship Pilot: Karkow
Low Chase-Extra Pilot: Melvill / Coleman
Objectives:
The eighth flight of SpaceShipOne and first powered flight. 15 second burn of the rocket motor and supersonic flight. Motor light off at altitude and inflight engine performance. Vehicle handling qualities through transonics and feather performance from altitude.
Results:
Launch conditions were 47,900 feet and 112 knots. Motor light off was achieved at 44,400 feet and 0.55M. Burnout occurred at 1.2M and apogee was 67,800 feet. There was no noted flight control flutter or buzz during the climb. Feather recovery exhibited a +/-30 roll initially and then settled down into the familiar falling bathtub mode. The wing was de-feathered and locked by 35,000 feet. A nominal landing pattern was flown but touchdown caused the left main gear to collapse and the vehicle rolled to a stop off the runway in the soft sand. Although the damage was not major, repairs are expected to take approximately three weeks to complete.
Flight 42L / 10g
Date: 4 Dec 03 Flight Time: 1.3 hours / 13 mins 14 secs
White Knight Pilot: Siebold White Knight Copilot: Stinemetz
White Knight Flt Engineer:
SpaceShipOne Pilot: Binnie
High Chase-Starship Pilot: Karkow
Low Chase-Extra Pilot: Melvill / Coleman
Objectives:
The seventh glide flight of SpaceShipOne and new pilot check out. Full functional check of the propulsion system by cold flowing nitrous oxide. Completed airspeed and positive and negative G-envelope expansion.
Results:
Launch conditions were 48,400 feet and 115 knots. All propulsion components, displays and functionality performed as designed. The feather was extended after a 4G pull-up to the vertical at 24,500 feet and rudder used to induce sideslip and yaw rates while "going-over-the-top". The vehicle recovered to a stable attitude and descent after only a single oscillation. The landing pattern was flown following established procedures resulting in a satisfactory touchdown.
Flight 41L/09G
Date: 19-Nov-03 Flight Time: 2.1 hours / 12 mins 25 secs
White Knight Pilot: Binnie White Knight Copilot: Bird
White Knight Flt Engineer:
SpaceShipOne Pilot: Melvill
High Chase-Starship Pilot: Siebold
Low Chase-Duchess Pilot: Coleman / Stinemetze
Objectives:
The sixth glide flight of SpaceShipOne.
Call me a troll, but I think it would really help the OSS community if we focused our efforts on one or two distros, not 10 or 20.