Rutan hits 200k feet! Almost there!

"Chad Irby" wrote in message
om...

...you haven't read the actual rules yet, have you?


Yup.



The X-15 carried one guy (the rules for the X-Prize require that the
craft has to be able to carry three, although it only has to have the
equivalent ballast for the actual prize flight).


So the significant thing about the X-Prize is that it requires a three-place
craft?



The two semi-qualifying (100 km+) X-15 flights took place over
a month apart, in the #3 airframe.


The point is the X-Prize does not require any new technology or capability.

"Mike Beede" wrote in message
...

So now it's not "it's already been done," it's "it *could* have
been already done?"


Yes, manned suborbital flight has already been done.



I think it's time to give up.


Do what you must.



The X-15 was a really cool plane, but
it wouldn't qualify for the X-Prize even if it was operational today. It
couldn't carry passengers.


You're missing the point. The X-Prize does not require any new technology
or capability. Manned suborbital spaceflight was accomplished and abandoned
over forty years ago.

"Chad Irby" wrote in message
om...

It did, after some lower and slower flights.

Not after the high-altitude flights, though, and the average gap between
"hard" flights of the same airframes was a month and a half.


That it didn't happen doesn't mean it wasn't possible.

"zatatime" wrote in message
news

Yes it was.....


You're mistaken.


snip
["Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in
message
ink.net...

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...

Somebody step on your tail? It really is going to be tough. If
Rutan were attempting something easy, it wouldn't be worth all
that attention, would it? What, are you trying to belittle his
accomplishments or what he is trying to do?


Just what is the point of the whole X-Prize competition anyway? I
understand the requirements, but why do it all? The Rutan Voyager
flight
wasn't particularly useful either, but it was something that hadn't been
done before.

Someone might have said the same thing to the Wrights.

The idea is to prove that privately financed space travel is both
feasible
and reasonable. No government has managed to do what Rutan and the
others
are attempting. The prize has the additional advantage of attracting
media
attention so that, once it has been won, public interest in space
tourism
will be generated.]

end snip

If you're going to participate you need to learn to retain the
responses you receive in a thread. What is outlined above not only
demonstrates the significance of the X-Prize, but is also significant
in demonstrating that you should be PLONK'ed by everyone in this
forum!


You're new here. If you're going to participate positively in these
discussions you'll have to learn how to present a cogent argument. The
question was; "Why is civilian suborbital flight a significant milestone?"
Nothing in the material quoted above answers that question.



I volunteer to lead the way.


It doesn't appear you're capable of leading.

between
"hard" flights of the same airframes was a month and a half.


That it didn't happen doesn't mean it wasn't possible.


Now it devovled to "coulda/woulda/shoulda"

lmao

Blll

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net

Why?

Just because.

I don't think there's any sort of "Wow! NOBODY's done this before!" aspect
to this. Of *course* men have flown in space. The only difference here -
and the challenge of the task - is to do it with private money.

Why is that a challenge? Because traditionally space travel has only been
done at the expense of billions of dollars and huge government
bureaucracies. The X-Prize is out to demonstrate that space travel doesn't
have to remain the domain of governments.

I personally like the idea of non-government entities in space. Why? "Just
because," mostly. The fact that they're doing this without tax money is a
bonus - and I'm generally supportive of space programs.

My opinion is that the major advances in space technology from this point
forward are going to come from the private sector. Space tourism is just
the start. When companies figure out how to use microgravity profitably to
manufacture crystals and special alloys, we'll start to see real advances
and lower costs for space technology. Then perhaps manned exploration of
the solar system.

That's a l-o-n-g way in the future, though. I'll be lucky to see much of it
fully realized in my lifetime.

But I'm a dreamer - much like Rutan and the others vying for the X-Prize.
The $10M pot isn't going to cover the costs of the attempt much less
generate a profit.

They're dreamers saying "why *not*."

More power to them.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_s...veloperid=4415
____________________

"John T" wrote in message
ws.com...

Just because.

I don't think there's any sort of "Wow! NOBODY's done this
before!" aspect to this.


Actually, based on responses in this thread there seems to be quite a bit of
that!

"BllFs6" wrote in message
...

Now it devovled to "coulda/woulda/shoulda"


What is significant about a relaunch within two weeks?

Now it devovled to "coulda/woulda/shoulda"


What is significant about a relaunch within two weeks?


ever heard of the time value of money? or perhaps "lets get those customers
lined up like cattle" ? MOOOO em out

face it...your either a troll or a person with no vision whatsoever....

Bllll

"BllFs6" wrote in message
...

ever heard of the time value of money?


Yup. Ever given a straight answer to a simple question?



face it...your either a troll or a person with no vision whatsoever....


So killfile me. Many other ignorant jerks have.