One of the preconditions for winning the Ansari X Prize is to send a craft carrying three passengers into orbit twice within a fortnight; and so, SpaceShipOne is slated for another launch on Monday to fulfill this part of the criteria. Let's not forget that the craft spun out of control at one point in the first trip:
Flight directors asked Melvill to shut the engine down earlier to avoid disaster, but the 63-year-old pilot-astronaut ignored their request.
Melvill and Rutan said after Wednesday's flight that at no time was SpaceShipOne out of control. Rutan characterized the problem as a "spin-stabilized" roll. He said there is a "known deficiency" in the craft that caused the roll.
I guess that's just another pilot with The Right Stuff going. We wish them luck.
- Art Neuro
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