My former co-worker at Rotary Rocket, Brian Binnie, will be piloting today’s (hopefully) prize-winning flight.

[Update a couple minutes later]

After a little surfing, my recommendation is to watch on MSNBC if you get it. Intead of John Pike, they’ve got Jim Oberg to provide commentary.

[Update a couple more minutes later]

Oops. He just misspoke, saying that the FAA would have to certify the spaceship that Burt builds for Branson. Not under the current regulatory regime. All they will have to do is get a launch license.

[Another update]

I switched back to Fox, where Bridget Quinn was interviewing Walt Cunningham. When she asked him if this meant that we’d be able to go into space, he splashed cold water on the idea, saying that maybe her “children’s children” would do it. He then went on to explain that what Branson wanted to do would be much more expensive, because SpaceShipOne didn’t have all the redundant systems that “safety regulators” would require.

Grrrrr…

He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, since there are no “safety regulators” when it comes to passenger spaceflight. The FAA is concerned only with third-party (uninvolved people on the ground) not first or second parties. As I said, there is currently no such thing as certification for such vehicles–only launch licensing, and that is a process that doesn’t oversee passenger safety.

[Update after launch]

Well, that was a lot smoother than the first two. I don’t know if Brian is a better pilot, or if he was on the lookout for things based on his discussions with Mike Melvill.

Shortly after apogee, someone said that he’s won the prize.

Not yet. He has to land safely first…

[Update at 11:10 or so]

OK, the nosewheel just touched down. The prize is won, once they verify the altitude, which if it holds up at 368,00 feet will be a new altitude record, beating the previous one long held by the X-15 by almost three miles.

Dale Amon (who just called me to inform me of that) has been covering this as well.