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Florida and New Mexico Compete for X-Prize

N8F8 writes "Looks like the fight for the location for the first X-Prize competition is in the final stage. Florida and New Mexico are the finalists. New Mexico is courting the X-Prize officials heavily. Living in Satellite Beach, Florida, it isn't hard to guess where my vote is going! It's too bad Governor Jeb Bush isn't putting much effort into lobbying for Florida though other efforts may be under way. Getting in on the ground floor of private space entrepuraneurism would be priceless. X-Prize officials have delayed the final decision to April 16th."

11 of 398 comments (clear)

  1. Hug from the governor of Florida?! by IO+ERROR · · Score: 5, Funny
    "I think all they really need is a hug from the governor," said Kenneth Haiko, vice chair of the Space Authority board, and accounts manager for Sun Container Inc.

    You don't want a hug from Jeb Bush. Go New Mexico!

    --
    How am I supposed to fit a pithy, relevant quote into 120 characters?
    1. Re:Hug from the governor of Florida?! by Wog · · Score: 2, Funny

      Do you really want one from Bill Richardson either, though?

  2. Re:I know who I'd vote for... by SupaZeph · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think I'd have to go for Florida - anything launched from New Mexico would pass somewhere overhead, and if it didn't achieve orbit, might possibly land in my backyard...

    Yeah, but if it did land there, think of the eBay value!
    Maybe you could get Taco Bell to set up a target in your yard?

  3. My backyard is available! by woobieman29 · · Score: 3, Funny
    I'm pretty sure the wife and neighbors won't mind.

    I get to keep all hardware that doesn't make orbit though... :-)

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    \/\/oobie
  4. Re:I know who I'd vote for... by TrueBuckeye · · Score: 3, Funny

    Actually, you raise a good point. Both locations are near enough to the equator to have postive benefits, but the fact that most craft launched from Florida would pose more risk to dolphins than humans is a postive. Unless you are a dolphin of course...then you are all about New Mexico.

    --
    Was that night on the marge of Lake LaBarge I cremated Sam McGee...
  5. what happens to the losers. by itsdave · · Score: 3, Funny

    do they die?

  6. The "state" of Idaho by Texas+Rose+on+Lava+L · · Score: 2, Funny

    Or what about people who are from "Idaho"? No one ever wants to take on this persistent myth.

  7. Let me get this strait ... by pavon · · Score: 2, Funny

    Your saying you don't want a spaceship to crash land in your backyard? Dude you would be the coolest geek in the state if you had a burnt spaceship in your backyard! I would totally come and visit it, and you would be all like, "yeah, I was just sitting here and then crrrrrraaahh sshh BOOOMMMM, and there was a spaceship in my backyard", and I'd be all like "whoa, cool".

    You're not fooling me. You are really from florida and are trying to get New Mexicans scared so they launch in florida and you can watch.

    But seriously, New Mexico is big, and it has alot of sand and I seriously doubt that a crash would actually hit anything. Besides I don't think any of these teams would risk their lives unless they were pretty darn certain that they craft was going to work. I live here and am not worried in the least bit.

  8. No, and why not Fort Stockton by nonameisgood · · Score: 2, Funny

    You would not test fly a new Boeing at DFW during the evening rush, would you. Not that the X-prize winner will be flying out of a typical commercial airport, but you get my drift. Other than a launch and recovery facility, i.e., a long runway, describe to me what you think of as "characteristically close." Also, this won't be head to head, and the launches may be weeks and miles apart, unless they wait until the deadline, which they are not doing.

    On anouther note:
    I'm really bummed that Las Escaleras a las Estrellas in Fort Stockton, Texas, did not make it to the short list. You'd think that a site with no infrastructure, no workforce base from which to draw, and which is considered amazingly corrupt by much of law enforcement would be just the ticket.

    --
    Faith is the very antithesis of reason, injudiciousness a critical component of spiritual devotion. Jon Krakauer
  9. Where is the submitter's vote *really* going? by danielsfca2 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Living in Satellite Beach, Florida, it isn't hard to guess where my vote is going!

    If you live in Florida, I find it hard to believe you ever know where your vote is going!

  10. What about the spelling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Won't somebody please think of the spelling?

    entrepuraneurism?

    That is the most tortured, mangled, fucked up attempt at an English word I have ever been privileged to see.

    Kids, if you are that confused about a spelling, wouldn't it be worth a quality moment with your dictionary to try and sort things out so that you and the word can coexist in some kind of harmony?

    "entrepreneur"