Hurtling toward space, and rolling wildly in a breathtaking display of technology and courage, pilot Michael Melvill completed the first stage in the pursuit of the $10 million Ansari X Prize with a daring flight Wednesday.

That the craft, SpaceShipOne, returned safely to Earth with its one-man crew is nothing short of miraculous. Disregarding instructions from the craft’s designer, Melvill pushed the odd-shaped craft to an altitude of 64 miles.

To capture the X Prize, SpaceShipOne now must make a second trip into space within two weeks. The second leg is scheduled for Sunday or Monday.

The ship’s sponsors must now decide if the terrifying rolls witnessed from the ground are enough to scuttle the second launch.

The contest is sponsored by the X Prize Foundation, a nonprofit organization with the goal of making space travel easier, more frequent and more affordable. The $10 million prize, while an incentive, won’t cover the costs of completing the challenge. What motivates these pioneers is the quest to be the first and the prestige of completing the mission.

Wednesday’s trip was exciting and may energize a renewed interest in space travel. If it does, the X Prize competition is already successful. But we hope SpaceShipOne makes the second dash to outer space in time and returns safely home.