X Prize launch tomorrow
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X Prize launch tomorrow
If you're up at 6:30 PST (9:30 EST) Mon. June 21st, CNN is supposed to be covering it. The first privately funded attempt to put astronauts in space (for 3 minutes, which will win them 10 million if they succeed).
Tier One info site
Tier One info site
- Flatlander
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X Prize launch tomorrow
um dont they have to do it twice within a week to qualify for the ten mill?
cheers
rij
cheers
rij
- suicide eddie
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- Nitrofox125
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That's pretty awesome, at least in my eyes. At least that means that if NASA doesn't want to do it, it's still possible in spaceflight. Now watch the government declare that space is "government property"
Here's another related article that was pretty good:
http://www.economist.com/science/displa ... id=2787812
Here's another related article that was pretty good:
http://www.economist.com/science/displa ... id=2787812
- Will Robinson
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A friend of mine worked on that little spacecraft, he sent the following email in response to a question about the loud THUMP that was heard and big dent in the fusalage. (the comment at the end is in reference to the fact that he's battling cancer):
"Mike Melville has balls of steel. Despite a major roll trim tab servo malfunction which caused a couple of rolls, and asymmetrical thrust which was approaching the limit of yaw control, Mike kept the motor running and stayed with it. I'm not quite certain if the thump was related to the buckling at the back end. The area that buckled is a fairing and not critical structure. On the way up, he was struggling to correct the trim problem as well as fighting to stay on course. At the top, he still had the presence of mind to take a few seconds to put a hand full of M&M's out in front of him just to see them float. Then he went back to work overriding the trim control before re-entering the atmosphere. He told me that if the trim tab issue could not be corrected, he was certain that the spacecraft would have been torn apart as it re-entered. The man is a true test pilot. An amazing guy. Very fun to work with. Being alive to see that flight was a great gift. "
"Mike Melville has balls of steel. Despite a major roll trim tab servo malfunction which caused a couple of rolls, and asymmetrical thrust which was approaching the limit of yaw control, Mike kept the motor running and stayed with it. I'm not quite certain if the thump was related to the buckling at the back end. The area that buckled is a fairing and not critical structure. On the way up, he was struggling to correct the trim problem as well as fighting to stay on course. At the top, he still had the presence of mind to take a few seconds to put a hand full of M&M's out in front of him just to see them float. Then he went back to work overriding the trim control before re-entering the atmosphere. He told me that if the trim tab issue could not be corrected, he was certain that the spacecraft would have been torn apart as it re-entered. The man is a true test pilot. An amazing guy. Very fun to work with. Being alive to see that flight was a great gift. "