Profiles Index

SpaceShipOne Undergoing Preflight Inspection
SpaceShipOne undergoing preflight inspection before its June historic space flight. The registration number designates its goal: 328,000 ft altitude, or 100km (62 miles). SpaceShipOne completed a May 13th, 2004 test flight in which pilot Mike Melvill reached a height of 211,400 feet (approximately 40 miles), the highest altitude ever reached by a non-government aerospace program.

Workers Prepare SpaceShipOne For Its Historic Flight
Workers prepare the spaceship for its historic flight. The large rocket motor will produce 17,000 lb thrust. SpaceShipOne was designed by Rutan and his research team at the California-based aerospace company, Scaled Composites. Rutan made aviation news in 1986 by developing the Voyager, the only aircraft to fly non-stop around the world without refueling.

SpaceShipOne Returns to the Runway
Shown just before touchdown at 90 mph, SpaceShipOne returns to the runway. Upon re-entry, the pilot reconfigures the ship back to a normal glider, and then spends 15 to 20 minutes gliding back to earth, touching down like an airplane on the same runway from which he took off.

SpaceShipOne Glides Down for Approach to the Mojave Airport
SpaceShipOne glides down for approach to the Mojave airport. Upon re-entry, the pilot reconfigures the ship back to a normal glider, and then spends 15 to 20 minutes gliding back to earth, touching down like an airplane on the same runway from which he took off.

SpaceShipOne Sits On the Ramp On Its Landing Gear
SpaceShipOne sits on the ramp on its landing gear. A privately-developed rocket plane will launch into history on June 21, 2004 on a mission to become the world’s first commercial manned space vehicle. Investor & philanthropist Paul Allen & aviation legend Burt Rutan have teamed to create the program, which will attempt the 1st non-governmental flight to leave the earth’s atmosphere. SpaceShipOne will rocket to 100 km into sub-orbital space above the Mojave Civilian Aerospace Test Center.

White Knight Launch Aircraft Carries the Spaceship
White Knight launch aircraft carries the spaceship, followed by Bob Scherer’s Starship chase aircraft. To reach space, a carrier aircraft, the White Knight, lifts SpaceShipOne from the runway. An hour later, after climbing to approximately 50,000 feet altitude just east of Mojave, the White Knight releases the spaceship into a glide. The spaceship pilot then fires his rocket motor for about 80 seconds, reaching Mach 3 in a vertical climb.

The White Knight Turbojet Aircraft Climbs Over the Mojave Desert
The White Knight turbojet aircraft climbs over the Mojave desert with SpaceShipOne attached below. To reach space, a carrier aircraft, the White Knight, lifts SpaceShipOne from the runway. An hour later, after climbing to approximately 50,000 feet altitude just east of Mojave, the White Knight releases the spaceship into a glide. The spaceship pilot then fires his rocket motor for about 80 seconds, reaching Mach 3 in a vertical climb.

Paul Allen & Burt Rutan Discuss Results of Recent SpaceShipOne Test Flight
Paul Allen and Burt Rutan discuss the results of a recent SpaceShipOne test flight. Investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen and aviation legend Burt Rutan have teamed to create SpaceShipOne, the world’s first commercial manned space vehicle. Allen, founder and chairman of Vulcan Inc, is financing the project. Rutan made aviation news in 1986 by developing the Voyager, the only aircraft to fly non-stop around the world without refueling.