MOJAVE DESERT, California (CNN) -- SpaceShipOne achieved its most spectacular flight yet, climbing to an altitude of 364,000 feet (70 miles), eight miles beyond what was needed to win the $10 million Ansari X Prize.
With a wish of "Good luck and Godspeed," mission control sent the privately funded craft toward space for the second time in a week, the requirements for winning the X Prize.
"Today we have made history. Today we go to the stars," said Peter Diamandis, co-founder of the X Prize Foundation.
The $10 million award is intended to spur civilian spaceflight.
The craft left a near perfect dove-tail of exhaust contrails with the White Knight turbo jet, which carried it aloft, as its rocket ignited for 84 seconds. The rocket burn sent SpaceShipOne on a trajectory that sent it climbing for almost a minute after the engine shut down.
"It looks great," said Brian Binnie, SpaceShipOne's pilot, on his way up to space at Mach 3.
Binnie reported a shaky flight with "a little roll" but did not experience the 29 rolls Mike Melvill experienced last week.
Space ShipOne and White Knight, featured a new paint job promoting Virgin Group, Richard Branson's firm, which recently announced a deal to license the SpaceShipOne technology for a fleet of commercial spacecraft
Spacecraft designer Burt Rutan told a crowd gathered at his home in the Mojave Desert on Sunday that he was confident of the success of today's flight -- and winning the $10 million Ansari X Prize check.
After some unexpected acrobatics during the last flight, Rutan said Monday's would be a smooth flight, but he was prepared for stability issues.
"We believe we have solved these and we don't believe we'll see the rolls tomorrow," he said. "But if we do, we don't believe they're dangerous. ... After all, what we're doing is research."
Binnie, who piloted the first powered SpaceShipOne launch, was at the helm of the craft after it was released from the belly of the White Knight turbojet at about 50,000 feet.
Within seconds after igniting its rocket, it was traveling faster than a bullet out of a rifle.
The spacecraft was outfitted with a stronger engine and some aerodynamic modifications from its first record-breaking flight into space on June 21.
