June 21, 2004 Mojave, California
Details can be found at http://www.scaled.com/
No, this isn't a ticket to ride. Those cost $100k. This is the $10 ticket that gets you into the airport.
The crowd consisted of desert rats, aviation enthusiasts, technogeeks (thankfully sans pocket protectors), and the "SUV decorated with ratty made in China US flags" types. [Yeah, you know that kind, SUVs with no scratches occupied by rude people.] The gates opened at 3AM (in theory), so most people arrived when it was dark.
Space Ship One (tail number N328KF) is carried underneath the White Knight (tail number N318SL). The White Knight took Space Ship one to 47,000 ft, then Space Ship One used it's rocket to reach the 62 mile limit. The "328" in Space Ship One's tail number refers to the distance in feet, i.e. 328,000ft, that it must travel to win the $10 million dollar X-prize. The flight started at about 6:45AM.
Hey, what's with this dark blurry stuff at the sides of the photograph? Well, first you need to know how the fence in the foreground is held up. Rather than drive the stakes into the ground, which takes lots of work and tend to ruin the stakes, a small dirt berm was built and the stakes were then put in the berm. Now the people in front were not content with being in front. No, they had to climb the berm as well, thus getting into my photograph. Did I mention SUVs without scratches and cheap made in China US Flags and the rude people they contain?
Paul Allen invested $20 million in the project, so at the very least he should get was his name on the side of the tail. Now what kind of business plan invests $20 million to win $10 million? Er, um, they will make up the difference in volume, Yeah, that's it.
N-number : N328KF
Aircraft Serial Number : 001
Aircraft Manufacturer : SCALED COMPOSITES LLC
Model : 316
Aircraft Year : 2003
Owner Name : SCALED COMPOSITES LLC
Owner Address : 1624 FLIGHTLINE HANGAR 78
MOJAVE, CA, 93501
Type of Owner : Corporation
Registration Date : 20-Mar-2003
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Experimental
Approved Operations : Research and Development
N-number : N318SL
Aircraft Serial Number : 001
Aircraft Manufacturer : SCALED COMPOSITES LLC
Model : 318
Engine Manufacturer : AMA/EXPR
Model : UNKNOWN ENG
Aircraft Year : 2002
Owner Name : SCALED COMPOSITES LLC
Owner Address : 1624 FLIGHT LINE
MOJAVE, CA, 93501-1663
Type of Owner : Corporation
Registration Date : 05-Jul-2002
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Experimental
Approved Operations : Research and Development
The White Knight with Space Ship One in tow headed for the hills to the west of the Mojave airport. A clever person could park near highway 14 and avoid the mess at the airport, except the CHP enforced no-parking restrictions along both highways 14 and 58.
The White Knight/Space Ship One combo made numerous orbits and at least one figure eight as it gained altitude.
A Beechcraft 2000 Starship (N514RS) was used as the chase plane. It is also a Burt Rutan design.
N-number : N514RS
Aircraft Serial Number : NC-51
Aircraft Manufacturer : BEECH
Model : 2000
Engine Manufacturer : P&W
Model : PT6A SER
Aircraft Year : 1994
Owner Name : SCHERER ROBERT P III
Owner Address : 861 PRODUCTION PL STE A
NEWPORT BEACH, CA, 92663-2809
Type of Owner : Individual
Registration Date : 02-Jun-1998
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Standard
http://www.bobscherer.com/Pages/Starship.htm You might as well read about the Star Ship from the owner.
This was the last decent photo I got of the White Knight/Space Ship One as it made its assent. Often the plane would be lost in the sun, or the sun wasn't illuminating it properly to be seen.
These photographs are after the flight to 62 miles. [Sorry, I didn't get a good shot of the rocket contrail as it was right in the sun.] They flew a prop plane and an additional jet for Paul Allen to view the event. Then they landed all four at nearly the same time.
This is the White Knight without Space Ship One.
A not so good video of the planes landing can be downloaded here. I was doing quite well until my view was blocked, preventing me from videotaping the touchdown. Did I mention people driving SUVs with ratty made-in-China US flags?