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Photos Of Rutan's X-Prize Entry
burdicda writes "I think you might be interest in what Burt Rutan has been up to, out there in the Mojave Desert. Take a look at these pictures."
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Amount of power to reach escape velocity > Amount of power needed to run Fisher Price(tm) My First Web Server
It would be cool if it didn't suck.
I've said it before, but it's about time that the private sector got into space exploration. The government has gone about as far as it reasonably can in developing the actual process by which we go into space. Now, it should let private industry take the lead, as funding is generally more available in the private sector, and companies can often make decisions quicker than governments can.
This is also probably the best way of getting the public interested in space travel again, by involving them as participants, not just spectators.
NASA shouldn't be abandoned, as there's still room for government involvement, especially in strictly scientific missions like launching satelites. In fact, I'd propose that NASA retain its size, form, and function, but that it be a small percentage of space travel, not the majority of it originating in this country.
Haec merda tauri est. Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
Did I just fall through a time-warp, or is something very wrong with this story?
Who, exactly is wondering what Burt Rutan is up to? I mean, I realize that not everybody cares about spaceflight, but I promise that anybody who knows who Burt Rutan IS could hardly have missed the 2010 recent news stories about what he is up to. I guess unless they are a slashdot editor...
Oh, but wait, there are pictures of his X-Prize entry. That is amazing!
wikipedia has a great entry on this.
steal this sig
I wonder how long it'll get to kill my host :)
We desperately need the private sector, and things like the X-Prize.
Anyone read "The Innovator's Dilemma"? The premise of the book is that radical changes (what the author calls "disruptive technologies") can never be supported by organizations attuned to the old technologies.
Getting into space cheaply is going to require disruptive technology -- big paradigm changes. Just the nature of large organizations will keep NASA from being able to recognize or implement it. Just look at their current ideas for "X-Prize"-like contests -- they want to spread too little money over too many technologies. Who wants to compete to make the best astronaut glove? It just goes to show the agency is not capable of the radical changes we need for our space program.
1. $50,000.00 for composite materials
2. $1,000,000.00 for Electronics
3. $1,000,000.00 + change for Engineering
Surviving SlashDot onslaught PRICELESS!!!
My cat's picked up a Hammer. HEY! Put down that Hammer. Put Down that Hamm...THUNK!
Is it possible to design better slashdotting bait than that?
An MPEG of Natalie Portman with hot grits down her pants installing Debian in SpaceShipOne in preperation for including it in the LEO beowulf cluster?
KFG