Private manned space plane unveiled!

www.msnbc.com...

MOJAVE, Calif., April 18 � Aircraft designer Burt Rutan unveiled Friday a fully-built launch system that, if flights outside the atmosphere prove successful, would be the first private manned space program. Both the spacecraft, called SpaceShipOne, and its launch platform, a futuristic jet known as the White Knight, were developed and built in secret and have already begun tests at lower altitudes.

[Edited on 19-4-2003 by Lysergic]

IS it me or it really looks like a V-1 on extacy?

with all of the computers, tracking stations, veteran experts, etc. at NASA...they still manage to lose a spacecraft every now and then... I'd think that trying to get into space on your own is a risk of the highest magnitude.... Not something I'd do, but hey, more power to 'em!

The is more on this on the newscientist

www.newscientist.com...

This is the strangest aircraft I think I have ever seen




Falcon

the only way to learn more about something is to take risks. for something like that i'd be more than willing to risk my own life, if i knew someday it'd benefit all of man kind.

the xprize program seems like an excellent way to discover people who would otherwise be unable to suggest ideas on spacecraft. many of the crafts seem capable of at least suborbital flight. maybe one of them will get into space.