SpaceShipOne makes history with first manned private spaceflight

SPACE tourism came a step closer yesterday when a private commercial rocket flew into the near reaches of space for the first time.

The privately-funded SpaceShipOne craft made aviation history when it flew more than 62 miles above the surface of the Earth.

It also brought the design team, led by aviation pioneer Burt Rutan, closer to a $10 million prize set up to encourage commercial space travel in the future.