Volunteers Needed for Space Launch

BradNeuberg writes "The Ansari X Prize needs volunteers to help at the Scaled Composites and da Vinci Project's launch attempts in the next few months! I've digitized and created BitTorrent's of an Ansari X Prize video that is pretty cool and can tell you more about what we are doing. Want to be a volunteer? Sign up here. I've also set up a carpool and rideshare list for those who can offer or want a ride down to Mojave, CA to see history made."

Comments

Future Dates?

[ackthpt]

How cool! Mojave is on the way to Death Valley where I'll be going on vacation in a couple months. It would be spifftacular to stop by there to help out, though the only date I saw on the sign up was Sept 29th, which is too soon.

When in the neighborhood be sure to check out the huge wind farm on the western side of the Tehachapi Pass, the Tehachapi Loop and all the mothballed aircraft parked outside of Mojave. There's also camping up at Red Rock Canyon State Park (a great place to watch for meteor showers =)

not like any other gathering.

[deathcloset]

they will need the help, but not so much as other events of similar size.

I was present at the first SpaceShipOne manned spaceflight and I must say, the whole experience was so unique.

I've been to many large events/gatherings and I must say that the crowd that gathered for that launch was remarkable: unusual.

Probably the most obvious indicator that this was no ordinary crowd was the state of the portable bathrooms: they were spotless.

Go to any concert and the sanitary conditions of those things is horrific; but here there was nary a corner of toilet tissue on the floor.

Which brings me to the second observation: no litter. There was, seriously, no litter. Even in my extraordinarily beleaguered state I was taken aback at how spotless everything was as the crowd dispersed following the landings.

Another observation of note, the din: there was none. Not that one would expect hooting and hollering of Metallicaesqe magnitude; nevertheless the noise level was so peaceful you could close your eyes and almost believe it was you and a few dozen others - not thousands (well, at least until Paul Allen started speaking inaudibly over the loudspeaker).

Of course this state of pax may have been partially attributed to the fact that so many of us were running on fumes at that time of the morning, after having driven whatever distances we drove (myself 6 hours, northern cali).

And of particular note, the decency. I recall seeing a group of onlookers gladly making room for an elderly gentleman - right at the nylon rope meters from the runway. these half-dozen camera-wearing men simply picked up their chairs and created a spot. those around the perimeter gladly scooted a few feet to allow for this.

For a moment I thought how wonderful it would be to have a society consisting completely of people like this: a veritable techocratic utopia.

and then I wondered, why aren't all societies like this right now?