“SpaceShipOne was a suborbital air-launched spaceplane that completed the first manned private spaceflight in 2004. That same year, it won the US$10 million Ansari X Prize and was immediately retired from active service. Its mothership was named “White Knight”. Both craft were developed and flown by Mojave Aerospace Ventures, which was a joint venture between Paul Allen and Scaled Composites, Burt Rutan's aviation company. Allen provided the funding of approximately US$25 million”. – Wikipedia

Photo: A chase plane follows SpaceShipOne after it reached a height of 62 miles in the first non-governmental flight to leave the Earth's atmosphere on June 21, 2004 in Mojave, California. SpaceShipOne spacecraft was carried to a height of 50,000 by the twin-turbojet high-altitude research aircraft, “White Knight”, where it was launched for its final climb. The space effort was funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and headed by aerospace engineer Burt Rutan. (Photo by Jim Campbell-Pool/Getty Images)

AKB48 perform during the MTV Video Music Aid Japan at Makuhari Messe on June 25, 2011 in Chiba, Japan. (Photo by Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smiles as she is saluted to during the Irish Guards Medal Parade at the Victoria Barracks on June 25, 2011 in Windsor, England. The Duchess of Cambridge and Duke of Cambridge are at the barracks to present service medals to members of the Irish Guards. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

A reveler waves a gay pride flag in front of the historic gay bar The Stonewall after the passing of a bill legalizing gay marriage in New York State on June 24, 2011 in New York City. New York State now joins Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Iowa and Washington, D.C. in legally recognizing gay marriage. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Captain George Ash lies on his back as he prepares to shoot the bowl from the clay pipe held between a blindfolded corporal's teeth. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images). 18th April 1932

Bradley Hemmings and Jenny Sealey MBE pose for the camera with a Giant Iron Man on the set of Iron Man at the Greenwich and Docklands Festival in St Alfege Park on June 24, 2011 in London, England after they are announced by LOCOG as the Artistic Directors for the Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)

A dog named Yoda looks on during the 23rd Annual World's Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma-Marin County Fair on June 24, 2011 in Petaluma, California. Yoda won the $1,000 top prize as the world's ugliest dog. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Two De Brazza's monkeys stand together at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park on June 21, 2011 in Hythe, England. Port Lympne has welcomed a host of new arrivals this year with wildebeest, colobus monkeys, gorillas and rhinos all adding to the current stock. Port Lympne and Howletts Wild Animal parks were set up by the late John Aspinall to protect and breed rare and endangered species and, where possible, return them to safe areas in the wild. The Aspinall Foundation which runs the parks also manages two gorilla rescue and rehabilitation projects in the central African countries of Gabon and Congo where they have successfully reintroduced over 50 gorillas to the wild. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)