Mike Melvill
Encyclopedia
Michael Winston "Mike" Melvill (born November 11, 1940) is one of the test pilot
s for SpaceShipOne, the experimental spaceplane
developed by Scaled Composites
. Melvill piloted SpaceShipOne on its first flight past the edge of space, flight 15P
on June 21, 2004, thus becoming the first commercial astronaut
and the 434th person to go into space. He was also the pilot on SpaceShipOne's flight 16P
, the first competitive flight in the Ansari X Prize
competition.
, South Africa
before his family moved to Kloof near Durban
. He attended Highbury Preparatory School
and Hilton College.
Later on Melvill moved to the United States
from England
in February 1967 and became a U.S. citizen in 1972. Melvill is married; he and his wife Sally have two sons and four grandchildren.
when he showed Rutan the Rutan VariViggen
he had built at his home. A longtime acquaintance of Scaled Composites founder Burt Rutan
, Melvill has flown the first flights of ten of Rutan's aircraft. Melvill also helped develop the release mechanism for SpaceShipOne.
He was the vice president and general manager of Scaled Composites, LLC; he has 25 years of experience as a test pilot, and has logged nearly 7600 hours in over 130 types of aircraft; he retired in October 2007.
; in 1999, he received their Iven C. Kincheloe award for his work in high-altitude development testing Scaled's Model 281 Proteus
.
Melvill also built his own Long EZ
aircraft, which he flew around the world with Dick Rutan
in 1997.
He is also the only person other than Dick Rutan or Jeana Yeager
to have piloted the Voyager aircraft.
Melvill is the sole or joint holder of nine FAI
aviation world records in various categories.
Melvill was the pilot for SpaceShipOne flight 15P
, SpaceShipOne's first spaceflight and the first privately-funded human spaceflight
mission to reach space, on the morning of June 21, 2004.
In a ceremony two hours after landing, Melvill was awarded his astronaut wings, specifically the FAA Commercial Astronaut badge
, the first wings awarded for a non-government space program and the first for a spaceplane
flight since the X-15
flights of the 1960s.
In 2004 Melville received his second Iven C. Kincheloe Award
for his work on the SpaceShipOne program.
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
s for SpaceShipOne, the experimental spaceplane
Spaceplane
A spaceplane is a vehicle that operates as an aircraft in Earth's atmosphere, as well as a spacecraft when it is in space. It combines features of an aircraft and a spacecraft, which can be thought of as an aircraft that can endure and maneuver in the vacuum of space or likewise a spacecraft that...
developed by Scaled Composites
Scaled Composites
Scaled Composites is an aerospace company founded by Burt Rutan and currently owned by Northrop Grumman that is located at the Mojave Spaceport, Mojave, California, United States...
. Melvill piloted SpaceShipOne on its first flight past the edge of space, flight 15P
SpaceShipOne flight 15P
-Flight profile:All times are in PDT, which is seven hours behind UTC. This was the local civil time at the spaceport on the day of the flight. All measurements are first stated in the U.S...
on June 21, 2004, thus becoming the first commercial astronaut
Commercial Astronaut
A commercial astronaut is a person trained to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a privately funded spacecraft.-Criteria:The criteria for determining who has achieved human spaceflight vary. The FAI defines spaceflight as any flight over of altitude...
and the 434th person to go into space. He was also the pilot on SpaceShipOne's flight 16P
SpaceShipOne flight 16P
Flight 16P of SpaceShipOne was a spaceflight in the Tier One program that took place on September 29, 2004. It was the first competitive flight in the Ansari X PRIZE competition to demonstrate a non-governmental reusable manned spacecraft, and is hence also referred to as the X1 flight...
, the first competitive flight in the Ansari X Prize
Ansari X Prize
The Ansari X Prize was a space competition in which the X Prize Foundation offered a US$10,000,000 prize for the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks...
competition.
Early life / Family
Melvill was born in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
before his family moved to Kloof near Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
. He attended Highbury Preparatory School
Highbury Preparatory School
Highbury Preparatory School is a private school for boys located in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.-History:Highbury was founded in 1903 by Sibella Douglas McMillan. It was named after Highbury House School in England, which was established by Sibella McMillan's father, the Rev Charles...
and Hilton College.
Later on Melvill moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in February 1967 and became a U.S. citizen in 1972. Melvill is married; he and his wife Sally have two sons and four grandchildren.
