Real Holder of the Glider Altitude Record, NOT RUTAN ON 21 JUNE

The space shuttle flies (orbits) above 328,000ft, and thus, outside of the
earth's atmosphere.
The record within the atmosphere belongs to the X-15 since 1962 at
314,000ft.

"Bob" wrote in message
om...
Wouldn't that make the STS (a self launch glider) the holder of the
altitude record?

Bob

(Janus2k) wrote in message ...
Written by Bob Mowry, whom I suspect could be lurking here! Congrats!!!!!!!
Made my day.

Mark,

Thanks for the post here. My magazine just arrived on Saturday (I
didn't know they were going to publish my letter until I saw it).

I hope Bruce has a good sense of humor

-bob

In article ,
"Arbr64" wrote:

The average sink rate according to their public data is 2500ft/min, and
stall speed with one person on board and no fuel was 70kts.

I'm sure that sink rate (which is comparable to many small helicopters)
is with the aircraft and/or pilot in a "let's get down and land *now"
mode.


But of course it's not a sailplane! All the same I'm sure as hell going
to head for Mojave to see this Historic flight.

It sees private vehicles get to about the same point as NASA was in 1961
with Alan Shepard's and Gus Grissom's Mercury flights, and very much the
same place the USAF was with the X15 high flights from 1963 to 1968.

The capabilities are only about the same as those government programs in
the 1960's, but the cost and resuability are far better.

I now know that I'll be possible for regular people like us to get into
space within my lifetime (I'm 41). I might if I'm lucky even get to do
it this decade. If you'd asked me even five years ago I wouldn't have
been anywhere near as positive.

Way to go, Scaled!

-- Bruce