-
Pegasus becomes the first launch vehicle to reach space
On April 5, 1990, Orbital ATK ushered in a new era with the launch of their rocket Pegasus. Pegasus became the first launch vehicle fully developed by a private company to reach space. Pegasus came from beneath a NASA B-52 aircraft in a mission that originated from Dryden Flight Research Center in California. It is also the first winged vehicle to accelerate to eight times the speed of sound and the first air-launched rocket to place satellites into orbit. -
Space Flight Europe-America 500
The Russian Foundation for Social Inventions sent gifts from Russia to the United States via a space capsule, including religious icons, appeals for world peace and a stuffed toy dog named Digswell. The United States government supported the mission. The gifts were sent into orbit and then to Seattle, Washington. This Russia to United States flight sparked US interest in space technology. -
FAA Associate Administrator for Space Transportation
The Office of Commercial Space Transportation was transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).The mission of the Office of Commercial Space Transportation is to provide protection of the public, property, and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States during commercial launch or reentry activities, and to encourage, facilitate, and promote U.S. commercial space transportation. -
Dennis Tito becomes the first space tourist
Dennis Tito paid $20 million to becomes the first space tourist, launching to the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft after paying for a seat arranged by the American company Space Adventures. Many people in the space industry think that his flight sparked the beginning of the private space flight industry. -
Civilian Space eXploration Team
The Civilian Space eXploration Team (CSXT) becomes the first amateur organization to send a rocket into space, with the launch of their “GoFast” rocket to 72 miles altitude. -
SpaceShipOne conducts the first privately flown and funded manned spaceflight.
SpaceShipOne was a space plane designed and built by Scaled Composites, a company owned by aerospace designer Burt Rutan. SpaceShipOne conducts the first privately flown and funded manned spaceflight, piloted by Mike Melvill. SpaceShipOne, the first non-governmental manned spacecraft, flew 62.5 miles beyond Earth's surface to reach the boundary of space.. -
Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004
President George W. Bush signed the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, which provides a basic legal framework for commercial human spaceflight. It also creates the alleged “learning period,” a temporary restriction on the FAA’s ability to regulate the private spaceflight industry, which has since been extended multiple times
