Both Stinemetze and Losey had been with the program from the beginning to design, build, test, and fly the vehicle that would eventually win the $10 million X-Prize competition. To accomplish this, a dialog was initiated with Scaled Composites project engineer Matt Stinemetze and crew chief Steve Losey. SpaceShipOne, the first privately built and piloted vehicle to reach space. The team wanted to depict the aircraft as if it were in its initial reentry flight, when its unique “feather system” is deployed. In discussions with curator Valerie Neal, the Milestones project team decided to pursue a new display orientation for SpaceShipOne. The renovation project provided us with a unique opportunity to consider how we showcase SpaceShipOne in the future. After surface cleaning and minor conservation work is completed, it is scheduled to be rehung this week and will be one of the major artifacts in the new Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall, scheduled to open in July 2016. During this time, it received a thorough condition assessment and photo documentation by conservator Sharon Norquest. In March of this year, SpaceShipOne was lowered to the floor as part of a major renovation of the Milestones gallery. It was specifically positioned to depict the aircraft in its initial stage of powered flight (30 degrees, nose up attitude) just after release from its White Knight mother ship, which carried it aloft to an altitude of about 14,326 meters (47,000 feet). For the past decade, SpaceShipOne has been on display as one of the hanging artifacts in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall.
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