Rutan to speak at library event
<p>Burt Rutan, who designed SpaceShipOne, will be at "An Evening With Burt Rutan" at a Coeur d'Alene Public Library Foundation Fundraiser on Oct. 18. SpaceShipOne is the world's first privately built manned spacecraft to reach space.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - One of America's foremost entrepreneurs, aeronautical engineers and spacecraft designers will be the honored guest at "An Evening With Burt Rutan," an after-hours event Friday, Oct. 18, at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library.
Rutan, now a Coeur d'Alene resident, will also be featured in an exhibit of material related to his work in the Parkside Gallery Cases prior to the program in the Community Room on the lower level of the library, 702 E. Front Ave.
The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. - after the close of regular library hours - and wine and beer will be available for purchase.
The event is open to the adult public for a suggested $10 donation with proceeds benefiting the Coeur d'Alene Public Library Foundation.
In 2004 Rutan made international headlines as the designer of SpaceShipOne, the world's first privately built manned spacecraft to reach space.
Financed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, SpaceShipOne won the $10 million Ansari X-Prize, the competition created to spur the development of affordable space tourism.
"Manned space flight is not only for governments to do," Rutan said. "We proved it can be done by a small company operating with limited resources and a few dozen dedicated employees. The next 25 years will be a wild ride; one that history will note was done for everyone's benefit."
The evening's activities will include an opportunity to take home items connected to SpaceShipOne's historic flights. Tickets will be available for a drawing for four of the rare SpaceShipOne ball caps and for exclusive postcards signed by the astronauts commemorating the three spacecraft launches.
"We are proud to be able to bring Burt Rutan to the library," said Ruth Pratt, Foundation executive director, "and pleased to introduce this very special individual to even more people in our community."
Named "Entrepreneur of the Year" by Inc. magazine and described by Newsweek as "the man responsible for more innovations in modern aviation than any living engineer," Rutan also designed the legendary Voyager, the first aircraft to circle the world non-stop, without refueling.
Rutan retired on March 31, 2011, and now lives in North Idaho.