SpaceShipOne Captures X-Prize

On October 4, 2004, SpaceShipOne rocketed into history, becoming the first private manned spacecraft to exceed an altitude of 328,000 feet twice within the span of a 14 day period, thus claiming the ten million dollar Ansari X-Prize.

A second record shattered

In addition to meeting the altitude requirement to win the X-Prize, pilot Brian Binnie also broke the August 22, 1963 record by Joseph A. Walker, who flew the X-15 to an unofficial world altitude record of 354,200 feet.  Brian Binnie's SpaceShipOne flight carried him all the way to 367,442 feet or 69.6 miles above the Earth's surface.

History continued

The Ansari X-Prize was founded in 1996, modeled after the Orteig Prize that Charles Lindbergh won in 1927 by flying solo across the Atlantic Ocean.   The October 4, 2004 SpaceShipOne flight was timed partially to coincide with the 47th anniversary of the Soviet launch of Sputnik.

Video / Photos Our Photo Gallery contains complete coverage of X-Prize flight #2! here is a fantastic multi-camera video experience, "The Ansari X-Prize Mission Control" at America Online. This page allows you to see the complete footage of each on board camera and a chase camera, while switching angles in real time. Broadband required. There is a high quality 3 minute 5MB streaming / downloadable clip in our video section featuring on board camera and chase footage of X-Prize flight 2.   There are some video links from the right hand column of the CNN Article. A video is playable from an MSNBC Article.

News Articles cnn.com "SpaceShipOne captures X Prize - Privately funded craft reaches altitude requirement" space.com "SpaceShipOne Wins $10 Million Ansari X Prize in Historic 2nd Trip to Space" msnbc.com "SpaceShipOne wins $10 million X Prize - Flight also bests X-15 altitude record" reuters.com "SpaceShipOne Wins $10 Million Prize with Flight"

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