SpaceShipOne

SpaceShipOne (SS1) is a privately built, rocket-powered suborbital spaceplane developed by Scaled Composites in the United States under Burt Rutan. Funded by Paul Allen, the project demonstrated that a private company could design, build, and fly a crewed spacecraft capable of reaching space. SS1 was designed to be launched from a carrier aircraft, White Knight, which released the spaceplane at altitude for powered flight to space and a controlled reentry.

The propulsion system on SpaceShipOne was a hybrid rocket motor, using nitrous oxide as the oxidizer and a solid polymer fuel. The vehicle featured a distinctive feather reentry mechanism, where the tail surfaces rotated to a high-drag configuration to stabilize the craft during descent and reentry.

Flight testing progressed through 2003 and 2004, culminating in two piloted suborbital spaceflights within a 14-day period that exceeded the 100-kilometer boundary, thereby meeting the Ansari X Prize requirements. With these flights, SpaceShipOne became the first privately funded, crewed spacecraft to reach space and complete a certified spaceflight mission.

Legacy and influence: The SpaceShipOne program established a proving ground for private spaceflight and directly influenced subsequent efforts, including the development of SpaceShipTwo for Virgin Galactic. The design and flight experience contributed to the growth of commercial suborbital tourism and helped spur broader interest in private aerospace ventures.