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X-Prize Cup/Olympics Planned
sckienle writes "Space.com has a quick article in their astronotes section about the X-Prize committee's idea of an X-Prize competition. Apparently they are thinking about having a 'X-Prize Cup' where 'teams would compete for cash prizes, attempting to set new records.' My favorite quote: 'The notion is to try and bring the money and excitement of NASCAR and Formula One racing into space.'"
As long as they bring the money.
I'd love to see a shuttle rocketting towards the stratosphere with "Viagra keeps our rocket up too" stenciled down the side of it!
I suppose beer companies sponsoring really fast driving is just as inane as a rocket...
I just hope that it draws the white trash chicks that are willing to show us their tits on the big screens.
There are some odd things afoot now, in the Villa Straylight.
For a brief moment I read that as crash prizes...
I am a big fan of science, and would be more than willing to shell out some cash to watch this sort of thing. My lack of interest for a lot of modern mechanical sports is the udder lack of distinction between any of the entries, two cars in nascar are more alike than your and my DNA. I really think these kinds of games, at least initially, will show some greated distinction, and innovation between competitors. I would also love to see a robot wars where they built things out of balsa wood, nothing actually breaks anymore.
paul reinheimer
I hope their not trying to bring the exact same type of excitement as NASCAR. Most of the people there are just waiting for a big crash to watch.
Devil Ducky
MY peers would get out of jury duty.
if we make this like NASCAR, then all the rockets would only turn left.
I have something in common with Stephen Hawking...
so they basicly want to get a bunch of redneck retards to come out to an unshaded grand-stand, sit inthe sun for 10 hours and watch planes take off and land......
yeah, that sounds about as exciting as watching a group of cars drive in circles all day.
I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
French judges inexplicably vote for Russians despite their team's x-prize entry of three fat guys on a trampoline.
The most exciting thing in the article to me was the fact that there are "over a dozen spaceports now under development". Rock!
I know about OSIDA, the one in Oklahoma that Armadillo is planning on using. Anybody know where the others are?
--riney
Now taking bets on the Kessel run.
2-1 on the guy with the wookie.
(I fully expect to be karma-lynched for this)
This reminds me of the air competitions in the 20's and 30's, normally funded by wealthy newspaper owners. Cash prize for the first to cross the Atlantic East to West, then in reverse. First to Hawaii, around the world, etc.
If not for some of those competitions, aviation would have progressed much slower than it did.
I'm putting my money on the Viagra sponsored rocket. I'm sure they can get it up faster than any other team ;)
Maybe you should educate the morons of tomorrow so they'll stop believing the leaders of tomorrow. - Dogbert
Driving a non-air-conditioned, 400HP car in a circle at 150 mph for a few hours just slightly faster than the other two dozen guys in identical cars, however, does require skill.
Do you tailgate (less drag, more heat)? How long and with who? Which line through the banked corners is optimal right now (it'll change as the track gets dirty and your tires heat up/wear, not to mention different amounts of traffic at different levels)? How many times will you stop for gas? Change tires? Do you need to adjust the suspension?