SS1 -- one down, one to go!

[dave schneider]

Numerous news sites (Yahoo, BBC, Google, Reauters) reporting a
successful flight despite control problems, which might be some PIO
(cue Mary).

Engine was cutoff early, so the extra capacity wasn't tested. Not
sure whether a bigger kick at ignition was part of flight.

/dps

[Jim Kingdon]

> Numerous news sites (Yahoo, BBC, Google, Reauters) reporting a
> successful flight despite control problems, which might be some PIO
> (cue Mary).

At http://spaceflightnow.com/ss1/status.html Melvill (the pilot) talks
about PIO (Pilot-Induced Oscillation) in relation to the June flight.
He says that they didn't have that in September's flight, but that the
roll was a different thing (sounds like a steady roll rather than a
back-and-forth thing).

We seem to have 2 for 2 indication that Spaceship One tends to roll.
Obviously, they don't think they need to change this before going for
the X Prize. After that, I suppose they'll probably think about
whether to tweak some part of the design (or, I suppose, figure it is
case of pilots learning to fly this thing. After all, it was possible
to recover from the roll in each case).

[Pat Flannery]

Jim Kingdon wrote:

>
>We seem to have 2 for 2 indication that Spaceship One tends to roll.
>Obviously, they don't think they need to change this before going for
>the X Prize. After that, I suppose they'll probably think about
>whether to tweak some part of the design (or, I suppose, figure it is
>case of pilots learning to fly this thing. After all, it was possible
>to recover from the roll in each case).
>
>

They say that it's due to excessive dihedral on the wing:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6145537/?GT1=5402
By the way, what are the three "what's-its" one either side of the
spaceship in this photo?:
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040930/040930_spaceshipone_vmed.vmedium.jpg
I thought they might be an camera artifact, but they seem to have
contrails behind them; shockwaves? Control thruster exhaust?

Pat

[Jim Kingdon]

> They say that it's due to excessive dihedral on the wing:
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6145537/?GT1=5402

Thanks. Very informative and not something I've seen reported
elsewhere (this is under "Potential causes", about 2/3 of the way down
the page).

> By the way, what are the three "what's-its" one either side of the
> spaceship in this photo?:
> http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040930/040930_spaceshipone_vmed.vmedium.jpg

I suppose it is one of those water vapor effects, sort of like this
one: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/s/soundbarrier.htm

but I don't really remember much about such things...

[Scott Lowther]

Pat Flannery wrote:


> By the way, what are the three "what's-its" one either side of the
> spaceship in this photo?:
> http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040930/040930_spaceshipone_vmed.vmedium.jpg


That's the wing flapping. Burt liked "Sky Captain" so much he had SS1
modified a little.