Excellent article at TechCentralStation on the long-term importance of SpaceShipOne (and others like it).

Posted by: JohnL at 10:01 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Via Hobbyspace, a link to a website where you can leave a congratulatory message to the earth's first truly private astronaut, Mike Melvill.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:14 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I hesitate to use breathless hyperbole, but today was really the dawning of a new space age, the age of private exploration and development of outer space. As Dale Amon describes it, we are now moving away from linear-growth government programs to exponential-growth entrepreneurialism. Maybe I will get to space sometime in my life, after all.

I don't have cable or satellite TV, and I couldn't get Real Player to work worth a flip on my work computer, so I missed the live video coverage of the event. Based on my morning channel-surfing, the three network morning "news" programs were asleep at the switch, reporting on Bill Clinton's post-affair sleeping arrangements instead of this. Kudos to the local Fox affiliate for carrying a substantial amount of live pre-launch coverage (and though I didn't see it, they were promising to bring live footage of the flight, too).

From what I've seen and read, the flight was successful though not flawless. There were some kinks to work out, but overall this was a momentous occasion.

For web coverage of space issues, it's always a great idea to start with Rand Simberg, and today was no exception. In a later post, he links to this great play-by-play from Kevin Murphy.

One of my favorite Australians, Alan Brain, also has a good account of the flight, along with some coverage of the difficulties alluded to above.

Spaceflight Now also has a nice play-by-play status log of the flight.

The mainstream media also did a fine job covering the event on the Internet in more detail than I expected based on the lack of interest by the major broadcast media in the US.

Whether or not they win the X-Prize, Scaled Composites have broken down the "giggle factor" barrier to private investment in space. What a great feeling - a "magic day when super-science mingles with the bright stuff of dreams" as described in the Rush song Countdown (lyrics in the extended entry):
more...

Posted by: JohnL at 11:53 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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