Career
Melvill piloted SpaceShipOne on its first flight past the edge of space, flight 15P on June 21, 2004, thus becoming the first commercial astronaut and the 434th person to go into space. He was also the pilot on SpaceShipOne"s flight 16P, the first competitive flight in the competition. Melvill met Burt Rutan when he showed Rutan the Rutan VariViggen he had built at his home.
