Private Spaceflight

IS flight above 100 kilometres (62 mi) Earth altitude conducted by and paid for by an entity other than a government. In the early decades of the Space Age, the government space agencies of the Soviet Union and United States pioneered space technology in collaboration with affiliated design bureaus and private enterprises. Later on, large defense contractors began to develop and operate space launch systems, derived from government rockets, and commercial satellites. Private spaceflight in Earth orbit includes communications satellites, satellite television, satellite radio and orbital space tourism. Recently, entrepreneurs started designing and flying suborbital spaceplanes. Planned private spaceflights beyond Earth orbit include solar sailing prototypes, deep space burial and personal spaceflights around the Moon. A private orbital habitat prototype is already in Earth orbit, with larger versions to follow.