Another flight will guarantee the builder - Bret Rotan the xprize win
Avi Blizovsky
18: 45 Update
The private spacecraft (SpaceShipOne) entered the history books today when it became the first private manned spacecraft to reach the edge of space and even return. The spaceship built by aviation pioneer Brett Rutan exceeded the height of 100 kilometers. This was reported by the control center.
The spacecraft made the first 15 kilometers on top of a plane that was nicknamed the White Knight. At this point it was released, and the pilot, Michael Melvin, a 62-year-old retired test pilot, ignited its rocket engines and continued on its journey.
No private spacecraft and no pilot (as opposed to passengers on the Space Shuttle or Soyuz) that are not funded by governments has so far passed this height.
Applause and applause erupted when confirmation came that the height had been reached.
About 3,000 people, including about 500 journalists, arrived in the desert area early in the morning to witness the historic flight.
Melville, vice president of Scaled Composites, the company that built the plane, thus entered the record book as the first private pilot to take off beyond the atmosphere. Melville was also the pilot who flew Spaceship 1 on the test flight in May where the spacecraft reached an altitude of 64 miles, twice the previous flight.
Spaceship 1 glided slightly after detaching from the aircraft carrying it and then its engines were ignited for 80 seconds. By igniting the engines, the spacecraft took off and reached the target's height at a point where it was horizontal and flying at a speed of Mach 3. Then the spacecraft's wings were moved to allow it to withstand the high friction, and it began to fall back to Earth. During this time the pilot felt weightless.
When returning to the atmosphere, the special wing structure of the spacecraft allowed it to glide to Earth for approximately 20 minutes.
Rotan and members of the Scaled Composites team hope that the flight will bring them closer to winning the Ansari-X Prize, which will be given to the first company to fly three people into space. One pilot participated in today's flight and there were no other passengers. However, the spacecraft will seek to win the award at a later stage, perhaps this year. To beat 25 other teams the spacecraft must reach an altitude of 100 kilometers twice within two weeks
Since this is the first time a private spacecraft has reached space, this is a pioneering event for the people of the X-Price Foundation and it certainly puts the team at Scaled Composites in the public forefront as leaders" said Greg Mariniak, senior director of the foundation.
When this or that team wins the prize, it will open the skies for future manned flights to the frontier of space for those tired of the usual beach vacation.
The spacecraft exited the atmosphere but was unable to orbit the Earth due to its relatively low speed. Suborbital flight is much cheaper and much less dangerous, but still the pilot had an amazing view of the Earth from the window.
Brett Rutan did record pioneering achievements in the field of aviation, both the White Knight and Spaceship 1 are considered revolutionary in many ways. The spacecraft's hybrid engine requires a special fuel that is safer than conventional fuel, and both the aircraft and the spacecraft are fully reusable. Spaceship 1's rocket engine, built to order by SpaceDub of San Diego, burned solid rubber fuel and liquid nitric acid - a liquid version of laughing gas.
"The material is more stable and environmentally friendly than any other rocket fuel. Its by-products are water vapor, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen. The solid fuel used in space shuttle boosters, among other things, burns ammonium-chlorite and aluminum.
18:15 The first private spacecraft SPACESHIPONE landed safely in California
The first private spacecraft landed safely a few minutes ago at the airport in Mojave, California. This is what we watched live on the international television networks.
More details - in a few minutes
17:05 The private spacecraft took off: in the next hour it is supposed to detach from the plane carrying it
The White Knight aircraft that carried the SpaceShipOne spacecraft, the first private manned spacecraft, successfully took off for the first part of its historic space flight.
The plane will bring it to an altitude of 15 kilometers, a flight that will take about an hour and at that altitude the spacecraft's engines will be ignited and it will take off like a rocket towards space.
The spaceship designed by aviation pioneer Bart Rutan will soar to a height of 100 kilometers - the official limit of space.
No private vehicle and no private pilot has reached such a height so far.
About 3,000 spectators waited for takeoff early in the morning in the Mojave Desert, including 500 journalists.
The spacecraft is piloted by Mike Melville, a 62-year-old retired test pilot.
