USA: PRIVATELY OWNED MANNED SPACE VEHICLE 'SPACESHIP ONE' PREPARES FOR FIRST OF TWO LAUNCHES OUT OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPERE TO WIN $10 MILLION DOLLAR PRIZE

Record ID: 646811

  • Title: USA: PRIVATELY OWNED MANNED SPACE VEHICLE 'SPACESHIP ONE' PREPARES FOR FIRST OF TWO LAUNCHES OUT OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPERE TO WIN $10 MILLION DOLLAR PRIZE
  • Date: 28th September 2004
  • Summary: (U1) MOHAVE, CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 27, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. CU: CONTROL TOWER AT AIRPORT; ZOOM OUT TO MEDIA TRUCKS 0.12 2. PAN OF RUNWAY 0.24 3. RUNWAY WITH PHOTOGRAPHERS 0.33 4. WS: PLANE TAXIING ON RUNWAY 0.43 5. PAN: MEDIA VEHICLES 0.55 6. ZOOM OUT: RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AT VIEWING AREA 1.04 7. PEOPLE LOOKING AT LAUNCH SITE 1.09 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BOB SLEETH, SPECTATOR SAYING: "I'm just here to support the whole event. I think it's well overdue that the masses started to consider getting themselves into orbit. I think if people had an opportunity to, the reason I'm here actually is if you could see the earth from afar, just once, just for a few seconds, I think it would change your attitude about who you are, who we are, what this planet is all about." 1.31 9. JOHN GATTEY, SPECTATOR SAYING: "I enjoy the technology of this. I've done a lot of looking at the internet and looking, wow, they're making this work, and they're doing it so simply, it's simple, it's safe and it's cheap." 1.43 10. KENT HOWARD, WISCONSIN SPECTATOR SAYING: "Well, I've always had a bit of interest in the science fiction and space travel and stuff like that. I retired recently and I thought it would be a great excuse for a trip out here to see this thing take off because I think in 20 years from now this will lead to private travel where you could go from here to Sydney, Australia in 90 minutes if they can get into orbit." 2.07 11. PEOPLE LOOKING THROUGH BINOCULARS 2.10 12. CLOSE UP OF WOMAN LOOKING THROUGH BINOCULARS 2.14 13. ZOOM OUT: PEOPLE GRILLING FOOD 2.23 14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN GATTEY SAYING: "All it takes is money, and I'd love to do that. I've seen pictures of what it's like when you can see curvature of the Earth, but I can't really relate to that. I'd love to see that, I'd love to experience the technology of it all. 2.40 15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BOB SLEETH SAYING: "Oh sure, in a heart beat. before I die I want to be up there at least once, whatever it takes." 2.45 16. PAN FROM RECREATIONAL VEHICLES TO AIRPORT 2.53 (U1) MOHAVE, CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES (FILE/JUNE 21, 2004) (REUTERS) 17. VARIOUS: FIRST LAUNCH OF SPACESHIP ONE (9 SHOTS) 3.36 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 13th October 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOHAVE DESERT, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAAZQ3LP8FJCI11GEW93T39RU6W
  • Story Text: Private Space ship will aim to launch into
    atmosphere for 10 million United States dollar prize


    SpaceShipOne, a privately owned manned space
    vehicle, will attempt to rocket out of Earth's atmosphere
    twice in six days to win a 10 million USD prize initiated
    to encourage space tourism. The rocket plane, which in
    June became the first private, manned craft to reach space,
    will launch on Wednesday (September 29) on the first of
    two flights at least 62 miles (99.77 km) high - the altitude
    needed to win the prize money.

    The second flight is scheduled for October 4. Large
    crowds are expected to gather for both flights at Mojave
    Airport in the desert north of Los Angeles.

    Created by maverick aerospace designer Burt Rutan and
    funded by Microsoft billionaire Paul G. Allen, SpaceShipOne
    is poised to take the prize sought by more than two dozen
    teams around the world.

    The 10 million USD in funding came from the Ansari
    family of Dallas, Texas who made their money in the
    telecommunications industry.

    The exact cost of developing SpaceShipOne has not been
    revealed, although Allen has said he has invested more than
    20 million USD.



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