Eyes on the X-Prize
by Carol Pinchefsky
'Eyes are on the X-Prize
', according to an article posted June 9, 2000, on the
CNN website.
The X-Prize pits seventeen international rocket-building teams in a race against time: The first vehicle that can take three passengers twice into space (defined as 100 km up in the rules of the competition) wins. The prize? The glory of heralding a new era in travel. That, and US$10 million in prize money.
According to X-Prize director Gregg Maryniak, the contest is designed "to change the way people view space flight."
The CNN article also contains a link to a photogallery of sixteen of the X-Prize contestants.
But no article is complete without an opposing viewpoint. John Pike, director of space policy for the Federation of American Scientists predicts dire consequence (and even refers to rockets as "contraptions"). One would think a director of space policy would have at least a pinch of enthusiasm about the possibility of space tourism.
', according to an article posted June 9, 2000, on the CNN website.
The X-Prize
pits seventeen international rocket-building teams in a race against time: The first vehicle that can take three passengers twice into space (defined as 100 km up in the rules of the competition) wins. The prize? The glory of heralding a new era in travel. That, and US$10 million in prize money. According to X-Prize
director Gregg Maryniak, the contest is designed "to change the way people view space flight." The CNN article also contains a link to a photogallery of sixteen of the X-Prize
contestants. But no article is complete without an opposing viewpoint. John Pike, director of space policy for the Federation of American Scientists predicts dire consequence (and even refers to rockets as "contraptions"). One would think a director of space policy would have at least a pinch of enthusiasm about the possibility of space tourism.
