Privateers in Space!

[Eric Siegerman]

On Thu, Jun 03, 2004 at 02:48:58PM +0100, M Holmes wrote:
> An historic solstice this year? Seems like the first private spacecraft
> is due to go into space on June 21st.

Very cool!  (And it's great to see some of that filthy M$ lucre
being put to a good purpose...)

The thing that inspired this project (and at least 25 others) is
the Ansari X Prize -- a US$10-million prize for the first
privately funded space flight (some conditions apply :-).  From
the X Prize web site (www.xprize.org):

> Fly your name aboard the winning X PRIZE Rocket!!
> [...]
> Support X PRIZE with a donation of $20 or more today and you will:
>
>    1. Join the team that is making private spaceflight happen now
>    2. Fly your name aboard the winning ANSARI X PRIZE vehicle
>    3. Gain access to a special live web cast of the first ANSARI X PRIZE flight
>    4. Receive our monthly electronic newsletter announcing the latest achievements and news
>    5. Receive a beautiful, framable certificate via email verifying your name has flown into space

I especially like #5.  D. D. Harriman, eat your heart out.

--

|  | /\
|-_|/  >   Eric Siegerman, Toronto, Ont.        erics at telepres.com
|  |  /
It must be said that they would have sounded better if the singer
wouldn't throw his fellow band members to the ground and toss the
drum kit around during songs.
        - Patrick Lenneau