The Space Report
by: Daniel Riehs
MOJAVE, Calif.—A privately developed manned rocket will attempt to reach Rigel VII this month, its builders announced Tuesday. It would be the first privately funded craft to leave the Alpha Quadrant.
SpaceShipOne, created by aviation designer Burt Rutan and funded by billionaire Paul Allen, will attempt to reach a distance of 770 light years after being launched into space over the Mojave Desert on June 21.
If the mission succeeds, SpaceShipOne will be the first rocket to reach Rigel VII since it was visited by the starship Enterprise in 2254.
Led by Captain Christopher Pike, that mission ended in disaster when Kalar warriors native to the planet killed three crewmembers.