By ANN Correspondent Wes Oleszewski

On the big screen TV that shows the image of SpaceShipOne as seen from the long-range cameras at Edwards AFB, the steady arrowhead with its straight white vapor trail suddenly turns into a rapidly rolling corkscrew. Most of the spectators simply accept the image as normal, but a few in the crowd, those acquainted with high speed- high altitude flight realize that something is very wrong. There is the sudden awareness that the carnival atmosphere on the ground at Mojave could now turn into something far more serious.

X Prize day at Mojave started before dawn with SpaceShipOne waiting in its hangar and crowds of spectators gathering behind the fence beneath the airport's control tower. In an oasis of halogen and neon lights everyone who was anyone in aviation and space gathered in the "VIP area" all waiting to see history being made. Although the VIP area was open to just a few of the people gathered at Mojave, we thought it may be interesting to give all of our ANN readers a VIP pass and take you now, to the other side of the fence for a view of the event.

A cold desert wind is blowing prior to sunrise as the jumbo-screen TV presents assorted images and interviews explaining the X Prize and introducing those who wish to have it. Oversized models of each of the X Prize vehicles are on display and available for touching as well as seeing. Even model rocket institution Estes is here with their new line of X Prize flying replicas for sale. A few lucky souls manage to make their way up into the observation room of the control tower by riding the only elevator in the city of Mojave. Above that observation room, in the cab of the tower and isolated from the spectators, two FAA controllers go about their duty as if it is just another day. Below the tower the crowd of spectators begins to grow in numbers, peppered with cameras and lenses of all sorts.

Shortly after sunrise SpaceShipOne makes its entrance, slung beneath the belly of its mother ship White Knight. SpaceShipOne pilot Mike Melvill has his arm stuck out of one of its circular windows, waving to the crowd. This is a gesture that the folks behind the fence have been waiting for and a cheer goes up. After a brief stop at the end of the runway, checklists are completed and ATC gives White Knight the clearance for takeoff. Together the combination of White Knight and SpaceShipOne rolling for takeoff appears like something that should be on a loading dock rather than flying, but when they lift off their image is that of elegant grace and the innovation of Scaled Composites. In minutes the mother ship and its spaceship are joined by their chase planes and the long circular climb to the drop altitude is started. Behind the fence some of the eyes are focused upward, but most of the people take the opportunity to stroll and socialize.  For the better part of an hour the flock of aircraft climb until they are little more than white specks in the deep blue desert sky. On the big screen the television image shows SpaceShipOne's engine bell and a section of her tail by way of the onboard camera. Over the public address speakers the voice announces that there are just three minutes to drop.

Of course the one thing that the announcer neglects to tell the crowd is which direction they should look. By now the aircraft are invisible and the sound of their engines cannot be heard. Behind the fence all eyes seem pointed in different directions as the count to drop reaches zero. The big screen shows the picture of ignition and the eyes searching the sky strain for any sign of the ascent. Someone calls "There it is!" and with a unified gasp everyone snaps their attention to the sky just over the west end of the runway. There in the sky is a white puff of smoke and a rapidly extending contrail that points to SpaceShipOne. For the first time the crowd is absolutely silent. Some 30 miles away, radar guided long-range cameras at Edwards AFB are locked on the ascending vehicle.  Suddenly the arrowhead with the white vapor trail begins a high rate roll. In the crowd most watch thinking this is a normal part of the ascent, but those who know the ways of high speed- high altitude flight hold a collective breath. This rolling is not normal. The word comes from the ground to shut the engine down and in short order Melvill nulls out the roll through the use of his thrusters.

By way of its onboard cameras, SpaceShipOne is seen going into the feather configuration and a cheer again goes up from the crowd. As the roll stops and the vehicle appears full stabilized, even those holding their breath begin to relax.

Now began the long period of sky searching. Although the big screen TV showed the onboard view of the descent, SpaceShipOne was far from being in visual range. Eyes are pointed in every direction in the hope of spotting that single white speck in the sky. Over and over the chase planes were mistaken for SpaceShipOne as spectators pointed fingers overhead.

Twin sonic booms signaled that SpaceShipOne was getting close. The sonic booms are similar to those heard during shuttle landings and are caused by the nose and vertical stabilizers breaking the sound barrier. After another long period of sky searching, the formation of chase-planes, White Knight and SpaceShipOne come from out of the sun and pass overhead in a fine victory formation. The desert wind has predictably died and the windsock now hangs motionless.

In a scene reminiscent of Edwards in the days of Yeager and Crossfield, the formation circles overhead and then escorts SpaceShipOne onto final. Melvill drops the landing and greases his spacecraft onto the runway centerline as the throng of spectators roar in approval. History is made. After SpaceShipOne comes to a halt and the ground support vehicles race to its side, White Knight makes a graceful low pass over the scene. Minutes later SpaceShipOne is towed to the ramp area near the VIP fence and Melvill stands atop it in a celebration of the day's event as well as the future to which it will lead. Behind the fence everyone has a sense the implications of this flight goes far beyond the X Prize. The excitement extends out into the future of space travel and the very real possibility that you too may be able to one day fly in space.

FMI: www.xprize.org