Starry-Eyed Enterprise

In the case of private space flight, Rutan said, "I believe that realization will attract investment, that realization will attract a whole bunch of activity, and very soon, it will be affordable for you to fly" into space. "I think you don't start a new industry by defining first what the applications are. I think you go out and take some risks and determine what capabilities are possible and the applications come later."

As for what's next, Allen and Rutan ain't talking. "Our company in general doesn't go to these engineering symposia and brag about what we do, just because it's teaching our competitors," Rutan said. "A lot of things we've learned on this, particularly things that we're going to move into . . . " He caught himself. "Particularly things that we might move into—larger suborbital or orbital craft—those are intellectual properties that are owned by Mr. Allen and us." At another point, Rutan said, "We're heading to orbit sooner than you think."

Chuck Taylor

Starship Troopers: A rare smile from Paul signals success, thanks to aviation legend Burt Rutan, center, and rocketman Mike Melvill, right.

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RELATED LINKS

• SpaceShipOne project
• Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame
• Space.com story referenced in article

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Though conversant in the technicalities, Allen is also emotionally invested in SpaceShipOne—still listening to his gut. "I saw one of the first shuttle launches back when we were doing the initial software for the IBM PC," he said at the postflight news conference. "These things bring your heart right into your throat, whether you're there as a spectator or you're a participant, and I'm just happy to be part of this to try to move things forward in the area of private space travel."

If it all comes true, there's maybe only one thing in Allen's long-shot portfolio that could upstage his space program. Call it another frivolous, eccentric hobby if you like, but try to imagine the future after success at another obscure Paul G. Allen project, involving radio telescopes and thousands of PCs. The government stopped funding it years ago, and he stepped in. SETI, it's called. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.

ctaylor@seattleweekly.com