Paul Allen Confirmed as SpaceShipOne's Sponsor

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Paul Allen Confirmed as SpaceShipOne's Sponsor

Posted by michael on Friday December 19, 2003 @05:51AM from the sugar-daddy dept.

Shafe writes "Space.com confirmed suspicions that Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen was the secret investor in Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne, which completed a successful supersonic flight on the same day as the centennial of flight. Allen hopes Rutan's ship will win the $10 million X-Prize to help kickstart private manned space flight."

13 of 276 comments (clear)

Well that explains everything. by mgs1000 · 2003-12-19 05:54 · Score: 5, Funny

I guess he plans to blast the Trailblazers into space so they won't cause him anymore problems.
Thanks for providing a link by Anonymous Coward · 2003-12-19 05:54 · Score: 5, Funny

I hadn't before heard of this Microsoft of which you speak.
That will teach by geekoid · 2003-12-19 05:56 · Score: 4, Funny

id software to write games that run on non-MS platforms!

I kid.

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The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
Versioning by MadFarmAnimalz · 2003-12-19 05:56 · Score: 5, Funny

Oh. Damn that's good to know. The Microsoft co-founder, eh?

If history is anything to go by, that contraption won't be worth a thing until SpaceShipThreePointOne is built.

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Blearf. Blearf, I say.
Obligatory joke by JamesP · 2003-12-19 05:58 · Score: 4, Funny

This spaceship has encountered an error and will self-destruct now. Microsoft apologizes for the inconvenience...

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how long until /. fixes commenting on Chrome?
Windows in Space by manganese4 · 2003-12-19 05:58 · Score: 5, Funny

Well if they use windows on the operatoring system for the Microsoft MicroShip, when it gets hacked as an SMTP relay, it will give new meaning to Chuck Yeager's phrase for the mercury astronauts "Spam in a can"

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I make my face look like this and concerned words come out.
Alien Confirmed... by SirChris · 2003-12-19 05:59 · Score: 5, Funny

I thought that it said Alien confirmed as sponsor. And that would have been good news.
Re:Damn... by Lane.exe · 2003-12-19 06:20 · Score: 4, Funny

"Windows(R)(C)(TM) Spaceship(R)(C)(TM) has detected a General Radiation Protection Fault in Sector 129C. Preparing to eject all damaged material."
"CTRL ALT DELETE! CTRL ALT DELETE!"

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IAALS.
Microsoft in Space by cheeseSource · 2003-12-19 06:22 · Score: 3, Funny

Okay bring on the jokes about usiing the MS operating system in space...

"I have no idea what happend - this blue screen appeared and the ship shut down on re-entry..."

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(Sponsored by cheeseSource for President 2012)
if (SpaceShipOne) by sahen · 2003-12-19 06:29 · Score: 5, Funny

that might explain why they used Visual Basic naming conventions.
Re:Good for Paul! by blackmonday · 2003-12-19 06:34 · Score: 4, Funny

Excuse me, sir, but a lot of us on Slashdot not only don't hate Steve Jobs, we would pay good money to roll around in the leader's dirty underwear!
Re:Don't forget Carmack by Zog+The+Undeniable · 2003-12-19 06:37 · Score: 5, Funny

Whereas Paul Allen's spacecraft will have all kinds of gadgets you didn't think a spacecraft really needed (and won't really be safe to fly in until the first Service Pack), Carmack's craft will have guns. LOTS of guns.

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When I am king, you will be first against the wall.
MS Orbital Vehicle Assistant by Odonian · 2003-12-19 07:27 · Score: 5, Funny

__ / \ |O O| |\_/| "Looks like you are trying to Break | | The sound barrier!" | | | | | | | \_/