Designer Burt Rutan shares his joy watching SS2 powered flight next to X-Prize founder Peter Diamandis during the first powered flight of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo on April 29, 2013 in Mojave, California. SpaceShipTwo is a private enterprise aircraft, designed to carry paying passengers into space. The spacecraft was dropped from the mothership at high altitude and fired it's engine for a approximate 16-second burn taking the craft through the sound barrier. The hybrid rocket motor is fueled by nitrous oxide and a rubber propellent combination. The motor can be 'shut down' at any time for safety and flight requirement purposes.
{"Image ImageDescription": "MOJAVE, CA - APRIL 29:  (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SUBJECT SPECIFIC TV BROADCAST DOCUMENTARIES OR BOOK USE)  Designer Burt Rutan shares his joy watching SS2 powered flight next to X-Prize founder Peter Diamandis during the first powered flight of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo on April 29, 2013 in Mojave, California. SpaceShipTwo is a private enterprise aircraft, designed to carry paying passengers into space. The spacecraft was dropped from the mothership at high altitude and fired it's engine for a approximate 16-second burn taking the craft through the sound barrier. The hybrid rocket motor is fueled by nitrous oxide and a rubber propellent combination. The motor can be \"shut down\" at any time for safety and flight requirement purposes.   (Photo by Jason DiVenere/Virgin Galactic/Getty Images)", "Image Copyright": "2013 Virgin Galactic"}