SpaceshipOne Is Home!

Mike Melvill is now the first civilian pilot to reach space. He reportedly heard "a couple of bangs", and the rocket engine apparently went off prematurely for some reason (um, that doesn't sound good). But all's well that ends well. (I just wish CNN's coverage hadn't ended so soon...oh, wait, they're gonna go back. Also, MSNBC just showed some footage of SpaceshipOne getting towed back in from the runway.)

It was beautiful. I just wish I could've been there, to pray and scream and shout and cheer in person. It's inconvenient to have nobody around to hug when you want one....

See her landing, so lightly you'd swear that she cares
That she flies on two wings and a good million prayers!
-- Leslie Fish/Julia Ecklar, "Witnesses' Waltz"