WIRED Staff
Science

Slideshow: Private Space Shot a Success

climbs to an altitude of 62 miles Monday before dropping safely to the ground. It's the first privately financed manned excursion into space. Dan Brekke reports from Mojave, California.
Image may contain Vehicle Transportation Aircraft Airplane and Jet
is a privately developed rocket plane that is the world's first commercial manned space vehicle. On Monday, it made a voyage that marked the first nongovernmental manned flight to leave the Earth's atmosphere.AP Photo/Reed Saxon

See related story: Private Space Shot a Success

Image may contain Human Person Vehicle Transportation Aircraft Airplane Clothing and Apparel

.

AP Photo/Reed Saxon
Image may contain Transportation Vehicle Aircraft Airship and Airplane

and pilot Michael W. Melvill, who gives a thumbs-up signal as he prepares to go aloft.

AP Photo/Reed Saxon
Image may contain Outdoors Nature Sky Launch and Azure Sky

, with pilot Michael W. Melvill at the helm, heads for the edge of space Monday, achieving an altitude of more than 62 miles (100 kilometers) before gliding in for a landing.

AP Photo/Reed Saxon
Image may contain Human Person Transportation Vehicle Aircraft Airplane and Airliner

and pilot Michael W. Melvill down a taxiway past hundreds of onlookers as the pilots prepare to take off Monday from Mojave, California.

AP Photo/Reed Saxon