Donate

Play Live Radio

Next Up:

0:00

0:00 0:00

Available On Air Stations

WUSF's Wake Up Call

Our daily newsletter, delivered first thing weekdays, keeps you connected to your community with news, culture, national NPR headlines, and more.

First X-Prize Flight a Success for SpaceShipOne

By Xeni Jardin

Published September 30, 2004 at 12:00 AM EDT

SpaceShipOne pilot Mike Melvill stands atop his craft after making the first of two planned flights into sub-orbital space.

Are we witnessing the birth of a commercial space flight industry? Day to Day technology contributor Xeni Jardin reports on Wednesday's launch of SpaceShipOne. The craft is the top competitor in the race for the Ansari X-prize, a global competition to build the first viable commercial spaceship. The winning team is set to receive a $10-million award.

Tags

US / World

Xeni Jardin

Xeni Jardin can be heard on NPRs Day to Day, offering technology insights for listeners nationwide. Jardin is also a contributing writer for Wired Magazine, as well as a tech culture journalist and co-editor of the collaborative weblog BoingBoing.net, the award-winning "Directory of Wonderful Things."