What happened to SpaceShipOne?

Hi

It's been a LONG time since I last heard of Scaled Composites and
their X-prize attempt. At some stage the guys seemed to fly at least
once a month. Now, after the landing incident (which would only take
three weeks to fix) which happened a while ago, I still don't hear
ANYTHING.

Does this mean the next attempt will be an attempt to go all the way?
Are they just waiting for the FAA license and then do it or what is
happening?

(CA Zuke) wrote in message . com...
Hi

It's been a LONG time since I last heard of Scaled Composites and
their X-prize attempt. At some stage the guys seemed to fly at least
once a month. Now, after the landing incident (which would only take
three weeks to fix) which happened a while ago, I still don't hear
ANYTHING.

Does this mean the next attempt will be an attempt to go all the way?
Are they just waiting for the FAA license and then do it or what is
happening?

ok here is the latest update:

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:

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.

i think this means they have fixed the landing problem, and will
probably continue to push the alt. limit begning with the next
flight/flights.

Here are the new pictures:

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tiero...S1WTPS_800.jpg

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tiero...1WTPS2_800.jpg

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/index.htm
----------

In message
(Paul Spielmann) wrote:

(CA Zuke) wrote in message . com...

It's been a LONG time since I last heard of Scaled Composites and
their X-prize attempt. At some stage the guys seemed to fly at least
once a month. Now, after the landing incident (which would only take
three weeks to fix) which happened a while ago, I still don't hear
ANYTHING.

ok here is the latest update:

Flight 49L / 12G
Date: 11 MAR 04 Flight Time: 1.3 hours / 18 mins 30 secs

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.

i think this means they have fixed the landing problem, and will
probably continue to push the alt. limit begning with the next
flight/flights.

Here are the new pictures:

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tiero...S1WTPS_800.jpg

Interestingly the caption for that picture is "SpaceShipOne With the
rocket motot [sic] for the flight 13p." so next one looks to be the
second powered flight. I'd expect to see at least two pairs of quick
turn around powered flights before an actual prize attempt.

Anthony

--
| Weather prediction will never be accurate until we |
| kill all the butterflies |

(CA Zuke) writes:

Hi

It's been a LONG time since I last heard of Scaled Composites and
their X-prize attempt. At some stage the guys seemed to fly at least
once a month. Now, after the landing incident (which would only take
three weeks to fix) which happened a while ago, I still don't hear
ANYTHING.

A: It's been less than three months since SpaceShip One busted mach,
then busted the landing gear. In the realm of flight test engineering,
this is *not* a long time. Once a month is a good average rate, but
only an average - sometimes it takes longer to digest the results of
the last test and prepare for the next. Plenty of three-month gaps
in, e.g., the annals of the X-15 program.

B: If you don't hear anything, do keep in mind that nobody else is
obligated to *say* anything. This is a private company trying to
make a profit, and quite often the best way to do that is to keep
some things close to the vest.


Does this mean the next attempt will be an attempt to go all the way?
Are they just waiting for the FAA license and then do it or what is
happening?

It is unlikely that they would seek to go directly from barely supersonic
to a full 100-km suborbital trajectory without several incremental flight
tests in between. It is also unlikely that they would put all flight
testing on hold pending an FAA license when, at very least, they could
try to repeat the last test with a better landing.

There will almost certainly be more tests, and an FAA launch license, and
more tests still, and an X-prize attempt, in that order. What the planned
schedule is, is one of those things Rutan and company are keeping close to
the vest.


--
*John Schilling * "Anything worth doing, *
*Member:AIAA,NRA,ACLU,SAS,LP * is worth doing for money" *
*Chief Scientist & General Partner * -13th Rule of Acquisition *
*White Elephant Research, LLC * "There is no substitute *
* for success" *
*661-951-9107 or 661-275-6795 * -58th Rule of Acquisition *

(John Schilling) wrote:

A: It's been less than three months since SpaceShip One busted mach,
then busted the landing gear. In the realm of flight test engineering,
this is *not* a long time.

Keep in mind that most people live on internet time nowadays. If it
isn't generating a headline, it's forgotten.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

When in doubt, go over seas?

Also yes, never let the media know of your "failures" to many people
base alot of things
on that news and it can ruin a company.. So keep things close to home,
secret as much
as possible, and then have the GLORY of a successful flight, contracts
and book rights.

