spacetoday.net: SpaceShipOne wins X Prize

Updated: Mon, Oct 4, 2004, 8:01 PM ET (0001 GMT)
Originally Posted: Mon, Oct 4, 2004, 1:50 PM ET (1750 GMT)
Brian Binnie atop SS1 after X2 flight (J. Foust)

SpaceShipOne, the manned suborbital spacecraft built by Scaled Composites, captured the $10 million Ansari X Prize Monday after a trouble-free flight. SpaceShipOne deployed from its White Knight carrier aircraft at approximately 10:49 am EDT (1449 GMT) and soared to an altitude of about 112,000 meters, well in excess of the X Prize qualifying altitude of 100 km and breaking the record for rocketplanes set by the X-15 four decades ago. Unlike the flight last Wednesday, SpaceShipOne did not roll during the flight, and Scaled officials said there were no anomalies of any kind during the flight. The flight is the second to exceed 100 km by the vehicle in under one week, beating the two-week requirement of the prize; prize officials confirmed at a press conference Monday morning that SpaceShipOne had officially won the prize. The actual prize, including the $10 million and a trophy, will be awarded in St. Louis on November 6.