Ansari X-prize

[admin]

Anybody else been following this competition? For some reason it doesn't seem to be a big deal over here...

$10 million to the group who can build their own privately built aircraft by the end of this year, fly it to 100 km up (official border of space) and bring it back down to its point of departure. Then do it again within two weeks...

Burt Rutan's "spaceship one" should be making its second flight tonight... I watched the first flight live few days ago... Commercial spaceflight! It's about bloody time!

www.xprize.org/

[admin]

Sh*t... I might just have realised what I want to do with the rest of my life...

www.scaled.com/

[Rex]

i saw part of that, the craft got the wobbles, though still made it didnt it?
its a good concept to have, but imagine the $ they are spending to have these aircraft

[admin]

Yeah, was a bit tense for a few seconds myself... Especially after watching the first flight's spin out live.

Cost actually isn't all too bad. Total cost on that thing estimated $30 million. And take into account what they've just done: kickstarted private space flight. They've already got contracts for commercialisation.

Next comp's been announced: $50 million to the one who can put a private craft into orbit...