Historic Civilian Spacecraft To Be On Display All Week
SpaceShipOne, the
world's first successful civilian-built spaceship that captured the
world's attention last fall by winning the $10 million Ansari X
Prize, is coming to Oshkosh! The history-making spacecraft and its
carrier aircraft, White Knight, have been confirmed for arrival at
EAA AirVenture, July 25-31 at Wittman Regional Airport in
Oshkosh.
This is the ONLY planned public appearance of these two aircraft
in one place. Preliminary plans call for White Knight and
SpaceShipOne to be at EAA AirVenture for the event's entire
seven-day run. After arriving on Monday, July 25, the aircraft will
be available for up-close viewing on the main AeroShell Square
showcase ramp until their departure on Sunday, July 31.
"There is no more fitting place for these cutting-edge aircraft
to appear together than at EAA AirVenture, the annual celebration
of aviation's spirit of innovation," said Tom Poberezny, EAA
president and AirVenture chairman. "SpaceShipOne and White Knight
show where the dreams of flight can lead us, to a place where not
even the sky is the limit. We are very proud that those who led
this achievement received inspiration through EAA and want to share
their accomplishment in Oshkosh, where the whole world gathers to
celebrate flight."
Burt Rutan, the airplanes' designer, and Mike Melvill, who last
September flew the first of two missions required to win the $10
million Ansari X Prize for civilian spaceflight, will lead a
delegation from Rutan's company, Scaled Composites, at EAA
AirVenture. Rutan and Melvill, both longtime EAA members, hosted a
number of extremely popular presentations at EAA AirVenture 2004,
shortly after SpaceShipOne's successful test flight to the outer
edge of Earth's atmosphere.
"Through the years, I have always enjoyed flying my designs to
Oshkosh," Rutan said. "EAA has always been the place where aviation
innovation is inspired and encouraged, and has been part of my life
for more than 30 years. We are eagerly looking forward to bringing
the aircraft to Oshkosh this summer."
Investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen partnered with Rutan's
Scaled Composites team to form one of more than a dozen groups that
sought the Ansari X Prize, awarded to the first civilian group to
build and fly a single spacecraft to a height of 100 kilometers (62
miles) twice in a two-week period. On September 29, 2004, Melvill
flew SpaceShipOne to that height and Brian Binnie followed up with
the second flight on October 5 over the southern California
desert.
"I have heard from many EAA members and aviation enthusiasts
since those flights, and I believe many of them are just as excited
about the achievement as we are," Melvill said.
EAA AirVenture 2005 will offer all attendees the opportunity to
see the aircraft that accomplished that goal and hear from the main
participants exactly how it occurred.
"Everyone involved with EAA felt tremendous pride at the
accomplishments of SpaceShipOne," Poberezny said. "Now, at EAA
AirVenture Oshkosh this year, we will have the chance to join
together and celebrate this achievement, which opens the second
century of powered flight to a new horizon and even bigger
possibilities."
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