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Experts Available To Discuss First Launch of Privately Built Spacecraft

Posted on: Monday, 21 June 2004, 06:00 CDT

TOPIC: SpaceShipOne made history today as the first privately funded spacecraft to fly beyond Earth's atmosphere, according to an article by Reuters. It is estimated that the craft flew 62 miles above the planet. The pilot, Michael Melvill, landed the craft safely at an airport in the Mojave Desert in California. Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft Corp., funded the project, which came in at $20 million.

EXPERTS: ExpertSource can offer several highly qualified experts to comment on this story:

James W. Benson can discuss how private space travel has become a reality. He founded SpaceDev in 1997 with the vision to enable humans to explore, develop and settle space. Benson is also a director, a position he has held since October 1997. SpaceDev's proprietary hybrid rocket motor technology successfully powered SpaceShipOne on its fourth and most important history-making flight to space. Benson brings 30 years of successful, hands-on high-tech entrepreneurial and management experience to SpaceDev. Prior to founding SpaceDev, Benson was founder and president of Compusearch Software Systems and ImageFast, both of McLean, Virginia. Benson decided to take on the challenge of starting an entrepreneurial space commercialization venture because it combined his lifelong interests in science, technology and astronomy with his successful business experience. Benson has broad experience working with global resource issues and economics, energy policy, advanced technology assessment and governmental policy. Benson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of Missouri. He founded the non-profit Space Development Institute and introduced the $5,000 Benson Prize for Amateur Discovery of Near Earth Objects. He is also Vice-Chairman and private sector representative on NASA's national Space Grant Review Panel and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers subcommittee on Near Earth Object Impact Prevention and Mitigation. SpaceDev recently completed the launch and successful operation of CHIPSat, NASA's smallest and least expensive, high performance, earth orbiting science satellite.

Professor Edgar Choueiri, of Princeton University, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, can share his insight into astronautical and aerospace engineering, spacecraft propulsion, advanced electric and plasma propulsion and thrusters for spacecraft, orbital mechanics and space travel and space mission analysis.

Professor Gary Balas, of the University of Minnesota, Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, is an expert in control systems engineering. His areas of expertise include: aircraft flight control, control of flexible structures, real-time implementation of advanced control algorithms and the use of shape memory alloys for passive/active control.

ExpertSource cannot guarantee the immediate availability of these experts or their familiarity with this specific issue.

Journalists seeking to interview any of these experts can obtain contact information by visiting http://www.businesswire.com/.

ExpertSource provides academic and industry experts to the media at no charge. Journalists are encouraged to submit queries to ExpertSource when seeking experts on specific subjects. An online registration form is available at the above web address.

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