spacetoday.net: Second SS1 X Prize flight slated for Monday

Posted: Fri, Oct 1, 2004, 11:06 AM ET (1506 GMT)
SpaceShipOne landing on June 21 2004 (J. Foust)

The X Prize announced late Thursday that the second of two qualifying flights by SpaceShipOne has been scheduled for Monday morning, October 4. SpaceShipOne flew the first flight on September 29, reaching a peak altitude of 103 km; prize officials certified the altitude on Thursday. Prize rules require that the second flight take place within two weeks of the first: October 13 in this case. October 4 had been the unofficial, tentative date of the second flight reported in the days leading up to the September 29 launch. While SpaceShipOne encountered a strong, unexpected roll during the flight, the vehicle was not damaged and Scaled Composites, the company that developed the vehicle, believes that the tendency of SpaceShipOne to roll is not a flight safety issue. If SpaceShipOne successfully reaches 100 km on October 4 it will claim the $10 million Ansari X Prize.