A manned space rocket program funded by Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen made its way to higher than 211,000 feet Thursday with the SpaceShipOne test flight, which reached about two-thirds of the 63-mile-high requirement of the $10 million X Prize that is more about feat than finance. Piloted by Mike Melvill and released from a companion craft, known as White Knight, at 46,000 feet, the SpaceShipOne craft blasted off 10 seconds after its release and boosted to 150,000 feet and Mach 2.5 speed.
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Microsoft Cofounder Paul Allen’s Private Rocket Soars
Posted by: Jay Lyman May 14, 2004 10:56 AMA manned space rocket program funded by Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen made its way to higher than 211,000 feet Thursday with the SpaceShipOne test flight, which reached about two-thirds of the 63-mile-high requirement of the $10 million X Prize that is more about feat than finance. Piloted by Mike Melvill and released from a companion craft, known as White Knight, at 46,000 feet, the SpaceShipOne craft blasted off 10 seconds after its release and boosted to 150,000 feet and Mach 2.5 speed.