Tier One

This article deals with the rocket project, for the supplier designation in the area of ​​the supplier industry, see system supplier

Tier One is the name for the first commercial, private space project from Scaled Composites , which won the Ansari X-Prize . The chief developer was Burt Rutan . The $ 25 million project was funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen .

The system consists of several components. A carrier aircraft brings the space glider to an altitude of 15 kilometers, where it is disengaged and brought to an altitude of 100 kilometers with a rocket stage. The space glider offers space for one pilot and two passengers. The first test flights at the end of 2003 and beginning of 2004 were successful, so that on June 21, 2004, a private vehicle crossed the 100-kilometer limit to space for the first time . The transport aircraft is called White Knight , the glider is called SpaceShipOne .

Web links

• Scaled: First flight on June 21, 2004 (press release, English)