The Race is On. DaVinci Project Notifies X-Prize

Space.com ^ | August 5, 2004 | Tarik Malik

[Young Werther]

TORONTO, Canada -- A second team of rocketeers competing for the $10 million Ansari X Prize, a contest for privately funded suborbital space flight, has officially announced the first launch date for its manned rocket.

The da Vinci Project, led by Brian Feeney of Toronto, Ontario, said Thursday the group plans to loft its Wild Fire Mark VI spacecraft on Oct. 2, just days after the planned launch of another X Prize contender, the U.S-based SpaceShipOne. The balloon-launched Wild Fire event will be followed by a second launch within two weeks to snag the X Prize purse, according to the plan.

[Young Werther]

I'm presenting a speech on the X-Prize competition to a local service club in hopes that we can wrest control of the space program away from that dinosaur NASA.

[So Cal Rocket]

I don't recall that the DaVinci Project group has had any test flights... Are they rushing it to have a chance at the $10M?

[aruanan]

The balloon-launched Wild Fire event will be followed by a second launch within two weeks to snag the X Prize purse, according to the plan.

Balloon-launched? Wimps.

[Flightdeck]

Underestimating NASA is like underestimating Bush; You'll lose.

[Poundstone]

I seriously doubt the Canadians are going to launch anything on October 2, or anywhere near that date. They're just not ready.

[Flightdeck]

"Are they rushing it to have a chance at the $10M?"

Yeah, a fiery death won't exactly be an industry jump-starter.

[tet68]

After looking at the Feeney website, I think I'd take my chances with Mr. Rutan.

[theFIRMbss]

>Balloon-launched? Wimps.

What do you expect?
They're sponsored by Sun, and run
out of Canada . . .

[Professional Engineer]

BUMP

[TomServo]

Sping!!

[kingu]

Hmm. Space race between Americans and Canadians. How long until the UN gets into the game, declaring that the United States is forbidden from letting their citizens fly into space until there's been a full review..

That's how these things work, right? And a NAFTA review to see if the American team has violated some rule or another while the Canadian team launches?

Personally, I'd put my bucks on the folks in Mojave. Heck, if I lived there, I'd try everything I could to leave too... :)

[Vroomfondel]

Those are some bloody annoying Alien vs Predator ads they have over there. First, there's an animation that pops up in the middle of the page as you try to read it that doesn't have a close button!. Then, when you move away from that page, a full screen window pops up expecting me to watch an intro.

Grumble grumble grumble. Time to install lynx.

[Centurion2000]

Just saw their ship and such ... I think they are going to die trying to be honest.

[narby]

Feeney publicly disclosed today’s rollout but acknowledged that his team was still $500,000 short of the funds needed for launch. Since then, the effort has found a new title sponsor, the online casino firm Golden Palace.com

Oh, I get it now....

It's unfortunate, but I've seen this kind of thing way too many times in aviation.

The reason why I respect Rutan is that he has a policy of not announcing what he's going to do. He announces what he's already DONE (SS1 launch excepted).

[Amish with an attitude]

I've personally seen many an experimental rocket payload smashed to bits as a result of recovery system failure.

It would be suicide for the DaVinci Project team to rush into this without extensive testing.

The beauty of the Rutan design is that the recovery system is integral to the airframe and for the most part deployed before the vehicle even leaves the runway.

[Poundstone]

I seriously doubt the Canadians are going to launch anything on October 2, or anywhere near that date. They're just not ready.

[sonofatpatcher2]

While I admire the WilfFire folks, me thinks they are too late for the X-Prize. Dick will win in a walk...

[Rebelbase]

I agree. The DaVinci Project appears to be a bit too "homemade" for safety and success.

[steve86]

The picture viewer did work properly on my Linux/Opera system. Was kind of slick, as a matter of fact.

I hope both teams eventually accomplish their goal of near-space flight, even if only one can win the prize. But I have to say that if I was offered a chance to be a passenger, Rutan's is the only vehicle I would consider.

[aruanan]

Well, maybe they could get a prize for a sort of cool looking website. But the Rutan team has already made it to the necessary altitude.