Public spaceflight approaches

[I, Brian]

Should be interesting to say the least. Quite exciting, really. Book me a ticket.

[alexa]

As you wish.

[alexa]

Hi Brian,

The adventure for $10 million continue. X prize foundation has announced today the teams ready to compete.

SpaceShipOne will have its first flight on September 29th, 2004 at the Mojave Airport in California and the second flight on October 13th, 2004.

The Canadian da Vinci Project team is ready to show to the public the Wild Fire spacecraft on Thursday, August 5th, 2004 at its Downsview Airport in Toronto.

Find more on : http://web1-xprize.primary.net/press...leases/press.p

alexa

[alexa]

ups, something got wrong with my link :

http://web1-xprize.primary.net/press...leases/press.p

I hope this one is O.K.

Sorry,

alexa

[alexa]

This is really odd. I have checked again the link but my post doesn't show it as it was written.

[alexa]

Last try : www.xprize.org

[I, Brian]

Ah - the 60 day countdown has begun.

Thanks for that.

[alexa]

You are welcome !

[alexa]

Brian,

I received yesterday the X Prize Foundation newsletter with the press release on July 26, if you are still interested.

You can read it on : http://web1-xprize.primary.net/image...ub_default.jpg

Tomorrow is the roll out for the Canadian da Vinci's project team in Toronto. I hope to see at least the press release. Unfortunately, I have to work and cannot go to see it.

Alexa

[alexa]

O.K. It doesn't work my link, so here you have another one. I hope this one works :

http://web1-xprize.primary.net/press...leases/press.p

[I, Brian]

That doesn't work here either -

- BUT if you look on the homepage:

http://web1-xprize.primary.net/

at the top right, it has a Flash list of all the competitors. I didn;t actually realise there were so many, and it has the British and Canadian entries up there.

[alexa]

Sorry about the link. I didn't do any mistake about the address. I have checked 3 times.

If you go to the main address on www.xprize.org you can find the article I was taliking about in the press relesese for July 27.

Alexa

[alexa]

Just to follow up the event : da Vinci rocket' s launch was announced for October 2th, 3 days after SpaceShipOne's flight.

[alexa]

The competition for the $10,000,000 is getting hotter. Another team, Arca, managed to launch its roket into space on Sept. 9th.

Here you have the press release from www.xprize.org :
Black Sea— September 11, 2004

BREAKING NEWS: ARCA TEAM SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES DEMONSTRATOR ROCKET

ARCA TEAM SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES DEMONSTRATOR ROCKET

The September 9th test flight of the ARCA Team's Demonstrator 2B vehicle soaring high above the MidiaCape on the Black Sea. Despite some intital technical and weather problems resulting in delays and complications, the test of the world's first composite materials monopropellant rocket engine was a success, reaching an altitude of 1,000 meters and speeds up to 630 km/hr.

Gathering a few days before the launch, members of the ARCA Team conducted press conferences, prepped the site and the vehicle and underwent final technical training. The launch, originally set for 8 September was pushed back a day when it was discovered that the main fuel pipe was pulled out from the fuel tank because the rings intended to keep that pipe in place were not fixed. On the morning of the 9th, another surprise awaited the ARCA team, the winds. Demonstrator 2B was intended to launch in about 14 km/hr winds, but the readouts were showing 60 km/hr. Resourceful as always, ARCA recalculated the launch configuration and reduced the fuel to make the new winds within safety limits. Command and Control recalculated the trajectory within 10 minutes of take off and the vehicle landed exactly at the safety zone limit. Said Dumitru Popescu, ARCA Team leader, "The flight was almost PERFECT! We are extremely happy!"

Approximately 90 journalists from Romania, Austria and Germany attended the launch and it was broadcast on many television stations. For more details about the flight and the ARCA Team, visit www.arcaspace.ro




Reminder : SpaceShipOne has promised the first flight with passanger on Sept. 29th. The Canadian team, Da Vinci has its launch planned on Oct. 2nd 2004.

[I, Brian]

Interesting.