SpaceShipOne Rocket Engine Gets an Upgrade; Need your comments please /thx

[kai_25]

When SpaceShipOne screams skyward this month on a mission to win an international human spaceflight competition, its rocket motor will be more powerful than ever, according to the engines builders. <br /><br />Since its historic June 21 flight, in which SpaceShipOne carried the first civilian pilot to the edge of space and back, spacecraft and engine engineers have been working to boost the vehicle's performance. <br /><br />"Our motor performed flawlessly during that flight," said Jim Benson, founding chairman and chief executive of the firm SpaceDev, of SpaceShipOne's inaugural manned spaceflight. "But we beefed up the engine even more."<br /><br />SpaceShipOne's engine has been modified to carry more propellant and burn longer than in previous flights, Benson told SPACE.com, adding that the engine has been enhanced to perform 20 percent beyond original requirements. <br /><br />The Poway, California-based SpaceDev provides key components for SpaceShipOne's engine and is responsible for refueling the spacecraft after each flight. SpaceShipOne was designed by aviation pioneer Burt Rutan and his firm Scaled Composites in Mojave, California. <br /><br />Rutan and civilian astronaut Mike Melvill, who piloted SpaceShipOne's first space shot, were unavailable for comment due to travel and work schedules. <br /><br />SpaceShipOne is currently slated to make two manned flights, the first set for Sept. 29, with its modified engine. The double space shot will mark the first attempt to snag the Ansari X Prize, an international competition among more than two dozen teams to build and fly a reusable spacecraft capable of carrying three people 62 miles (100 kilometers) up, land them safely and repeat the feat within 14 days. The first to do so before the end of the year nabs a nifty trophy and $10 million. <br /><br />A stronger hybrid engine<br /><br />SpaceShipOne uses a hybrid rocket engine that uses both liquid and solid propellant to propel it into space. The complete system consists of a

 

[john_316]

<br />Well I find this interesting that they will add a few seconds of burn time. But the question is with the redesign of the surfaces and additional burn time will it put spaceship one into a higher orbit and a acceptable decent path?<br /><br />I dont know so we just have to wait and see... <br />

 

[arobie]

Higher orbit? No, it doesn't orbit. It might go higher though. The decent path shouldn't be any different. It shoots up, then falls back down.

 

[rybanis]

Somebody needs to slap a big "Type-R" sticker on the side of SS1. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[crowing]

Any extra uuuumph is always appreciated,but the only concern I have is that they push what they have to much to the edge,and this compromises safety!<br /><br />I'm sure they know what they're doing,but when they talk about squeezing an extra 10-20% out over and above what they thought it would,I had to ask.<br />Anyway,with all the testing they've probably done and also realising that catastrophic failures don't help the cause much,I'm sure it's fine!!<br />Notwithstanding obviously that iron clad guarantees don't exist in these capers!