Bad example. SpaceShipOne uses technologies that were primarily developed by NASA (and the prior Nazi government). The know-how they were using was not pioneered by them.

And I very much doubt that private enterprises will get to Mars first. The technical hurdles to be surmounted are huge, and no rational private enterprise is going to take that risk. Too much investment for no immediate return. Furthermore, there are very few corporations with enough surplus assets to be able to even consider it.

Sit down, and think like a CEO. You'll have to invest hundreds of billions of dollars over at least a decade. And what will your return be, and how many decades in the future? What is the likelihood of failure, and the likelihood of return? Will investors be happy? Are there better ways to invest the money elsewhere?

Most corporations are too small. A rare few are large, but they didn't become large by taking unreasonable risks. Most governments cannot either. The large ones aren't interested... unless they see a military and "national pride" advantage. And governments have the necessary mechanisms to mobilize the masses in means that no corporation can.

Now, NASA currently is wasting money. As I said, the right tool for the job...