Melvill to fly SpaceShipOne
Posted: Wed, Sep 29, 2004, 7:45 AM ET (1145 GMT)
Mike Melvill, the pilot who flew SpaceShipOne on its historic suborbital spaceflight in June, will fly the vehicle again Wednesday morning, Ansari X Prize officials announced hours before the flight. The selection of the pilot for the first of two flights was shrouded in secrecy prior to the announcement; Rutan himself declined to identify the pilot during a press briefing Tuesday afternoon. Melvill flew SpaceShipOne on June 21, piloting the suborbital spacecraft to just above the 100-km boundary of space. After the flight Melvill hinted that he did not plan to fly the vehicle again, letting one of two other Scaled Composites pilots fly the vehicle on its two X Prize qualifying flights. Takeoff of SpaceShipOne and its White Knight carrier aircraft is scheduled for approximately 9:45 am EDT (1345 GMT), with launch scheduled for about one hour later.
Mike Melvill, the pilot who flew SpaceShipOne on its historic suborbital spaceflight in June, will fly the vehicle again Wednesday morning, Ansari X Prize officials announced hours before the flight. The selection of the pilot for the first of two flights was shrouded in secrecy prior to the announcement; Rutan himself declined to identify the pilot during a press briefing Tuesday afternoon. Melvill flew SpaceShipOne on June 21, piloting the suborbital spacecraft to just above the 100-km boundary of space. After the flight Melvill hinted that he did not plan to fly the vehicle again, letting one of two other Scaled Composites pilots fly the vehicle on its two X Prize qualifying flights. Takeoff of SpaceShipOne and its White Knight carrier aircraft is scheduled for approximately 9:45 am EDT (1345 GMT), with launch scheduled for about one hour later.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, February 12
Final ‘go’ for Vega launch
ESA — 10:27 am ET (1527 GMT) Our spaceship has arrived: Museum of Flight takes delivery of Soyuz capsule
GeekWire — 9:01 am ET (1401 GMT) Glenn reflects on his mission, future of space
Zanesville (OH) Times-Recorder — 8:59 am ET (1359 GMT) A lawyer's idea of marketing
Las Cruces (NM) Sun-News — 8:59 am ET (1359 GMT) 'Hang me for so-called omission... but let them go through democratic process'
Indian Express — 8:57 am ET (1357 GMT) |