Flight 14P of SpaceShipOne was its third powered flight, which occurred on May 13, 2004. The pilot was Mike Melvill.
SpaceShipOne was released from White Knight at an altitude of 46,000 feet (14.0 km) and a speed of 120 knots (62 m/s). After ten seconds the rocket was lit, for a 55 second burn.
At burn-out the altitude was 150,000 feet (45.7 km) and the Mach number was 2.5. The craft then coasted to an apogee altitude of 211,400 feet (64.3 km).
At one point during the flight, the avionics computer froze up and had to be rebooted. Melvill flew the aircraft manually until the computer became operable again.
During reentry, the craft attained Mach 1.9 and deceleration of 3.5 g (34 m/s²). The craft switched to glider configuration at 55,000 feet (17.4 km). The craft returned to the spaceport and landed safely.
Famous quotes containing the word flight:
“Its shrill scream seems yet to linger in its throat, and the roar of the sea in its wings. There is the tyranny of Jove in its claws, and his wrath in the erectile feathers of the head and neck. It reminds me of the Argonautic expedition, and would inspire the dullest to take flight over Parnassus.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)