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X-Prize Cup Site Chosen: New Mexico

Posted by timothy on from the mutton-stew-and-frybread-and-oxidizers dept.

savuporo writes "MSNBC reports: "The X Prize Foundation and the New Mexico Office of Space Commercialization are joining forces to stage the multifaceted X Prize Cup, a two-week-long event that allows for privately financed, passenger-carrying space vehicles to compete for prizes.' The first Cup is expected to be held summer, 2006, while 2005 will probably see a 'Public Spaceflight Exposition.'"

4 of 144 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Sheesh. Why not in the United States? by SenorFluffyPants · · Score: 3, Interesting

    New Mexico Magazine has a regular feature called "One of Our Fifty is Missing". You would be amazed at how often it happens. The most frequent response from the clueless customer service rep is: "Wow, you speak the language very well!"

  2. We're the new haven for aero work by Lobo_Louie · · Score: 3, Interesting
    First we attracted Eclipse Aviation (we're developing the leading 5 place microjet for ~$1M) to Albuquerque.

    This past January the Aviation Technology Group announced they'd base the manufacturing plant for their Javelin (think $5M F18) here as well.

    Now the Xprize? Cool. We'll take it!

  3. Interesting Prize Categories by FleaPlus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The article listed the following prize categories:
    1. Fastest turn-around time
    2. Maximum number of passengers carried in one flight
    3. Total number of passengers carried during the entire X Prize Cup event
    4. Maximum altitude attained
    5. Fastest flight time from take-off to landing

    Overall I think this is an excellent idea, but some of the prize categories seem to be... interesting choices. Take for example number 2, "Maximum number of passengers carried in one flight." I instantly have a mental image of dozens of people being packed like sardines into a spacecraft, and the horrible tragedy and PR fiasco which would occur if something went wrong. Having a category like that really doesn't seem like a hot idea.

    There's also number 5, "Fastest flight time from take-off to landing." Is this really that interesting a problem? I can't see any connection to potential commercial applications. It seems like it would be more a measure of how much acceleration the human occupants could tolerate than anything else.

  4. Only option? by Natchswing · · Score: 3, Interesting
    They say that Florida was the other alternative. Being someone who builds and launches payload with NASA on a regular basis White Sands is really the only launch option for a recovered vehicle. A row of launch facilities built and ready and a large area already isolated from civilization for recovery (or cratering). I know for our recoverable payload that White Sands is really one of our only choices in the U.S.

    On top of that I live in Florida. The cape is really a turn-key operation and isn't setup to easily handle new payloads and rockets. Florida also doesn't have any large barren areas, it's either trees or swamps.

    I don't think anything but White Sands was ever really an option, although playing that Florida might be an option might be a good bargaining chip to ratchet up the price that NM pays.

    I wonder if I can schedule my next launch to coincide with this.