SpaceShipOne was unsafe<sup>1</sup>, barely met its requirements <sup>2</sup> (which was certainly good enough) and was designed specifically to win the prize.  

The tiny passenger compartment meant that there was zero incentive to certify it for passengers; it would certainly have not been economic for tourist flights.

[![enter image description here][1]][1]

I wouldn't call it a prototype since it was designed to meet certain requirements, met them, and was retired before it killed anybody.

<sup>1</sup> "SpaceShipOne had lost control. It spiraled up, making twenty-nine rotations."

<sup>2</sup> "To solve the problem that SpaceShipOne barely reached space even when much lighter than it would have been for an Ansari X Prize attempt..."

Source: *Burt Rutan's Race to Space*, Dan Linehan, 2011


  [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/y4x6dm.jpg