The designers of the first private manned rocket to burst into space have received a $10 million prize created to promote space tourism.
SpaceShipOne designer Burt Rutan accepted the Ansari X Prize money and a trophy on behalf of his team Saturday during an awards ceremony in the U.S. state of Missouri.
To win the money, SpaceShipOne had to blast off into space twice in a two-week period and fly at least 100 kilometers above Earth.
The spacecraft made its flights in late September and early October, lifting off from California's Mojave desert. The vehicle had to carry a pilot and weight equivalent to two passengers.
SpaceShipOne was financed with more than $20 million from Paul Allen, a co-founder of the Microsoft Corporation.
Some information provided by AP.
