BAKERSFIELD -- A new aircraft is on display at the new Bill Thomas terminal at Meadows Field, representing a piece of aviation history.

A replica of SpaceShipOne hangs from the ceiling inside the terminal to greet residents and visitors to Kern County.

The first civilian space vehicle, built by Burt Rutan and Scaled Composite in Mojave, is a permanent fixtures at the airport.

The historic flight, in which Rutan's group captured the $10 million X-Prize, was a mere launching pad for the future of civilian space flight.

Rutan's vision for the future of Mojave includes a space port, training center, and even a production facility to build space ships and launch vehicles.