I watched the Discovery.ca TV science-news show, yesterday,
on Burt Rutan's X-Prize project, "SpaceShipOne".
Burt's test-pilot will within a few weeks [late July, early-August]
carry out the first drop/glide test-flight of that suborbital spaceplane.
And...here it is! The BIG scoop!..If all goes reasonably well with Burt's project, he will have his test-pilot, along with two passengers,
launched onboard SpaceShipOne to an altitude over 100km before
this coming Christmas!
You don't suppose Burt is trying for a historic launch-date
of December/17th, this year? The 100th anniversary of Kitty Hawk?

Jacob