By Peter Weiss
On June 21, a rocket-powered airplane known as SpaceShipOne soared 100 kilometers above Earth to the fringes of space, carrying out the first-ever private, manned space mission. The flight was a milestone for privately funded efforts to develop low-cost space technology.
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Before its self-powered ascent, the three-seater SpaceShipOne was lofted to about 14 km altitude by a larger plane designed for the purpose. That’s a few kilometers higher than a typical cruising altitude for an airliner.