Private rocket returns home successfully

A rocket plane soared out of Earth’s atmosphere over California’s Mojave desert today in the first privately-financed manned space flight.

SpaceShipOne pilot Mike Melvill, aged 62, was aiming to fly 62 miles above the Earth, but the exact altitude he reached was to be confirmed by radar later.

For a few minutes after the spaceship started its descent, it was unclear whether Melvill had reached his goal.

But the mission announcer finally said the flight had been successful.

“Beautiful sight, Mike,” mission control said to Melvill as the gliding spaceship slowly circled toward its landing at Mojave Airport, accompanied by three chase planes.

The ship touched down to applause and cheers at 3.15pm Irish time, about 90 minutes after it was carried aloft slung under the belly of the jet-powered White Knight mother ship.