Explanation:
Human space flight has entered the domain of private companies.
Previously, large countries like the
US and
Russia have hired privately owned civilian
companies to do specific tasks in support of their
public human
space flight programs.
Yesterday, however, the solely corporate
SpaceShipOne soared 100 kilometers
above the Earth for the second time in two weeks to claim the coveted $10 million dollar
X-Prize put forward by Ansari to inspire private space flight development.
The X-prize was modeled after the
Orteig prize that was designed to inspire
ocean-crossing airplane flights and won by
Charles Lindbergh in 1927.
The impressive success of
SpaceShipOne, designed by a team led by engineer
Burt Rutan, could usher in a new age of inexpensive
commercial space flights that includes
space tourism and an increased presence of humans in space.
Scaled Composite's SpaceShipOne is
pictured soaring high above the Earth in a
practice run last December.
The first flights by Virgin Galactic are planned to begin in 2.5 to 3 years time. We plan to begin taking deposits early next year and will contact prospective astronauts who register online.
