SpaceShipOne wins the XPrize
Pictures by Stratofox team members

X-Prize Flight 2: Climbing, climbing, climbing...

After takeoff, White Knight took about an hour to climb to the release altitude of around 46,000 feet. Today the humidity must have been back at higher altitudes because the contrails, which were missing on the Sept 29 flight, were back. It made all the difference in our ability to follow White Knight's climb. This time we could even catch the AlphaJet making picture-taking passes as White Knight approached the release point.

(all pictures on this page are by Ian Kluft)

(3072x2048 2509K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues climbing and crosses eastbound over the airport, visible straight up for the crowd.
(3072x2048 2668K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues climbing and crosses eastbound over the airport, visible straight up for the crowd.
(3072x2048 2768K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues climbing and crosses eastbound over the airport, visible straight up for the crowd.
(3072x2048 2635K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues climbing and crosses eastbound over the airport, visible straight up for the crowd.
(3072x2048 2377K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues climbing and crosses eastbound over the airport, visible straight up for the crowd.
(3072x2048 2323K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues climbing and crosses eastbound over the airport, visible straight up for the crowd.
(3072x2048 2311K) (500x333 3K)	The Starship chase plane flies toward White Knight where it will take pictures and provide external observations of the condition of the aircraft.
(2048x3072 2398K) (500x750 25K)	An XPrize video crew gets footage of the crowd.
(3072x2048 2390K) (500x333 19K)	An XPrize video crew gets footage of the crowd.
(3072x2048 3204K) (500x333 21K)	Speakers talk at the VIP area. Their audio is played on the public address system at the general public viewing area.
(3072x2048 2463K) (500x333 16K)	The crane with an American flag which was on the east side of the runway on Wednesday's flight is now on the west side.
(3072x2048 1811K) (500x333 3K)	The Starship chase plane has formed up with White Knight and is now flying in formation.
(3072x2048 1835K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues to climb with the Starship chase plane following.
(3072x2048 1936K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues to climb with the Starship chase plane following.
(3072x2048 1781K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues to climb with the Starship chase plane following.
(3072x2048 1690K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues to climb with the Starship chase plane following.
(3072x2048 1638K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues to climb with the Starship chase plane following.
(3072x2048 1606K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight has now reached about 27,000 feet (if Ian remembers correctly when he heard this over the radio scanner) and needed to light its afterburners to continue climbing with its heavy load carrying a fully-fueled SpaceShipOne. One under afterburner, it visibly leaves the Starship behind. The Starship continues to climb but will follow from a distance.
(3072x2048 1552K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight has lit its afterburners and leaves the Starship chase plane behind.
(3072x2048 1642K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight has lit its afterburners and leaves the Starship chase plane behind.
(3072x2048 1730K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues to climb.
(3072x2048 1655K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues to climb.
(3072x2048 1744K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues to climb.
(3072x2048 1667K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues to climb.
(3072x2048 1701K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues to climb.
(3072x2048 1690K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues to climb.
(3072x2048 1708K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight starts to leave a contrail as it climbs through around 35,000 feet.
(3072x2048 1763K) (500x333 3K)	It's much easier to follow White Knight now because of its contrail.
(3072x2048 1771K) (500x333 3K)	It's much easier to follow White Knight now because of its contrail.
(3072x2048 1742K) (500x333 3K)	It's much easier to follow White Knight now because of its contrail.
(3072x2048 1578K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight flies northeast toward the drop-launch area. That's to the east of Mojave Airport, which is convenient because the crowds are looking that way, and north of Edwards AFB, who will be observing the flight with their high-resolution radar.
(3072x2048 1672K) (500x333 4K)	White Knight flies northeast toward the drop-launch area.
(3072x2048 1754K) (500x333 4K)	White Knight flies east toward the drop-launch area.
(3072x2048 1793K) (500x333 4K)	White Knight flies east toward the drop-launch area.
(3072x2048 1746K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight flies east toward the drop-launch area.
(3072x2048 1615K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight starts a 270-degree right turn. It will be facing west toward Mojave at the time of the drop.
(3072x2048 1624K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area.
(3072x2048 1648K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area.
(3072x2048 1783K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet chase plane (smaller contrail) approaches from the top of the frame to take pictures.
(3072x2048 1781K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet chase plane (smaller contrail) approaches from the top of the frame to take pictures.
(3072x2048 1777K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area.
(3072x2048 1734K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area.
(3072x2048 1697K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area.
(3072x2048 1691K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area.
(3072x2048 1673K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet chase plane (smaller contrail) approaches again from the top of the frame to take pictures.
(3072x2048 1646K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area.
(3072x2048 1614K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area.
(3072x2048 1602K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area.
(3072x2048 1589K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight makes its sweeping right turn back into the launch area.
(3072x2048 1571K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area, now beginning to face toward Mojave.
(3072x2048 1586K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail can be seen just ahead of White Knight.
(3072x2048 1620K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail can be seen heading to the lower left of the frame.
(3072x2048 1626K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area.
(3072x2048 1635K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail can be seen re-entering the frame from the left for another picture-taking pass.
(3072x2048 1624K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail can be seen passing left-to-right across the frame for a picture-taking pass.
(3072x2048 1624K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail can be seen passing left-to-right across the frame for a picture-taking pass. It appears as if it's in front of White Knight from this perspective but it could be taking the pictures from above or below - and for safety it's almost certainly at a different altitude.
(3072x2048 1611K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail can be seen passing left-to-right across the frame having finished a picture-taking pass.
(3072x2048 1614K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail can be seen turning on the right side of the frame for another picture-taking pass.
(3072x2048 1615K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail can be seen turning on the right side of the frame for another picture-taking pass.
(3072x2048 1607K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail can be seen coming from the right side of the frame for another picture-taking pass.
(3072x2048 1585K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight continues its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail can be seen coming from the right side of the frame for another picture-taking pass.
(3072x2048 1526K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight is nearly done with its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail shows it has just made another picture-taking pass.
(3072x2048 1564K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight is nearly done with its sweeping right turn back into the launch area. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail shows it has just made another picture-taking pass.
(3072x2048 1527K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight lines up westbound in preparation for the release of SpaceShipOne.
(3072x2048 1493K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight lines up westbound in preparation for the release of SpaceShipOne. The AlphaJet's smaller contrail can be seen re-entering the frame from the left.
(3072x2048 1562K) (500x333 4K)	White Knight lines up westbound in preparation for the release of SpaceShipOne.
(3072x2048 1566K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight lines up westbound in preparation for the release of SpaceShipOne.
(3072x2048 1617K) (500x333 3K)	White Knight lines up westbound in preparation for the release of SpaceShipOne.
(3072x2048 1600K) (500x333 4K)	White Knight lines up westbound in preparation for the release of SpaceShipOne. The AlphaJet (smaller contrail) approaches from the right side of the frame to take video of the drop.
(3072x2048 1566K) (500x333 4K)	The AlphaJet (smaller contrail) turns parallel to White Knight to take video of the drop.
(3072x2048 1645K) (500x333 4K)	The AlphaJet (smaller contrail) turns parallel to White Knight to take video of the drop.
(3072x2048 1665K) (500x333 4K)	The AlphaJet (smaller contrail) turns parallel to White Knight to take video of the drop.

Back up to Stratofox's pictures of SpaceShipOne's XPrize space flights.

Web text copyright 2004 by Stratofox, a Special Interest Group of the South Bay Community Network, Silicon Valley, California
All pictures copyright 2004 by their photographers. Any publication or redistribution of these pictures requires permission. Permission is available upon request and will require crediting the photographers for their pictures.