Space Ship One Sept. 29th Flight

[rocketwatcher2001]

Wheeeww!<br />I'm breathing again. It looked like it was rolling at about 180 degrees a second. Those are some steely eyed missilemen! <br /><br />GREAT JOB! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[abq_farside]

When I first saw the feed, I thought it was tumbling too. Then the moderator mentions something about an unschedule maneuver. <br />The the feed looked good at 330k ft.<br /><br />Looked a little scary to me. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em><font size="1" color="#000080">Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be!</font></em></p> </div>

 

[dreada5]

I'm thousands of miles away in the United Kingdom watching live... and it was indeed a nervous moment when SS1 started rotating faster and faster on the its axis of flight. I thought the engines was switched off prematurely to try and get back control... but apparently it completed its burn. 338,000ft!!!! Wohoo!! <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />Lets just pray he gets back safely now...<br /><br />(ps. I was surprised to see the sky was already almost black at 46,000ft, I know that happens...but it was cool just watching it!!) The NASA TV video was great, it got a little choppy but it didn't lose it... ppl should have stayed with it! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Bring it home Mike!!

 

[omegamogo]

When I first heard about the rolling (Can't get NASA TV to Work) I almost **** my self! I was SO worried that it would fail.

 

[planet_z]

I was watching it on CNN. Wow that made my heart skip a beat when he started spinning. Luckily it didn't seem to affect how high he went. Mike Melvil is awsome! Can't wait to see him land.

 

[dreada5]

Now I'm confused. Was it shut down prematurely or not?

 

[planet_z]

I don't think it was shut down prematurely. The spinning though made it seem like he was going to have to.

 

[abq_farside]

A Scaled engineer said that they experienced some of the same roll on the last flight and hoped that they had fixed the problem. Maybe wind caused?<br /><br />Touchdown - back safely. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em><font size="1" color="#000080">Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be!</font></em></p> </div>

 

[robotical]

How long will it be before we know if it's official? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[dreada5]

CNN have said they achieved 358,000ft, dunno where they got that from. In any case it sounds better than BBC news (they just said the flight was a success).<br /><br />Mike is an awesome pilot... that wasn't easy! He really does have nerves of steel!! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[mooware]

Now that was exciting to watch!!! <br /><br />When the ship started the roll, I was on edge, HOPING that it wouldn't break apart, explode or come crashing down. That would set the X-Prize way back..<br /><br />Glad everything turned out well!!!!!!!<br /><br />

 

[dreada5]

I loved the way he said it did a "VICTORY ROLL"!! LOL!!<br /><br />Mike is da man!! I hope they sort it out so they can fly again real soon.

 

[starfhury]

When I saw SS1 started to roll, I thought it was all over. But considering the altitude he was, those rolls were probably less dangerous than people think. With the very thin atmosphere the SS1 can roll with out the same stress levels lower in the atmosphere. Once out of the atmosphere he could no longer use aerodynamic controls to affect the rolls. Regardless, they did it. Now do they have enough time to fix the problems and make a second flight? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

Here's hoping they do. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[yurkin]

Any word on when the second flight will be?<br />Hopefully within two weeks.

 

[viper101]

Yeah I expected that to turn ugly too - there seems to be something inherently stable about SS1 though, even when it's spinning, it's going up, and straight. <br /><br />I'm Really happy that Mike's okay. Great flight. <br />

 

[viper101]

Yurkin - I think they were planning for Sunday.

 

[centsworth_II]

<font color="yellow">"Mike just confirmed he shut it down 11 sec. early...</font><br /><br />I wonder how high he would have gotten with no early shut down? He made the required altitude easily as it was. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[dreada5]

What does it matter if he "aborted"... isn't the final altitude achieved whats important?

 

[centsworth_II]

<font color="yellow">"...the flight control problem was MUCH worse this time."</font><br /><br />The very thing that made it <b>look</b> worse also reduced the danger. The fact that the roll occured as the atmosphere thinned to the point that no correction was possible using the aerodynamic surfaces on the craft also meant that there were no great aerodynamic forces on the craft.<br /><br /> <br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bobvanx]

As you said, your concern about flight control looks well placed!<br />

 

[centsworth_II]

Thankfully, I didn't see much pitch. THAT would have been much worse than roll. Could it be that computer control will turn out to be a necessity? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[dreada5]

I think long term maybe, but proly not in 2 weeks.

 

[bobvanx]

>not in two weeks<br /><br />heh<br /><br />I wonder what the telemetry will say the roll was doing to Mike. It's amazing he kept his head together.<br /><br />These really are staggering forces we're working with, and computer control is part of the system already.

 

[thermionic]

Pilot error, eh? That is one skittish aircraft! And he said he was never worried. Mike must be one gnarly gnarly dude... I'm not sure whether the thrust stage of the flight was intended to be 40 or 50 seconds, but if he had 11 more seconds of fuel then just think of how high he could have topped out at. Of course we may learn that the design isn't stable enough out of the atmosphere to keep the power on.<br /><br />I'm so thrilled, I can hardly contain myself! I almost cried when I learned that Mike had recovered from the roll/tumble. My kids politely listened this morning when I told them that history was being made. I think it is different for them, having been born into the space age. They take it a bit forgranted.