Scaled Composites First Privately Funded Space Launch
Mojave Spaceport, CA
[ 06/21/2004 ]
The pictures on this page are of Scaled Composites' first space launch. Most of the pictures
were taken with a 2 megapixel digital camera, but some are frames taken from video so forgive the quality!
Video Clips
All video clips are 640x480 and are encoded with DivX/Mp3 compressiontaxi.avi - (2:10, 11.8mb) - The White Knight and SpaceShip One taxi past the crowd.
takeoff.avi - (0:55, 3.92mb) - The White Knight and SpaceShip One take off.
launch.avi - (1:50, 7.03mb) - SS1 flight from ignition to burnout.
landing.avi - (2:21, 10.5mb) - SS1 flies over the crowd and lands.
 A shot of Mojave Spaceport around 3am |
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 People wait outside booths for souvenirs and food |
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 Brett in our home for the night |
 Around 4:30am, the runway/taxiway lights come on |
 The eastern horizon begins to glow |
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 By 5:30am, most people have taken their places |
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 What can I say about Brett, other than thanks for being there. |
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 The morning light reveals Mojave's sea of airliners |
 Aircraft fly in before the airport is closed for spaceflight operations |
 Various helicopters combed the surrounding desert before the flight |
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 Early sunlight shines off the mountains west of Mojave |
 Aircraft parked out on the tarmac |
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 The Beech Starship chase plane taxis out |
 The Extra 300 chase plane in the air |
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 The White Knight taxis out for its historic flight |
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 Ready for take off |
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 The starship is visible at left just after taking off |
 The White Knight and SS1 are visible under the windsock beginning their takeoff roll |
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 The WK and SS1 lift off into the morning air |
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 WK/SS1 circle overhead as they climb to 47,000 feet |
 WK/SS1 accompanied by the starship |
 The alpha jet chase plane taxis out |
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 Nearing the drop altitude, the WK leaves a contrail high above |
 Ignition! Barely visible just left of the small purple sunflare is the vertical contrail of Spaceship One |
 Visible here is the path SS1 took when rolling 90 degrees left after ignition, and the following course correction |
 Having climbed above the sun from our view point, SS1 continues to rise |
 Main engine cut off |
 The crowd awaits the signature shake of a sonic boom from re-entry |
 SS1 is accompanied again by the starship and extra 300 |
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 The extra 300 leaves a smoke trail, perhaps as an indication that the spacecraft is go for a normal landing |
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 Spaceship One on final approach |
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 Barely visible in this long shot is SS1 touching down |
 The White Knight makes an impressive pass in front of the crowd |
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 The WK on final |
 The chase aircraft make a pass and break off for landing |
 SS1's twin triangular tails are visible in the distance |
 Various shots taken while leaving the airport and driving back into LA follow |
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Pictures taken by Tony Goetz and Brett Douglas.
© Copyright 2004
tony@togo84.com