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20 years ago, Oct 4, 2004: SpaceShipOne won the $10M X-Prize for a spacecraft to make two crewed space launches above 100km altitude in 2 weeks. I was there at Mojave Air & Space Port #KMHV to witness the #history. Some of my pictures. #NewSpace #aviation #avgeek

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20 years ago, Oct 4, 2004: SpaceShipOne won the $10M X-Prize for a spacecraft to make two crewed space launches above 100km altitude in 2 weeks. I was there at Mojave Air & Space Port #KMHV to witness the #history. Some of my pictures. #NewSpace #aviation #avgeek

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White Knight carrier twin-jet with SpaceShipOne slung beneath it, taxiing for takeoff at Mojave Air & Space Port KMHV (officially renamed Mojave Spaceport at the time, before Air was added back) on October 4, 2004

This flight was an attempt at the second of two space flights in less than 2 weeks to win the $10M X-Prize. Later that morning they successfully won the X-Prize and set a new winged-flight altitude record beating the X-15.

photo by Ian Kluft

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White Knight carrier plane with SpaceShipOne followed by Beechcraft Starship chase plane as they climb to altitude above Mojave to air-launch SpaceShipOne for its X-Prize space flight attempt on October 4, 2004

photo by Ian Kluft

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SpaceShipOne was air-launched from White Knight at 43,000ft/13000m altitude. The contrails show SpaceShipOne's orange flame under the boost phase of its flight as the White Knight carrier plane banks away from the rocket ignition. The other contrail on the right is the Alpha Jet chase plane recording in-flight video.

October 4, 2004, Mojave, California

photo by Ian Kluft

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SpaceShipOne returns gliding to Mojave Spaceport KMHV after a successful space flight to 112km/367,500ft which won the $10M X-Prize and beat the X-15 winged-flight altitude record

October 4, 2004, Mojave, California

photo by Ian Kluft

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"Stop Comparing Boeing #Starliner Astronauts to Airline Passengers Stranded on Holiday" op-ed on @AirlineReporter by me @ikluft / @AstroHawk - #NASA test pilot astronauts are space station crew, not "stranded" like helpless tourists. https://www. airlinereporter.com/2024/09/op inion-stop-comparing-boeing-starliner-astronauts-to-airline-passengers-stranded-on-holiday/ #Boeing #StarlinerCFT

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"Stop Comparing Boeing #Starliner Astronauts to Airline Passengers Stranded on Holiday" op-ed on @AirlineReporter by me @ikluft / @AstroHawk - #NASA test pilot astronauts are space station crew, not "stranded" like helpless tourists. https://www. airlinereporter.com/2024/09/op inion-stop-comparing-boeing-starliner-astronauts-to-airline-passengers-stranded-on-holiday/ #Boeing #StarlinerCFT

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I got some more #AuroraBorealis pics overlooking the Columbia River near Mosier, Oregon. Mountains across the river are in Washington state. (edit: For scale, the Columbia River is 3/4mi or 1km wide at this point.) #astronomy #SpaceWeather

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I got some more #AuroraBorealis pics overlooking the Columbia River near Mosier, Oregon. Mountains across the river are in Washington state. (edit: For scale, the Columbia River is 3/4mi or 1km wide at this point.) #astronomy #SpaceWeather

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I made my @AstroHawk Mastodon account corresponding to my @AstroHawk account on Twitter, for space/aerospace/astronomy topics. I was transitioning those topics from my @ikluft account (which retains aviation/science topics) when Twitter began its implosion.

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I made my @AstroHawk Mastodon account corresponding to my @AstroHawk account on Twitter, for space/aerospace/astronomy topics. I was transitioning those topics from my @ikluft account (which retains aviation/science topics) when Twitter began its implosion.