Mike


John Schilling wrote:

(CA Zuke) writes:

Hi

It's been a LONG time since I last heard of Scaled Composites and
their X-prize attempt. At some stage the guys seemed to fly at least
once a month. Now, after the landing incident (which would only take
three weeks to fix) which happened a while ago, I still don't hear
ANYTHING.

A: It's been less than three months since SpaceShip One busted mach,
then busted the landing gear. In the realm of flight test engineering,
this is *not* a long time. Once a month is a good average rate, but
only an average - sometimes it takes longer to digest the results of
the last test and prepare for the next. Plenty of three-month gaps
in, e.g., the annals of the X-15 program.

B: If you don't hear anything, do keep in mind that nobody else is
obligated to *say* anything. This is a private company trying to
make a profit, and quite often the best way to do that is to keep
some things close to the vest.

Does this mean the next attempt will be an attempt to go all the way?
Are they just waiting for the FAA license and then do it or what is
happening?

It is unlikely that they would seek to go directly from barely supersonic
to a full 100-km suborbital trajectory without several incremental flight
tests in between. It is also unlikely that they would put all flight
testing on hold pending an FAA license when, at very least, they could
try to repeat the last test with a better landing.

There will almost certainly be more tests, and an FAA launch license, and
more tests still, and an X-prize attempt, in that order. What the planned
schedule is, is one of those things Rutan and company are keeping close to
the vest.

--
*John Schilling * "Anything worth doing, *
*Member:AIAA,NRA,ACLU,SAS,LP * is worth doing for money" *
*Chief Scientist & General Partner * -13th Rule of Acquisition *
*White Elephant Research, LLC * "There is no substitute *
* for success" *
*661-951-9107 or 661-275-6795 * -58th Rule of Acquisition *

I wonder too. Here is a list of the possiblities that have occured to
me:

1) The ship was more badly damaged than they said. (Maybe, but what
would they lose by admitting if? They are still in the lead anyway
you look at it)
2) They are giving the other teams time to catch up to make it more
interesting(fat chance).
3) They are having trouble getting the license (but I thought it just
got a lot easier).
4) They are distracted by the Global Flyer project (obviously somewhat
true, but didn't Burt do that already 10 years ago? - What is the
hurry there?)
5) They don't want to compete in the news with Spirit and Opportunity
(but what if they really do live 200+ days?)

I would like to hear other speculations, as none of my ideas are very
convincing. I though they wanted to fly the thing once a week for a
period of months after winning. What are they waiting for?



(CA Zuke) wrote in message . com...
Hi

It's been a LONG time since I last heard of Scaled Composites and
their X-prize attempt. At some stage the guys seemed to fly at least
once a month. Now, after the landing incident (which would only take
three weeks to fix) which happened a while ago, I still don't hear
ANYTHING.

Does this mean the next attempt will be an attempt to go all the way?
Are they just waiting for the FAA license and then do it or what is
happening?

In article ,
MikeWise wrote:
5) They don't want to compete in the news with Spirit and Opportunity
(but what if they really do live 200+ days?)

6) They are privately funded and feel no need to issue press releases
every time they fly.
--
MOST launched 30 June; science observations running | Henry Spencer
since Oct; first surprises seen; papers pending. |

6) They [SpaceShip1 backers] are privately funded and feel no need to issue
press releases every time they fly.
True. But somewhere, I read that SS1 has made 13 test flights to date,
[3/24/04]. Apparently it is going well with their program.
Seems like they quite possibly could make the XPrize sub-orb flight to
space before the end of 2004.
^
//^\\
~~~ near space elevator ~~~~
~~~members.aol.com/beanstalkr/~~~

Allen Meece wrote:

6) They [SpaceShip1 backers] are privately funded and feel no need to issue
press releases every time they fly.
True. But somewhere, I read that SS1 has made 13 test flights to date,
[3/24/04]. Apparently it is going well with their program.
Seems like they quite possibly could make the XPrize sub-orb flight to
space before the end of 2004.
^
//^\\
~~~ near space elevator ~~~~
~~~members.aol.com/beanstalkr/~~~


Burt Rutan is a patient methodical man.

And, he expects to fly in it himself.