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Commentary: The First Commercial Space Flight

Later this month, a privately-financed rocket plane called Space Ship One is scheduled to launch from the Mojave Desert and become the world's first manned commercial space vehicle. Backers are hoping this is the first step toward a new era of space tourism -- and so is commentator Jake Halpern, author of the book Braving Home. Back in 1969, his grandfather made reservations with Pan American Airways to have a seat on the first commercial flight to the moon.

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