SpaceShipOne: An Illustrated History

“One of the most remarkable accomplishments in our conquest of gravity.” — Sir Arthur C. Clarke

In April, 2003, a company called Scaled Composites introduced SpaceShipOne to the world. SpaceShipOne: An Illustrated History chronicles the development of the world’s first commercial manned space program—aprogram that includes an airborne launcher (the White Knight), a space ship (SpaceShipOne), rocket propulsion, avionics, simulator, and full ground support. With ample illustrations, photographs, and behind-the-scenes information, SpaceShipOne provides a full picture of this classified project.

The story of SpaceShipOne combines the adventurous spirit of Charles Lindbergh, the entrepreneurial drive of Howard Hughes, and the urgency of the space race at the height of the Cold War.