Spaceship One: Revolutionizing Space Travel through Private Enterprise

Spaceship One, designed by Bert Rutan and funded by Paul Allen, aims to win the X Prize by launching a non-government craft into space twice within two weeks. It successfully reached over 100 kilometers altitude. Despite a smaller budget compared to NASA's $440 million per shuttle flight, Spaceship One's cost was $20-30 million. The craft, a rocket-powered plane, was lifted by a mothercraft to 13.8 kilometers. Cheaper flights could make space travel more accessible. Pilot Mike Melville experienced weightlessness for 3.5 minutes.

What are the implications of cheaper flights for the future of space travel?

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Describe the flight experience of the pilot Mike Melville during the Spaceship One mission.

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