SpaceShipOne team to receive $10 million X Prize Nov. 6

stlouis.bizjournals.com: The American Mojave Aerospace team, which piloted SpaceShipOne into history last week, will receive the $10 million Ansari X Prize Nov. 6 at the St. Louis Science Center.

The team, which includes research aircraft developer Burt Rutan and Charter Communications Chairman and majority shareholder Paul Allen, will receive the $10 million prize and a 5-foot trophy. Team members will be in St. Louis that week visiting area schools and community organizations.

Last week, SpaceShipOne completed its second suborbital flight in five days, the first privately built, manned vehicle to reach space. It made its first required flight Sept. 29.

The St. Louis-based X Prize Foundation, which got off the ground with the financial backing of many St. Louisans, offered the $10 million X Prize to any competitor who, before Jan. 1, 2005, could fly a manned vehicle carrying three people (or a pilot and the equivalent weight of two passengers) to space and back twice within two weeks.