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After the X Prize

Posted by michael on from the lottery-ticket dept.

rscrawford writes "'Robert Bigelow, chief of Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace, is apparently setting higher goals for private spaceflight endeavors with America's Space Prize, a $50 million race to build an orbital vehicle capable of carrying up to seven astronauts to an orbital outpost by the end of the decade,' according to Space.com. Anyone think it'll happen?"

22 of 275 comments (clear)

  1. Getting them up is the easy part by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...it's getting them down in one piece that's difficult.

  2. whether it happens or not? my guesses ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Short version: No
    Long version: Yes

  3. NASA should enter by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Their space shuttle can do it, and they could sure use the extra funding.

    The end of the decade timeline is just stupid. Kennedy gave Nasa more time to build the Apollo program and that cost many billions of dollars. To get it done so quickly.

  4. Sure it will... by JoeLinux · · Score: 5, Funny

    A month after Duke Nukem: Forever goes Gold...

    1. Re:Sure it will... by The-Bus · · Score: 3, Funny

      Infinity plus four weeks days is still infinity...

      --

      Small potatoes make the steak look bigger.

    2. Re:Sure it will... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      "The majority of the children who were entering high school the school year following Duke Nukem Forever's announcement are now eligible to drink."

      And I happen to be one of those ;)

  5. More importantly: by MrDigital · · Score: 5, Funny

    Which members of nsync and backsteet boys are going to be on it?

    --
    In a digital world there can be only one..
    The one, the only, MrDigital.
    1. Re:More importantly: by flibuste · · Score: 3, Funny

      Well...I can only hope there will be none. There is enough waste in orbit already

    2. Re:More importantly: by dpilot · · Score: 3, Funny

      With or without a heat shield for reentry?

      --
      The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
  6. John Carmack by SphericalCrusher · · Score: 2, Funny

    With John Carmack, anything is possible. We've all seen how he has changed the PC Gaming Industry... and for those that don't know, he had a 9 second Ferrari also... so he excels in everything that he does. Fact or opinion, John Carmack is a God. Aarmadillo Aerospace is going to win it.

    --
    "Instant gratification takes too long." - Carrie Fisher
  7. Las Vegas? by Marxist+Hacker+42 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Isn't this obvious? I'll bet of you scratch the surface- this is an award from the Casino History. Hoping to draw even more clients, the outpost will be a small hotel, complete with casino, in Geocentric orbit above Nevada, with your trip comped on a $5 million buy in of chips....

    --
    SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
    1. Re:Las Vegas? by ericspinder · · Score: 2, Funny
      trouble is that you don't get any comps...

      "I'm hungry, how about some soup"- guest

      "That'll be $150,000, please" - space attendant, " and another 20 minutes of air will be $50,000, don't forget the tip!

      --
      The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.
    2. Re:Las Vegas? by ericspinder · · Score: 3, Funny

      Ahh, the simple pleasures of a monkey knife fight!

      --
      The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.
  8. Thus fulfilling his lifelong dream to become by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Robert Bigelow, Astro-Gigalo.

  9. Virgin by justkarl · · Score: 2, Funny

    I saw this story this morning on CNN about Virgin going into this kind of thing...

    I don't know about the privitization of this...I think it makes it too...hmm..what's the word - Republican.

    1. Re:Virgin by kippy · · Score: 1, Funny

      Too republican? Would you rather wait for a solar powered rocket made out of hemp to send a team of married homosexuals into orbit?

      seriously though, space is big. There is enough room for everyone to go. Looks like democrats want to stay earthbound for the moment.

      --
      Blaze a trail to the New World
    2. Re:Virgin by apachetoolbox · · Score: 2, Funny

      Maybe the government should fund GENTOO research instead.

      Then we can use GENTOO boxes to decided whether or not this will continue.

  10. Fact or opinion? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Fact or opinion, John Carmack is a God.

    I call opinion. We won't have a definitive answer unless someone stabs him in the heart and he doesn't bleed.

    1. Re:Fact or opinion? by Minwee · · Score: 4, Funny

      If he did bleed, would the blood effects be rendered better on an ATI or nVidia card? Would there be realistic physics when he fell down? And would you need to switch from the knife to the flashlight before you could get the answers to these questions?

      Inquiring minds want to know.

  11. Re:Hmmm by hugesmile · · Score: 2, Funny
    If the X prize is won next week then the sponsorship boost from the publicity could be astronomical...

    Astronomical boost.. yeah, that's the ticket... that should get us into space!

  12. Re:Hmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "People die mountaineering, people die skiing. Lets try to keep some perspective."

    Yes, but those are important economic activities from which we all benefit, launching space ships is just for foolish thrill seekers.

    -dak
    Union of Skiing Sherpas Against Space Flight
    USSASF

  13. Is this to go with his planned... by doormat · · Score: 2, Funny

    Inflatable space hotels?

    Ugh, and to think the Physics building at my alma mater is named after him....

    --
    The Doormat

    If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention.