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SpaceShipOne pilot Mike Melvill
9 I was in my flight suit by 4:00 a.m. waves from the cockpit.
The flight was scheduled to take off in a
couple of hours. I tried to calm my nerves as I
strapped on my parachute. Looking at the

joined aircraft, my nervousness was
replaced with excitement. I had looked
forward to this day for months now. If
all worked out as I expected, this

would be our moment of glory.

10 As White Knight taxied onto the
runway carrying SpaceShipOne under her,
I looked out my small cockpit window at

the crowd gathered to watch the flight. It was
overwhelming! The fact that thousands of
people came to watch a test flight proved that we
weren’t just a bunch of airplane geeks trying to build a

spaceship. It showed that everyday citizens want to see space travel
made a reality.

11 The flight to 48,000 feet took almost an hour. There is barely
enough room to sit three people in the cockpits of White Knight and

SpaceShipOne. Even though White Knight’s cockpit is comfy, the
parachutes and the flight-test gear made the space even more
cramped, and it was difficult for me to move my arms and legs.
After an hour I was getting sore, but it was worth it to make history.

I anticipated the countdown for the release of SpaceShipOne. When
the time came, I quickly pulled the small lever at my right side and
heard “Clean release” from the chase aircraft, our extra eyes in the
sky. Shortly after the spaceship was clear, the pilot, Mike Melvill,

ignited the rocket engine and began his solo climb to space.

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