Two X Prize Teams Poised for Manned Spaceflight

space.com ^ | 09/27/03 | Paul Recer

[KevinDavis]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a race to achieve the first privately funded manned spaceflight, two teams of rocket engineers are poised to compete for the $10 million X Prize by launching people to the edge of space and bringing them back safely twice within a two-week period.

Peter H. Diamandis, chairman and CEO of the X Prize Foundation, said he expects that one of the two teams will launch within the next few months, using rockets and spacecraft that are already being tested and prepared for the daring venture. A Mojave Desert airport in California has already been approved for use as a launch pad for the suborbital missions.

[KevinDavis]

Forget about NASA OSP program.....

[KevinDavis]

Space Ping! This is the space ping list! Let me know if you want on or off this list!

[baltodog]

This is so cool. This is what America is all about.
This is going to be successful and our government is going to crap.
I am so glad I'm in the composites business. Our company has been watching and taking part in this state of flux for about three years now. I just love it.
Put me on your ping list, thanks!

[KevinDavis]

You have been added. Yes it is cool. Forget about NASA and go with private industry when it comes to space exploration.

[Pukin Dog]

I would like to be added to this list.

[KevinDavis]

You have been added.

[Aeronaut]

This is the space ping list! Let me know if you want on or off this list!

On, please.

[KevinDavis]

Added...

[20somethingconservative]

Kevin, can I get added to you space ping list?

Thanks

[dozer7]

Please put me on your list.

best regards

the dozer

[Brett66]

Carmack's Black Armadillo should be successful in getting to space around the middle of next year. I actually think Carmack's company has a better chance of succeeding over the long term. His rocket design seems to offer some advantages in regards to high flight rate operations over Rutan's design and I suspect he has a better business sense than Rutan. It will be fun to watch the competition unfold between them.

I think once the XPRIZE is won, a lot of new sources of financing will become available and several designs could end up flying. I hope the ROTON ends up getting rebuilt.

[ridesthemiles]

Don't ever sell Rutan short. He is brilliant. And he is stubborn about not quitting on something.

[KevinDavis]

I agree on both fronts. It seems that Armodillo is catching up to Rutan. I still think that Rutan is going to win. We shall see in the next few months.

[anymouse]

Space ping.

[Jack Black]

They are not really going to space. It is a sub orbital goal. I don't think the craft being designed will generally be able to go orbital.

It's kind of a parlor game for dot com billionaires, but I don't think it's going to be the future of space flight.

[anymouse]

You have to start somewhere.