Burt Rutan: Innovation and the Race for Space

Aerospace entrepreneur, Virgin Galactic spacecraft designer, and founder of aerospace research firm Scaled Composites, Burt Rutan is a bold visionary with a passion for the advancement of technology. Named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Inc. magazine and one of “The World’s 100 Most Influential People” by TIME, Rutan designed the legendary Voyager aircraft — the first to circle the world nonstop without refueling. He is also responsible for the design of SpaceShipOne, the world’s first privately funded spacecraft which, in 2004, became the first private rocket plane ever to put a man into space. Rutan has been profiled by 60 Minutes and featured on the covers of both LIFE and TIME.