First amateur rocket reaches space

BLACK ROCK DESERT, Nev., May 18 (UPI) -- An unmanned rocket built by an amateur U.S. group has been launched into space from the Nevada desert, BBC News Online reported Monday.

Launch of the Civilian Space eXploration Team's 21-foot GoFast rocket was witnessed by officials of the Federal Aviation Administration.

"It just roared off the pad and flew into space," said rocketeer and CSXT avionics manager Eric Knight.

The GoFast rocket, named after one of the project's sponsors, lifted off from the Black Rock Desert in a 14-second burn that allowed the rocket to reach an altitude of more than 60 miles -- the official boundary of space -- in about three minutes.

Reportedly, GoFast spent several minutes in space, sending signals back to launch control before falling back to Earth for recovery. The rocket and the payload descended via separate parachutes.