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Canadian X-Prize Entry Gearing Up

Posted by michael on from the hold-your-breath,-eh dept.

lommer writes "The Globe and Mail has a piece up about the Canadian Da Vinci team which is making a bid for the X-prize. The team has finalized a launch location (Kindersley, Saskatchewan) and will announce a launch date this month. Meanwhile, Burt Rutan and Co. over at Scaled Composites appear to be back on track with a succesful test flight on March 11 after their December crash. One has to wonder, with launch dates being set, will some projects step up and attempt a flight without being fully ready for it?"

6 of 147 comments (clear)

  1. Blast off thong by morcheeba · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've got to give them credit for creative funding!

    --
    HIV Crosses Species Barrier... into Muppets
  2. Re:Carmack by __aagctu1952 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Couldn't Carmack just rocket jump someone into space? :D

  3. Of course! by Midnight+Ryder · · Score: 5, Insightful

    One has to wonder, with launch dates being set, will some projects step up and attempt a flight without being fully ready for it?

    Of course - this sort of venture always comes with risk, and one of 'em is pushing your timetable up because the other guy looks like he's about to win. Given what happens when you screw up with space flight, I'd expect to see a fatality or two occur in the next couple o' years.

    And one should keep in mind: It's all fun and games until someone gets killed. Then it's a SPORT! :-)

    --

    Davis Ray Sickmon, Jr - looking for something to read? Check out my three free novels at MidnightRyder.org

  4. Re:Carmack by thebatlab · · Score: 5, Funny

    Holy crapoly. Insightful? Mods sniffing glue again or what? It's funny. Laugh. Don't take it as a life altering statement. "Dude, that idea is so...what's the word....oh sweet there it is in the dropdown man....in..sight..ful. Sweet man. *sniiiiffff*"

  5. Re:Launching from Saskatchewan? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Ah, but this is the beauty of the XPrize. You aren't required to reach orbit, just a certain altitude.

    Hence, launching anywhere works!

  6. This won't be the first time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Canadians have put something in space. A guy called Gerald Bull used to routinely shoot things 100 km up. If he hadn't been murdered, probably by a spy, he probably would have put a satellite in orbit.

    I'm suprised that no one has made a movie about him. The following link is definately worth a look:

    www.astronautix.com/articles/abroject.htm