Opinion

Space-bound squirrel cadets

Richard Lutz
Opinion Columnist

Weive all seen how squirrels will take time out of their otherwise-booked-up schedules to jump around crazily. Iim not just talking about bounding; this is crazy acrobatic stuff that makes you check the air for nerve gas. I donit think the blackbirds have staged a terrorist attack yet, though.

I was going to write something about Iraq again, but I was interrupted by the squirrels. You see, they werenit just flipping today. They were using whippy tree branches to fling a soda bottle containing a chipmunk high into the air. I had to ask why.

It seems there is a contest called the X-Prize that will award $10 million to the first private company to send a manned spacecraft at least 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) into space twice within two weeks. A number of teams around the world are racing to win the prize.

The squirrels are putting extra time and effort into their space project because of competition from a company called Scaled Composites, which builds experimental aircraft. On Friday, the usually secretive company gave a presentation of its own spacecraft.

The blandly named SpaceShipOne is a bizarre-looking craft youid expect to see in a bad science fiction movie. It launches from the air from the underside of a transport plane called White Knight, which resembles a sort of spider-bird alien construct. This type of launch is generally more efficient than the traditional rocket method by which satellites and space shuttles are launched. It is unknown how it compares to a pine-tree slingshot.

Another advantage of the design is that the spacecraft will supposedly be able to essentially drop like a rock into the atmosphere and land from a circling glide, unlike the tightly controlled "flying brick" shuttle reentry. Iim sure weid all like to see something a bit safer, in the light of recent NASA events.

The White Knight is already conducting low-altitude flight testing, and SpaceShipOne is supposed to be tested as soon as rockets are completed. It uses a hybrid fuel design, which essentially burns rubber and laughing gas. No, thatis serious. Iim not nuts.

Itis unlikely to be used for tourist purposes. Scaled Compositesi owner, Burt Rutan, is more interested in jump-starting the private space industry. For example, heis trying new designs that will make space flight significantly cheaper and eliminate the need for pilots to wear space suits at all times. Before starting this project, he was involved in several NASA projects that were shut down for lack of funds.

Of course, the military is looking to get its little paws on the technology. The ability to fly a plane into outer space and drop off satellites or bombs or Basselopes has a lot of potential, after all.

Despite that sobering note, this is an exciting step in space exploration. Other than satellite launching and zero-gravity research, this points to the moon or Mars or beyond. It feels like the return of the Golden Age of science fiction. Itis enough to make you flip. Whee!

Lutz, a senior English and German major, can be reached at drahcir_j@hotmail.com.