Burt Rutan

Elbert Leander "Burt" Rutan is a retired American aerospace engineer and entrepreneur noted for his originality in designing light, strong, unusual-looking, and energy-efficient air and space craft. He designed the record-breaking Voyager, which in 1986 was the first plane to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. He also designed the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, which in 2006 set the world record for the fastest and longest nonstop non-refueled circumnavigation flight in history. In 2004, Rutan's sub-orbital spaceplane design SpaceShipOne became the first privately funded spacecraft to enter the realm of space, winning the Ansari X-Prize that year for achieving the feat twice within a two-week period.

17 June 1943

Born on the same birth date (17 June 1943): Barry Manilow • Chantal Mouffe • Newt Gingrich

Born on the same birth day (17 June): César-François Cassini de Thury • Dave Concepción • Estelle Morris • George Hees • Greg Kinnear • Isabelle Delobel • John Baldessari • Juan Muñoz (sculptor) • Manuel González Flores • Michael Mathieu • Michael Monroe • Popeye Jones • Shane Watson • Shaun MacDonald (footballer, born 1988) • Steve Georgallis • William Crookes

Born in the same month (June 1943): Abraham Viruthakulangara • Barry Evans (actor) • Birgit Grodal • Carly Simon • Diane Marleau • John Burgess (host) • Johnny Hallyday • Little Eva • Orietta Berti • Pierre-André Fournier • Ravi Batra • Sandra Haynie • Tom Jaine