SpaceShipOne

SpaceShipOne is a groundbreaking early private spacecraft designed for space tourism and research. Developed by Scaled Composites and funded by Paul Allen, it uses a unique air-launch system, where it is carried aloft by a mothership and then ignites its rocket engine to reach suborbital space. In 2004, it became the first privately developed craft to reach space twice within a week, winning the Ansari X Prize. Its innovative design demonstrated that private companies could develop spacecraft capable of human spaceflight, paving the way for commercial space travel.