Helmet, SpaceShipOne, Mike Melvill
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Object Details
- Manufacturer
- Gentex Corporation
- Pilot
- Mike Melvill
- Summary
- Test pilot Mike Melvill wore this helmet on June 21, 2004, during the first privately funded spaceflight of SpaceShipOne. After its launch from a carrier aircraft called White Knight, Melvill piloted SpaceShipOne to an altitude of 100 km (62 miles) before returning to land in Mojave, California. This test flight paved the way for two subsequent flights that earned the SpaceShipOne team the $10 million Ansari X Prize for the first privately funded spaceflights. Melvill also wore this helmet on September 29, 2004, during one of those award-winning flights. Melvill partnered with Burt Rutan in a long career of designing and flight testing experimental aircraft. He gave his flight suit, helmet, and other accessories to the Museum in 2005 when SpaceShipOne entered the national collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft.
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mike and Sally Melvill
- Inventory Number
- A20060585000
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- PERSONAL EQUIPMENT-Helmets & Headwear
- Materials
- Fiberglas, Steel, Aluminum, Leather, Nylon, Synthetic fabric, Paint, Velcro, Rubber/Neoprene, Polycarbonate, Plastic, Brass
- Dimensions
- 3-D: 25.4 x 25.4 x 25.4cm (10 x 10 x 10 in.)
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- See more items in
- National Air and Space Museum Collection
- National Air and Space Museum
- Record ID
- nasm_A20060585000
- Metadata Usage (text)
- Not determined
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv90a7b57bf-1583-4c1a-aee0-cac09ab3a83c
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