Scaled Composites and the X prize

[Channel Hopper]

The hybrid aircraft took off just under 40 minutes ago and will separate in just under five minutes for the final journey into space

No streaming feeds seem to be active, but Euroonews has been showing good coverage from Mojave airfield

 

[Channel Hopper]

And it looks like theyve done it

62 .5 miles confirmed by the Guinness Book of records

Only another flight in the next few days and theyll take the $10M prize

 

[rolfw]

Somewhat of a Pyrrhic victory though, will have cost them more than 20 million to do it.

Haviing said that, it shows that throwing hige amounts of money at a problem is not as successful as pure ingenuity.

 

[Channel Hopper]

A slight mistake

This is not half the work done to take the prize (unless there were two dummy astronauts in the capsule with the pilot)

It cost E17M for todays flight, about the same distance as a return ticket from Basingstoke to Oxford.

I wont question British Rail fares again

 

[rolfw]

Yes but at least you get a seat on this journey.

 

[PaulR]

Paul Allen can afford to bankroll a flight to the moon so what's the problem?

PaulR

 

[rolfw]

Don't think that he bankrolled the whole flight, thought that it was only about 4 million of his money...... Doesn't sound much when you say it quickly.

 

[Channel Hopper]

And theyre off at 2pm UK time for the second flight and hopefully the $10M prize

Will get the appropriate site for live coverage later, but here is a link to the previous flights

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/video.htm

 

[Channel Hopper]

Looks like its here

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/xprize_full_coverage.html

 

[Channel Hopper]

http://www.xprize.org/press_room/press_releases/press.php?articleID=128

 

[Channel Hopper]

A bit premature but I think that with a height measured at 114kms, they have probably done it.