Scaled announces X Prize flight plans
Posted: Tue, Jul 27, 2004, 8:07 PM ET (0007 GMT)
SpaceShipOne, the suborbital RLV developed by Scaled Composites, will make the first of its two qualifying Ansari X Prize flights on September 29, prize organizers said Tuesday. The $10-million prize requires two flights to 100 kilometers in a two-week period; if a flight takes place on September 29 the second would have to take place by October 13. SpaceShipOne flew to just over 100 km on a flight June 21, but encountered some problems during the flight; at a press conference Scaled's Burt Rutan said those problems were understood and no modifications to the vehicle would be required. At the same press conference another X Prize competitor, The da Vinci Project, announced it would unveil its vehicle, Wild Fire, next week in Toronto. The effort plans to carry out flights later this year, but has yet to announce specific dates. SpaceShipOne has been funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who has spent at least $20 million on the project. By contrast, da Vinci has raised less than $350,000 in cash to date, relying on volunteers and donations. Da Vinci needs to raise an additional $350,000 to pay for its X Prize flights.
SpaceShipOne, the suborbital RLV developed by Scaled Composites, will make the first of its two qualifying Ansari X Prize flights on September 29, prize organizers said Tuesday. The $10-million prize requires two flights to 100 kilometers in a two-week period; if a flight takes place on September 29 the second would have to take place by October 13. SpaceShipOne flew to just over 100 km on a flight June 21, but encountered some problems during the flight; at a press conference Scaled's Burt Rutan said those problems were understood and no modifications to the vehicle would be required. At the same press conference another X Prize competitor, The da Vinci Project, announced it would unveil its vehicle, Wild Fire, next week in Toronto. The effort plans to carry out flights later this year, but has yet to announce specific dates. SpaceShipOne has been funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who has spent at least $20 million on the project. By contrast, da Vinci has raised less than $350,000 in cash to date, relying on volunteers and donations. Da Vinci needs to raise an additional $350,000 to pay for its X Prize flights.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Blue Origin describes plans for increased New Glenn launch rates
Posted: Sat, Oct 17 11:41 AM ET (1541 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, October 20
A Mars-velous decade: Celebrating ten years of TGO
ESA — 5:27 am ET (0927 GMT) How US Satellites Became Crucial to Ukraine’s Defense
Bloomberg News — 5:26 am ET (0926 GMT) How to stop Putin’s missiles before they even leave Russia
Washington Post — 5:25 am ET (0925 GMT) Fire at Starlink Center in Lithuania Was Sabotage, Officials Say
New York Times — 5:25 am ET (0925 GMT) Space Forces Central Poised for ‘Fivefold’ Growth in Coming Years
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 5:22 am ET (0922 GMT) |
