Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites designed SpaceShipOne as a compact reusable system rather than a miniature orbital spacecraft. White Knight handled takeoff and the climb to release altitude; SpaceShipOne then ignited a hybrid rocket motor, coasted through apogee, feathered for atmospheric entry, and converted back into a glider for landing at Mojave.

Mike Melvill flew the first privately funded human spaceflight above 100 kilometers on June 21, 2004. He returned on September 29 for the first competitive Ansari X Prize mission, reaching 102.9 kilometers despite an unexpected roll during ascent.

Brian Binnie completed the second prize flight on October 4, reaching 112 kilometers and securing the award. The vehicle retired immediately afterward, but its architecture and team became the direct technical and organizational starting point for SpaceShipTwo and Virgin Galactic.