Pictures of the SpaceShipOne launch, June 21, 2004

Dawn on Monday, June 21

This is the day we had been waiting for. Monday morning before dawn we all headed to the flight line, whether in the public area or XCOR Aerospace guest viewing area where our groups were situated.

The VIPs and press were at the base of the control tower, with a view of both of the large runways. XCOR Aerospace's guests were adjacent to the VIP/press area in the aircraft parking ramp.

The public viewing area was organized like a normal air show, near the end of Runway 30. But this was no normal air show. There was only one thing to see here. And that's what everyone came for.

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(1536x1024 811K) (500x333 19K) Monday morning, everyone is getting ready to go to the flight line. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 645K) (500x333 14K) The RV parking was nearly full, though some empty spaces remained behind us. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 589K) (500x333 12K) This is the line of traffic coming in the main gate. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

[picture]
(1536x1024 549K) (500x333 13K) This is the line of traffic coming in the main gate. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 575K) (500x333 11K) This is the line of traffic coming in the main gate. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 712K) (500x333 14K) This is the line of traffic coming in the main gate. And I'm apparently not the only one who thinks this is worth photographing. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

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(1600x1200 478K) (500x375 10K) Monday morning at dawn at the aircraft parking ramp at Mojave. In the foreground, transient aircraft are parked. In the background is the airliner storage parking area. (photo by Dave Masten KG6FNL)

(1600x1200 430K) (500x375 11K) Monday morning at dawn at the aircraft parking ramp at Mojave. (photo by Dave Masten KG6FNL)

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(1536x1024 510K) (500x333 10K) Almost sunrise on what everyone anticipates will be a historic day in Mojave. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 550K) (500x333 10K) Almost sunrise on what everyone anticipates will be a historic day in Mojave. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 608K) (500x333 13K) Kern County emergency services look like they're ready. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

[picture]
(1536x1024 568K) (500x333 11K) The Stratofox group at the public viewing area reached the flight line at sunrise. The crowd is already large. Some of these people have probably been there since the gates opened to the public at 3AM. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1600x1200 459K) (500x375 11K) Monday morning at dawn at the Mojave Airport. A view of the aircraft parking ramp and the mountains to the north. (photo by Dave Masten KG6FNL)

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(1600x1200 435K) (500x375 11K) Monday morning at dawn at the Mojave Airport. Richard Branson's helicopter lands... (photo by Dave Masten KG6FNL)

(1600x1200 404K) (500x375 20K) Richard Branson (owner of Virgin Atlantic Airlines among others) arrives. (photo by Dave Masten KG6FNL)

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(1536x1024 646K) (500x333 18K) The crowd in the public viewing area assembles behind airshow-like rope lines at the Mojave Airport. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 523K) (500x333 14K) The crowdin the public viewing area assembles behind airshow-like rope lines at the Mojave Airport. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

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(1536x1024 792K) (500x333 22K) Miss Mojave and other Misses from neighboring towns pose for cameras. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 728K) (500x333 15K) Another look at the line of cars still streaming in. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 659K) (500x333 16K) Another look at the line of cars still streaming in. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

[picture]
(1536x1024 878K) (500x333 20K) The parking area is filling up as takeoff time approaches. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 917K) (500x333 24K) The crowd has continued to swell. Ian held up his camera and took a "what it was like to be there" series of photos. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

[picture]
(1536x1024 772K) (500x333 20K) The crowd has continued to swell. Ian held up his camera and took a "what it was like to be there" series of photos.
Part of the landscape at the Mojave Airport is the airliner storage parking area. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 732K) (500x333 21K) The crowd has continued to swell. Ian held up his camera and took a "what it was like to be there" series of photos. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

[picture]
(1536x1024 633K) (500x333 18K) The crowd has continued to swell. Ian held up his camera and took a "what it was like to be there" series of photos. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

Back up to Stratofox's pictures of SpaceShipOne's first space flight (June 2004)
Back up to Stratofox's pictures of SpaceShipOne's XPrize space flights (Sept and Oct 2004)

(1536x1024 811K) (500x333 19K)	Monday morning, everyone is getting ready to go to the flight line. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 645K) (500x333 14K)	The RV parking was nearly full, though some empty spaces remained behind us. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 589K) (500x333 12K)	This is the line of traffic coming in the main gate. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 549K) (500x333 13K)	This is the line of traffic coming in the main gate. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 575K) (500x333 11K)	This is the line of traffic coming in the main gate. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 712K) (500x333 14K)	This is the line of traffic coming in the main gate. And I'm apparently not the only one who thinks this is worth photographing. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1600x1200 478K) (500x375 10K)	Monday morning at dawn at the aircraft parking ramp at Mojave. In the foreground, transient aircraft are parked. In the background is the airliner storage parking area. (photo by Dave Masten KG6FNL)
(1600x1200 430K) (500x375 11K)	Monday morning at dawn at the aircraft parking ramp at Mojave. (photo by Dave Masten KG6FNL)
(1536x1024 510K) (500x333 10K)	Almost sunrise on what everyone anticipates will be a historic day in Mojave. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 550K) (500x333 10K)	Almost sunrise on what everyone anticipates will be a historic day in Mojave. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 608K) (500x333 13K)	Kern County emergency services look like they're ready. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 568K) (500x333 11K)	The Stratofox group at the public viewing area reached the flight line at sunrise. The crowd is already large. Some of these people have probably been there since the gates opened to the public at 3AM. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1600x1200 459K) (500x375 11K)	Monday morning at dawn at the Mojave Airport. A view of the aircraft parking ramp and the mountains to the north. (photo by Dave Masten KG6FNL)
(1600x1200 435K) (500x375 11K)	Monday morning at dawn at the Mojave Airport. Richard Branson's helicopter lands... (photo by Dave Masten KG6FNL)
(1600x1200 404K) (500x375 20K)	Richard Branson (owner of Virgin Atlantic Airlines among others) arrives. (photo by Dave Masten KG6FNL)
(1536x1024 646K) (500x333 18K)	The crowd in the public viewing area assembles behind airshow-like rope lines at the Mojave Airport. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 523K) (500x333 14K)	The crowdin the public viewing area assembles behind airshow-like rope lines at the Mojave Airport. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 792K) (500x333 22K)	Miss Mojave and other Misses from neighboring towns pose for cameras. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 728K) (500x333 15K)	Another look at the line of cars still streaming in. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 659K) (500x333 16K)	Another look at the line of cars still streaming in. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 878K) (500x333 20K)	The parking area is filling up as takeoff time approaches. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 917K) (500x333 24K)	The crowd has continued to swell. Ian held up his camera and took a "what it was like to be there" series of photos. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 772K) (500x333 20K)	The crowd has continued to swell. Ian held up his camera and took a "what it was like to be there" series of photos. Part of the landscape at the Mojave Airport is the airliner storage parking area. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 732K) (500x333 21K)	The crowd has continued to swell. Ian held up his camera and took a "what it was like to be there" series of photos. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 633K) (500x333 18K)	The crowd has continued to swell. Ian held up his camera and took a "what it was like to be there" series of photos. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)