Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: D. Long who wrote (53159)	7/7/2004 7:13:15 AM
From: Tom Clarke	Respond to of 793912

I wonder what the sticking point was with Graham. Maybe the odd habit of keeping notes on every excruciatingly mundane detail of his life. Too much fodder for late night comics...

To: D. Long who wrote (53159)	7/7/2004 8:01:33 AM
From: DMaA	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793912

Remember the weird diaries? 7:02 Rise from bed. 7:03 Urinate 7:06 Brushed my teeth for 3 1/2 minutes 7:09 . . . I wonder what the sticking point was with Graham.

To: D. Long who wrote (53159)	7/7/2004 11:50:55 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793912

Great news, Derek. Sic Itur ad Astra! All systems go for private spaceship: The problems that dogged SpaceShipOne during its historic spaceflight last month have been resolved, and the rocket plane's next launch will kick off an attempt to win the $10 million Ansari X Prize, team leader Burt Rutan told Wired News. As the craft climbed to a space-qualifying altitude of 62 miles (100 kilometers) on June 21, it suffered an unexpected roll as well as what Rutan characterized at the time as a serious flight control problem. But Rutan told Wired News that the flight control glitch turned out to be "not serious." The problem was traced to an actuator that hit a stop as it tried to move one of the plane's flaps. Wired's Dan Brekke quoted Rutan as saying that the roll problem had a different cause: wind shear, which was the main reason why SpaceShipOne didn't go as high as intended and barely made the 100-kilometer milestone. Resolving these questions opens the way for Rutan and the rest of his Scaled Composites team to schedule a formal Ansari X Prize attempt. Such an attempt would require 60-day advance notice, and the rocket ship would have to carry an extra 396 pounds of ballast to represent the weight of two passengers. Two qualifying flights would have to be made in the course of two weeks, but Rutan has said he intends to do three launches in a two-week span — to provide an extra margin for winning the prize. The report from Rutan has already started a drumbeat of anticipation, even though there's no word that the 60-day notice has been given yet. SpaceShipOne pilot Mike Melvill and millionaire space passenger Dennis Tito are scheduled to appear Thursday on MSNBC's "Deborah Norville Tonight," and even the "Foxtrot" comic strip is getting into the X Prize action. (Tip o' the Log to Clark Lindsey.)