WEEKLY WHINE

One down, one to go

So were you there for SpaceShipOne's first X Prize flight? Will you be there for its second?

Yes, because we all know that if there wasn't a crowd there, it wasn't important. And sure enough, there will be thousands on hand tomorrow when it tries again to fly into space. If it does that and returns safely, it will win the X Prize, the adulation of everybody, and the satisfaction of a job well done.

But you could bet your house that GoobNet readers would make irrational and even stupid comments about it that would force us to hazard a trip into the GoobNet Mailbox. Remember, staying too long can lead to inexcusable behaviour and extreme jumpiness.

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So how come there are no spaces in "SpaceShipOne"? - Harold Baynes, Dallas, TX, USA

They probably couldn't fit "Space Ship One" on the side. Kind of ironic, isn't it? "SpaceShipOne" has no space.

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When will Virgin Galactic start flying? - Mike Androje, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

2007, according to their current plans. But that's an ambitious schedule, wouldn't you say?

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Why? - Russell Scoville, Hampton Roads, VA, USA

Well, they haven't built anything yet. They've got to construct the components, test them, put them together, test them all together, fly them, test them some more, fly them some more, and test them some more. That's a lot of work to do in three years.

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How come they have to fly twice to win the X Prize? - Doug Bradford, Quebec City, QC, Canada

We can let them explain that, from paragraph 4 of the Rules and Guidelines: "The second flight must demonstrate economical vehicle reusability. It is the ANSARI X PRIZE Rules Committee's intent that the winning flight vehicle should exhibit sufficiently low per-flight costs such that the flight vehicle will support low-cost space access."

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Are they really going to win the X Prize? - Maria Verguendie, Montpellier, France

They're almost there.

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But what are their chances of succeeding on Monday? - Maria Verguendie, Montpellier, France

Pretty good. The spacecraft has a fairly robust design, it would seem. It can handle a high roll rate and all that, so maybe they have a good chance of a successful flight even when something goes wrong.

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How come their pilot is so old? - Jimmy Galon, Bellflower, CA, USA

What's wrong with old pilots? Old pilots are serious.

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And don't call them Shirley. - Gray Black, Rolling Hills, VT, USA

Shut up.