Brian Binnie was a pilot who flew the SpaceShipOne experimental aircraft into space in 2004.
- Died: Thursday, September 15, 2022. (Who else died on September 15?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 69.
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Test Pilot
Brian Binnie was a navy aviator for 21 years who saw combat in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He became a test pilot for Scaled Composites and was the first to fly their experimental spacecraft called SpaceShipOne on a test flight in 2003. On October 4, 2004, he became the second pilot to fly a private craft into space when he flew SpaceShipOne at an altitude of 69.6 miles. His flight awarded Scaled Composites the Ansari XPrize, which offered $10 million to the first privately built spacecraft to fly into space twice within a two-week period. The FAA awarded him civilian astronaut wings for his space flight and he was in a TV commercial for Miller Lite Beer.
Notable Quote
“People called it the perfect flight. In leaving the atmosphere, as I kept the motor running to 215,000 feet, the ship had zero roll, pitch [and] yaw rates. It was rock solid and continued on up past the X-15 altitude.” “It was a wonderful experience.” “I don’t see any single-seat spaceships in the near future. So maybe I am the last guy that has gone to space by himself.” – He told Space.com in 2021
Tributes to Brian Binnie
Full Obituary: Space.com
