Private rocket ship sets altitude record

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994994

A privately developed spacecraft rocketed a solo pilot to the edge of space on Thursday, as part of ongoing preparations for its first full space flight.

SpaceCraftOne, flown by 62-year-old Mike Melvill, reached altitude of 65,000 metres at about 1600 GMT. The altitude is a new record for a private vehicle. NASA awards astronaut status to anyone who reaches an altitude of 50 miles (80,500 metres).

SpaceCraftOne (SS1)was carried into the air attached to the belly of a larger aircraft called White Knight, also flown in this test by a solo pilot. SS1 detaches at about 15,000 metres before blasting towards space using its own rocket engine

In the words of Larry Niven

If NASA hadn't failed us we'd have cities on the moon.
If it weren't for f***ing NASA we'd at least have walked on Mars.