Ashlar-Vellum Confirms Role In the SpaceShipOne Aircraft and the I, Robot Movie 

Austin, TX, Nov 29, 2004 - The Austin based software developer, Ashlar-Vellum, again congratulates Burt Rutan and his team at Scaled Composites for the second successful flight of SpaceShipOne on Oct 4, 2004, thus claiming the ten million dollar Ansari X-Prize. Ashlar is proud to confirm the use of Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt software for the design of this revolutionary spacecraft. 

The historic flight marks the beginning of space travel for the general public. Pilot Brian Binnie took SpaceShipOne (a passenger carrying aircraft) to an altitude of 367,442 feet (69.9 miles), exceeding the 328,000 foot altitude required for the X-Prize. In addition to this requirement, the aircraft had to be privately financed, built, and launched by the team, able to carry three people, and complete two successful flights with the same vehicle within a two week period. 

Inspired by the Orteig Prize of 1927, which spurred the trans-Atlantic flight of Charles Lindbergh, the Ansari X-Prize Foundation encourage small professional teams to use their creativity to reach new goals in aviation. Ashlar-Vellum provides the tools to achieve these goals quickly and efficiently. The Scaled Composites design team confirmed that they designed the majority of SpaceShipOne and its companion aircraft, White Knight, in Cobalt. Ashlar-Vellum�s president, Robert Bou, stated, �We feel proud to work with such a brilliant and innovative team of designers and to be a part of their historic endeavor.� Bou adds, �I recently had the privilege of visiting the Scaled Composites team in the Mojave. They told me that when they�ve tried to use our competitor�s software for their designs it doubled their engineering costs. Cobalt�s Vellum� interface so fluidly works the way they think that it allows designers to come up with multiple what ifs, easily refining the design for winning results.� 

On the screen

Ashlar-Vellum officially enters the entertainment world with the robot model from the movie I, Robot. Dave Kindlon, the robot designer, used Cobalt software to create and prototype the robot. Cobalt allowed Mr. Kindlon to conceptualize within the program, make changes quickly, and simply be creative while maintaining accuracy to sixteen digits. The Cobalt software also allows designers to create fly-by or walk-through movies within the program itself. Ashlar is scheduled to release Vellum Tracks, royalty free soundtracks for use with these movies, within the next month. 

About Ashlar-Vellum

Founded in 1988, Ashlar-Vellum is the leading developer and marketer of precise 2D & 3D Windows and Macintosh software products that automate and simplify industrial, mechanical, and commercial design processes for drafting, design, and engineering professionals. Ashlar-Vellum's renowned Vellum� user interface and powerful toolsets have earned the loyalty of conceptual thinkers around the world. Ashlar-Vellum operates from its headquarters in Austin, Texas.

www.ashlar-vellum.com