Yeah, because you didn't have escape velocity. That's why the word "escape" is in there. Once you've escaped you don't fall back: "It is the speed needed to "break free" from the gravitational attraction of a massive body, without further propulsion".
The question asked was “Why not fly into space?”.
Spaceship 1 went into space 23,000 mph below “escape velocity”
“Escape velocity” has nothing to do with the question that was asked.