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): Clodovil Hernandes • Elena Rybakina • Joe Piscopo • Juan Muñoz (sculptor) • Lawrence Haddad • Michael Showalter • Nick Rimando • Survivor: Blood vs. Water • Tommy Franks • Vern Harper

Born in the same month (June 1943): Chantal Mouffe • Charles Haid • Charles Saatchi • Crescenzio Sepe • Ellyn Kaschak • Georgie Fame • J. Michael Kosterlitz • James Levine • Jens Birkemose • Jim Guy Tucker • Johnny Hallyday • Klaus Maria Brandauer • Louis Nicollin • Malcolm McDowell • Patrick Bokanowski • Poul Nyrup Rasmussen • Richard Smalley • William Calley