Test pilot
Melvill met Burt RutanBurt Rutan
Elbert Leander "Burt" Rutan is an American aerospace engineer noted for his originality in designing light, strong, unusual-looking, energy-efficient aircraft...
when he showed Rutan the Rutan VariViggen
Rutan VariViggen
|-Sources and references:****...
he had built at his home. A longtime acquaintance of Scaled Composites founder Burt Rutan
Burt Rutan
Elbert Leander "Burt" Rutan is an American aerospace engineer noted for his originality in designing light, strong, unusual-looking, energy-efficient aircraft...
, Melvill has flown the first flights of ten of Rutan's aircraft. Melvill also helped develop the release mechanism for SpaceShipOne.
He was the vice president and general manager of Scaled Composites, LLC; he has 25 years of experience as a test pilot, and has logged nearly 7600 hours in over 130 types of aircraft; he retired in October 2007.
Awards & achievements
Melvill is a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test PilotsSociety of Experimental Test Pilots
The Society of Experimental Test Pilots is an international organization that seeks to promote air safety and contributes to aeronautical advancement by promoting sound aeronautical design and development; interchanging ideas, thoughts and suggestions of the members, assisting in the professional...
; in 1999, he received their Iven C. Kincheloe award for his work in high-altitude development testing Scaled's Model 281 Proteus
Scaled Composites Proteus
The Scaled Composites Model 281 Proteus is a tandem-wing high-endurance aircraft designed by Burt Rutan to investigate the use of aircraft as high altitude telecommunications relays. The Proteus is actually a multi-mission vehicle, able to carry various payloads on a ventral pylon...
.
Melvill also built his own Long EZ
Rutan Long-EZ
-See also:-External links:****...
aircraft, which he flew around the world with Dick Rutan
Dick Rutan
Richard Glenn "Dick" Rutan is an aviator who piloted the Voyager aircraft around the world non-stop with co-pilot Jeana Yeager...
in 1997.
He is also the only person other than Dick Rutan or Jeana Yeager
Jeana Yeager
Jeana Yeager is an aviator. She is most famous for co-piloting a non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world in the Rutan Voyager aircraft from 14 to 23 December 1986. The flight took 9 days, 3 minutes, and 44 seconds and covered 24,986 miles , more than doubling the old distance record set by...
to have piloted the Voyager aircraft.
Melvill is the sole or joint holder of nine FAI
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
aviation world records in various categories.
Melvill was the pilot for SpaceShipOne flight 15P
SpaceShipOne flight 15P
-Flight profile:All times are in PDT, which is seven hours behind UTC. This was the local civil time at the spaceport on the day of the flight. All measurements are first stated in the U.S...
, SpaceShipOne's first spaceflight and the first privately-funded human spaceflight
Human spaceflight
Human spaceflight is spaceflight with humans on the spacecraft. When a spacecraft is manned, it can be piloted directly, as opposed to machine or robotic space probes and remotely-controlled satellites....
mission to reach space, on the morning of June 21, 2004.
In a ceremony two hours after landing, Melvill was awarded his astronaut wings, specifically the FAA Commercial Astronaut badge
Astronaut Badge
The Astronaut Badge is a badge of the United States, awarded to military and civilian pilots who have completed training and performed a successful spaceflight...
, the first wings awarded for a non-government space program and the first for a spaceplane
Spaceplane
A spaceplane is a vehicle that operates as an aircraft in Earth's atmosphere, as well as a spacecraft when it is in space. It combines features of an aircraft and a spacecraft, which can be thought of as an aircraft that can endure and maneuver in the vacuum of space or likewise a spacecraft that...
flight since the X-15
North American X-15
The North American X-15 rocket-powered aircraft/spaceplane was part of the X-series of experimental aircraft, initiated with the Bell X-1, that were made for the USAAF/USAF, NACA/NASA, and the USN. The X-15 set speed and altitude records in the early 1960s, reaching the edge of outer space and...
flights of the 1960s.
In 2004 Melville received his second Iven C. Kincheloe Award
Iven C. Kincheloe Award
The Iven C. Kincheloe Award recognizes outstanding professional accomplishment in the conduct of flight testing. It was established in 1958 by the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and honors the memory of test pilot and Korean War ace Iven C...
for his work on the SpaceShipOne program.
External links
- Scaled Composites biography
- Sport Aviation article by Melvill describing his round-the-world trip
- "First private space pilot 'ready to go'", msnbc, Alan Boyle, 6/21/2004, accessdate August 2, 2010