MS co-founder funds Burt Rutan to set private space record

[link|http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/05/13/private.space.ship/index.html|http://www.cnn.com/2...e.ship/index.html]

Rutan designed the 1st plane to do non-stop round the world flight.

Is aming to trigger private space travel with low cost 'space-ships'.

EXTRACT >>
(CNN) -- The ultimate thrill ride could be closer to reality.

Aircraft designer Burt Rutan and his firm Scaled Composites took a giant leap early Thursday toward becoming the first private company to send a person into space.

Scaled Composites, funded by Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Paul Allen, set a new civilian altitude record of 40 miles in a craft called SpaceShipOne during a test flight above California's Mojave Desert.

The firm is one of 24 companies from several countries competing for the X Prize, which will go to the first privately funded group to send three people on a 62.5-mile-high suborbital flight and repeat the feat within two weeks using the same vehicle.
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Impressive feat - Rutan just keeps pulling rabbits out of his hat :-)

Dog Marker

Reminds me that, when in high desert enroute to AZ - in vicinity of [Edwards? AFB] turn-off -- saw contrail moving Very Fast, though the base-leg on my 'triangulation' was miniscule and moving.

Dunno how an airbreather looks, from the ground at 200K+ feet, though. Prompted me to wonder at the time, "is anybody Interested in ^Up There^ anymore?"

How nice that a small piece of the cubic acres of ill-gotten M$ swag isn't going for ego-sports-team purchases and such, this time. (After all, Billy has already bought the Bettmann Archives, to sew those images up for as near all-time as possible. Allen might have done a lot worse).

As the guy with U. Miami Astronomy Dept. says, keep on looking Up!

moi

Post #155,102 by dmarker 5/13/04 11:26:32 PM Reply	MS co-founder funds Burt Rutan to set private space record [link\|http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/05/13/private.space.ship/index.html\|http://www.cnn.com/2...e.ship/index.html] Rutan designed the 1st plane to do non-stop round the world flight. Is aming to trigger private space travel with low cost 'space-ships'. EXTRACT >> (CNN) -- The ultimate thrill ride could be closer to reality. Aircraft designer Burt Rutan and his firm Scaled Composites took a giant leap early Thursday toward becoming the first private company to send a person into space. Scaled Composites, funded by Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Paul Allen, set a new civilian altitude record of 40 miles in a craft called SpaceShipOne during a test flight above California's Mojave Desert. The firm is one of 24 companies from several countries competing for the X Prize, which will go to the first privately funded group to send three people on a 62.5-mile-high suborbital flight and repeat the feat within two weeks using the same vehicle. << Impressive feat - Rutan just keeps pulling rabbits out of his hat :-) Dog Marker
Post #155,110 by Meerkat 5/14/04 1:54:04 AM Reply	Sad old Dr Who fans are amused by talk of Rutans in space... Two out of three people wonder where the other one is.
Post #155,117 by Ashton 5/14/04 6:21:54 AM Reply	Re: MS co-founder funds Burt Rutan Reminds me that, when in high desert enroute to AZ - in vicinity of [Edwards? AFB] turn-off -- saw contrail moving Very Fast, though the base-leg on my 'triangulation' was miniscule and moving. Dunno how an airbreather looks, from the ground at 200K+ feet, though. Prompted me to wonder at the time, "is anybody Interested in ^Up There^ anymore?" How nice that a small piece of the cubic acres of ill-gotten M$ swag isn't going for ego-sports-team purchases and such, this time. (After all, Billy has already bought the Bettmann Archives, to sew those images up for as near all-time as possible. Allen might have done a lot worse). As the guy with U. Miami Astronomy Dept. says, keep on looking Up! moi

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