Rutan's SpaceShipOne & White Knight first test flight....

[Dr Mordrid]

Gotta love Rutan;

Flight 24 / CC-1
Date: 20-May-03 Flight Time: 1.8 hours
Pilot: Siebold
Copilot: Binnie

Objectives:

First captive carry flight with mated White Knight and SpaceShipOne. Vibration and aerodynamic interface assessment. Mated handling qualities evaluation. Envelope expansion to 130 knots / Mach 0.5 above 45,000 feet. Stalls and 2/3-rudder sideslips. SpaceShipOne systems inactive, controls locked and cabin unmanned. Launch system was qualified and functional for this flight.

Results:

Excellent two-ship stability & control throughout the envelope. No interference or vibration issues. Smooth surface flows on SS1 except around rocket nozzle. Two-ship performance was as predicted. Mach .53 was achieved at 48,000 ft. Climb rate at 48,000 ft was 700 ft/min. Envelope was cleared for future manned captive carry and glide flights.

Next flight should be a manned captive carry in which all SpaceShipOne systems (except rocket propulsion) will be tested at altitudes up to 50,000 ft. If successful, the glide flights will follow soon, since the systems preparation and pilot training requirements are the same.

Cool.....

Dr. Mordrid

[KvHagedorn]

Cabin looks like a wiffle ball..

[Dr Mordrid]

You expected something conventional looking from Rutan?

They wanted visibility but still to have strength. It files differently too; on re-entry the wings flip up and it flies much like a shuttlecock, braking areodynamcally.

Can't wait to see how it flies with their hybrid rocket engine lit.

SS1 data sheet;

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/New_Index/data_sheets/html/space_ship_one.htm

Dr. Mordrid

[VJ]

Originally posted by Dr Mordrid
They wanted visibility but still to have strength. It files differently too; on re-entry the wings flip up and it flies much like a shuttlecock, braking areodynamcally.

Hmm, perhaps a weird choice of words (or my English fails me): a shuttlecock in badminton spins rapidly round its symmetry-axis. I hope this isn't the case for the spaceship...

But it is great news!


Jörg

[RedRed]

lovely bird.....

(go starchaser )

[Dr Mordrid]

Starchaser had better hurry. Rutan's targeting his flight by the end of the year, and at the rate he's going he'll beat that schedule. That plus his flight profile is easier.

Dr. Mordrid

[RedRed]

Starchaser wont get there - unless somew of the other projects fail big time....

too far back, I am afrad....

ah well....

[Dr Mordrid]

Can't imagine a Rutan project failing big time. He won't let it, obsessive character that he is

Dr. Mordrid

[K6-III]

Carmack thinks the Starchaser team is just begging for fatalities...

The real race is between Carmack and Rutan (Armadillo vs Scaled)

[RedRed]

Rutan will probably win - I agree....

His kit looks sweet.....

I have surfed the x-prize site, on and off, for years.....

Cant wait until someone actually collects it!

RedRed

[K6-III]

If Carmack can deal with his peroxide supply issues, he sure could give Rutan a good run for the prize...

[K6-III]

BTW, Carmack just conducted his first drop test of his full size X-Prize vehicle...

You can watch the video here: http://media.armadilloaerospace.com/...erDropTest.mpg

[Dr Mordrid]

He couldn't come up with a better system than one based on a crush zone? Why not a parafoil & skids? At least that doesn't look like a failure when it succeeds

Dr. Mordrid

[GuchiGuh]

future of aeronautics?

[K6-III]

Originally posted by Dr Mordrid
He couldn't come up with a better system than one based on a crush zone? Why not a parafoil & skids? At least that doesn't look like a failure when it succeeds

Dr. Mordrid

The crush cone is an excellent idea. That way, mass that would normally be unusable is made useful...