GSC Update/Editorial

I really didn't think anybody cared about the space updates, honestly, until I got owned by Peter and Eric about not updating. With that in mind, here we go (I sincerely apologize for the delay).

*On June 21, 2004, space history was made. Mike Melville flew the independently funded Scaled Composites spacecraft, SpaceShipOne to an altitude of 62 feet- the threshold of space. With this feat, Burt Rutan and the designers at SC have sucessfully launched the first commercial spaceflight. The spacecraft was carried into the atmosphere by the carrier ship, White Knight, launched with a rocket booster, in a state of freefall for a few minutes, then glided back into the atmosphere, and landed on a runway (multiple phase shifts). This is significant if only for the Federal Aviation Administration's changes in recent months, approving the first commericial space launch liscene, as well as issuing the first Civillian Astronaut Wings to the pilot. If the company can launch three people in the same vehicle within two weeks, they will win the 10 million dollar Anasari X-Prize. Scaled Composites, as well as other X-Prize competitors are paving the way for afordable commonplace commercial spaceflight. Spaceflight for the world.

*July 1, 2004: the Cassini space probe enters Saturnian orbit, having completed it's long seven year journey. In-depth study of Saturn's 31 known moons and it's mysterious rings complete the study of the planet begun back in the 70's by the Voyager probes. Later this year, on Christmas Day, Cassini will drop the 700 pound Huygens probe to study Titan, Saturn's largest moon, as well as the only other planetary body in this solar system with a nitrogen atmosphere.

I realize, in retrospect, that having Peter and Eric tell me about how I was "beaten to the punch" over the news of SpaceShipOne's sucess really validates my blog's existence as a way to tell people about space. Why should I complain if more people are interested about space? Ad Astra!