I think the $10 million incentive is a great idea. It will clearly speed up our move in to space.

I think Richard Branson and Virgin are planning on doing this, or have already started.

The bigger test of carring people, will be just that. Getting people to fly, the logistics and weather the ship itself can stand up to the reusue of it. Then, they will prove the reallity of it. If it wasn't for the cost, I would already be in line.

well it took in excess of 20 million. the 10million isn't much of an incentive, rather, the privilege of being the first private firm to lob something into space.

If Bramson is for real, then Bert Rutan and his consortium will be able to recoup the investment that the X prize doesn't repay quite handily. Virgin Galactic, don't know how I would ever find $190K to fly through space to get someplace else very quickly but if someone were willing to pay the freight, I would go in an instant.

it's all appalling and dreadful. if man was meant to go into space he'd wouldn't need spaceships and spacesuits and stuff. stay on earth where nature intended!

They are testing that thing only about 20 miles away

Political Sattire removed by MustBot
A subsidiary of the Mustang Corporation

Edited by - Mustang on 9/30/2004 7:45:22 PM

No politics Killa. You'll get this locked in no time at all.

@Taw: If nature intended us to stay on earth it wouldn't have given us the requisite brains.

which evolved on the plains of Africa for hunting, gathering etc and had originally no thought of going into space? which is actually the product of the wishful thinking of our later technilogical civilisation?

Since i am a diety, i can inform you that we were created with the FIRM intention of space exploration. Now give up all your worldly possessions, and donate all you can! LETS GO TO SPACE!

eh, wake me when we have jump drives, or fighter shielding.

@ mustang: i want that bot!!

sometimes I wish I could be sure the human race would last that long, to be able to solve the problems of this world and finally expand into a galactic empire. Why can't I be so sure?...I'm a christian...

@griffon. Don't be so pathetic, I was raised as a christian and there's no reason whatsoever that you can't believe in the future of man - in fact, you're positively encouraged to do so. AND PLEASE STOP BRINGING RELIGION INTO TLR! damnit, it makes me mad when I read comments like that.

I reckon the $10m incentive was a good idea. First of all, the figure would have attracted the attention of the right kind of people - entrepreneurs. Then by the time they realise it will cost them $20m to win, they're in the "well, if I win its only cost me $10m and I'll recoup the rest from publicity, fame and selling my design" frame of mind. Twas a very good idea in my opinion.