[BenLurkin]

Ping

[My2Cents]

"I think 15 years from now, every child will know, if he wants to, he can go into space,"

For the children?

[RightWhale]

Fly up 100 miles, bore a hole in space for a couple hours, come back. What a thrill, especially to the bank account! Aside from tourism, which isn't much of an industry, there is no way to be in business in space with the onerous 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty in place.

[KevinDavis]

[Lokibob]

With Paul Allen involved, the space craft will have plenty of windows.

[SunkenCiv]

[emphasis added]

Everyday Astronaut
by Scott Gourley
June 21 2004
Popular Mechanics
reprised from

Publicly thanking Paul G. Allen, who admitted to investing more than $20 million in the project, Rutan appeared to physically choke up when he said, "We were able to develop a complete space program from scratch for the price of one of those government paper studies." ...Mojave Airport Manager Stu Witt... said. "Nobody's ever done anything like this before," Pearson said. "That's part of what's unique about America--nowhere else in the world. It's a great day for the country." Non-military government involvement was limited. In fact, according to Rutan, the first contact between NASA and the program participants came in a phone call to Rutan the day before the launch to notify him that NASA would like to send an observer.

[Fitzcarraldo]