SpaceShipOne is an experimental air-launched rocket-powered aircraft with the primary purpose of achieving sub-orbital spaceflight. Here is detailed information about SpaceShipOne:
History and Development
- SpaceShipOne was developed by Scaled Composites, a company founded by Burt Rutan. The project was funded by Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft.
- The design of SpaceShipOne was inspired by X Prize, a competition to build a reliable, reusable, privately-funded spaceship capable of carrying three people into space twice within two weeks.
- Its first powered test flight took place on December 17, 2003, and it made its first spaceflight on June 21, 2004, piloted by Mike Melvill.
Design and Technology
- The spacecraft is designed with a unique 'feathering' re-entry system, allowing the wings and tail to pivot upwards to create drag, slowing the craft down for re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
- It is powered by a Hybrid Rocket Engine using rubber and liquid nitrous oxide as fuel.
- SpaceShipOne has a length of 16.5 feet, a wingspan of 16.4 feet, and weighs about 7,000 pounds when fully fueled.
Flights and Achievements
- SpaceShipOne made three successful spaceflights in 2004, with the first two flights winning the Ansari X Prize, a $10 million prize for the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks.
- The third and final flight occurred on October 4, 2004, piloted by Brian Binnie, reaching an altitude of 367,442 feet (111,996 meters), breaking the previous record for highest altitude achieved by a manned, air-launched spaceflight.
Legacy
- The success of SpaceShipOne paved the way for the development of SpaceShipTwo, a follow-on spacecraft intended for space tourism.
- It also demonstrated the feasibility of private spaceflight, leading to increased interest and investment in the commercial space industry.
- After its final flight, SpaceShipOne was retired and is now on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
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