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X Prize Competition Gets New Sponsor, Amended Name
An anonymous reader writes "The X Prize Foundation today announced that entrepreneurs Anousheh Ansari and Amir Ansari have made a multi-million dollar contribution to the X Prize Foundation. As a result, the X Prize Competition is being renamed to the Ansari X Prize Competition." However, the X Prize rules stay the same: "The ANSARI X PRIZE will award $10 million to the first private organization to build and fly a ship that can carry three passengers 100 km (62 miles) into space, return safely to Earth and repeat the launch with the same ship within two weeks. Both flights must be completed by January 1st, 2005."
Sponsors get naming rights on just about everything these days, so it's not surprising the X-Prize wasn't immune... next thing you know somebody's going to buy the rights to put ads on baseball bases.
I notice it doesn't say what kind of passengers - wonder if mice are acceptable?
...the competition is now known as "Pepsi Presents the Ansari X Prize Competition"
(Why, yes, this was an obligatory Simpsons reference, thank you for noticing!)
~Philly
It's even stricter than that. Rule 5 says "The crew must return to the Earth's surface from both flights in good health as reasonably defined and judged by the X PRIZE Review Board."
That's a good way to avoid paying.
Successful Cosmonaut: Hi, I successfully piloted to outer space and back. I'm here for my 10 million.
X Prize Review Board Member: Uhh...sorry, you have to be in good health.
Cosmonaut: What? I'm in perfect health. The mission went off without a hitch.
Board Member: No, you definitely look a little peaked. And let me feel your forehead...Ah, yes, you're burning up.
Cosmonaut: No, I'm fine, I've never felt better.
Board Member: You're at death's door. No prize for you.