Paul Allen is Backing SpaceShipOne

Scaled Composites has confirmed that billionaire Paul Allen is the financial backer for the company's SpaceShipOne suborbital rocket plane - a rumour that's been circulating in the space industry for several months. Allen's announcement coincided with SpaceShipOne's recent flight test which broke the sound barrier. Allen is the third richest person in the United States with an estimate wealth of $22 billion.