SpaceShipOne: An Illustrated History


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Editorial Reviews


Product Description

This book chronicles the development of the world's first commercial manned space program. With ample illustrations, photographs, and behind-the-scenes information, SpaceShipOne takes readers from the project's conception and design to the deals that brought together Scaled Composites' Burt Rutan and Virgin Airlines' Sir Richard Branson to the plans for building a fleet of commercial suborbital spaceships and launch aircraft. Author Dan Linehan, who was there at the launch, lets readers in on the drama and details behind the making of spaceships that will take twenty-first-century tourists to the final frontier.

 

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Customer Reviews


Kenneth E. Lulay Said: SpaceShipOne ( May. 10th 2010 )

Received the book on-time and in good condition. Would not hesitate to purchase again.

J. I. Martinez Said: Just photos and a history. ( May. 23rd 2009 )

Its a book with nice photos and the history until winning the prize, but you will not find any technical data or internal drawings of the aircraft.

J. Rudy Said: A fitting tribute for the most significant aviation accomplishment in the past 20 years ( Apr. 13th 2009 )

SpaceShip One, an invention of the creative genius Burt Rutan, is the most significant contribution to manned spaceflight since the Space Shuttle. SpaceShip One proved the ability to reach the limits of space, and be able to be reconstituted for a follow-on flight within two weeks. In doing so, SpaceShip One earned the $10 million Ansari X prize. "SpaceShip One: An Illustrated History", by Dan Linehan, is the story of that journey.

In the first chapter of the book, Linehan provides readers with a very brief overview of Burt Rutan's aviation inventions. Rutan has been a fixture in experimental aviation for decades, so it is essential for readers to have this background information. An idea without funding is just an idea, but when Rutan presented a sound business plan to Microsoft Co-founder Paul Allen, the SpaceShip One project could get off the ground.

Next, Linehan describes the Ansari X prize, which promised to reward the first proven sub-orbital space flight that could be repeated within two weeks. He covers why the $10 million figure was chosen; the criteria for earning the award; and also some of the challenges to secure the funding for the prize money.

The remaining 8 chapters cover the construction of the aircraft (White Knight) and spacecraft (SpaceShip One). Each chapter covers different phases of the project, or facets of the construction.

There is a bit of technical jargon that may make reading comprehension a challenge for novices like me. However, the brilliant color photographs and other computer graphics expertly resolve that issue. In my one complaint about the book, in many cases the text referred to graphic aids that are displayed on other pages.

Burt Rutan's accomplishment is a truly historic event. This book presents that accomplishment in a means that can be appreciated by aviation enthusiasts and novices alike.

T. Smith Said: The most important moment in manned spaceflight since the moon landings ( Nov. 22nd 2008 )

I find it astounding there are only four reviews here. For the first time, a private company put a man into space, and there seems to be remarkable little interest in it...at least, compared to what there should be. In the future, the first flights of SpaceShip One will go down along side Yuri Gagarin's flight and Apollo 11. This is how mankind will step into space, and stay there. As Rutan points out, the government has zero interest in getting you, the private citizen, into space.
As technologies improve, this first step will start the human race as a whole towards the stars.
That said, this is a very satisfactory book, and, I hope, the first of many. A technical book from someone like Springer/Praxis would be very welcome, although I suppose that depends on how much Scaled Composites and Virgin are willing to reveal.
Anyone who enjoyed or expects to enjoy this book is also advised to buy the Discovery Channel's set, Black Sky/Winning the X-Prize. Once again, however, I have to express some astonishment this groundbreaking achievement was not treated as it should have been and filmed in HD.
I wish Virgin Galactic, Scaled Composites, and whoever builds the first space hotel success, and I only ask it come quickly and affordably. I'd like to spend a week in orbit before I'm too old!

M. Clemens Said: One small step for man... ( Sep. 15th 2008 )

This is a wonderful book that pretty much gives you everything you wanted to know about the Spaceship One project. Lots of color photos of the aircraft in the construction phase and during flight. A great discription of the flights and celebration afterward. My hat's off to Burt Rutan and everyone that had a hand in the making of this project.