SpaceShipOne below White Knight taxi's out at 7:02am PDT to Runway 30 at Mojave Airport
A beautiful sunrise over the high desert.
Liftoff at 7:11am PDT. to ferry SpaceShipOne 46,000 feet above the desert for launch.
At 8:13 this morning PDT, SpaceShipOne (SS1) coasted above the 100 km altitude point and successfully completed the first of two X-Prize flights. The peak altitude reached was 337,500 ft. The motor was shut down when the pilot, Mike Melvill, noted that his altitude predictor exceeded the required 100 km mark. The motor burn lasted 77 seconds – 1 second longer than on the June 21st flight. Melvill was prepared to burn the motor up to 89 seconds, which indicates significant additional performance remains in SS1.
White Knight climbs out with SpaceShipOne.
White Knight along with the StarShip chase aircraft passes overhead.
Drop from White Knight at 8:10 a.m.PDT and the rocket motor
ignites for a 76 second burn.
The rocket plume leaves a curly trail in the sky.
An Alpha jet (right bottom) served as the high speed chase with a photographer
in the back seat.
The slow speed and landing chase was a Extra 300.
SpaceShipOne turns on final rwy 30.
Touchdown was at 8:34am.
Landing speed is about 90kts.
Mike Melvill address the media.
Mike Melvill gives thumbs up with Paul Allen and Burt Rutan sit under the
US Flag.
White Knight makes a nice flyby after the SpaceShipOne landed.
Burt Rutan and Mike Melvill were elated at the post landing press conference.
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