From AOPA: Just as the sun peaked over the horizon, SpaceShipOne, attached to its mothership, lifted off from California's Mojave Spaceport on Monday. After a steady climb, test pilot Brian Binnie released from the mothership at about 46,000 feet. Burning a combination of laughing gas and rubber, Binnie flew what appeared to be a flawless mission, reserving him a spot in history and taking the $10 million Ansari X Prize.
Radar at Edwards Air Force Base showed that he reached about 364,000 feet, far beyond the 328,000 feet needed to win the prize. Designed by Burt Rutan, SpaceShipOne was required to make two successful space flights within a two-week period under the terms of the award. Last week, Mike Melvill flew the first of the two successful space flights then handed it over to Binnie to share the limelight.
 History in the making: A special feature for AOPA members. Listen to Melvill, Binnie, and Rutan, among others, over the radio during SpaceShipOne's second X Prize flight.
Photo: Aboard SpaceShipOne, test pilot Brian Binnie waves to the crowd before takeoff under the mothership, White Knight.
3:21:25 PM 
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