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Rules Set for $50 Million America's Space Prize

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the didn't-have-enough-fun-with-the-x-preise dept.

An anonymous reader wrote in to say that The rules have been set for Robert Bigelow's $50 million 'America's Space Prize'. The gist of it is that the winner needs to get a crew of five people up 400km, complete two orbits of the Earth, and then do it again within 60 days. I've got a gremlin and a huge rubber band... now if I only had 4 friends!

9 of 548 comments (clear)

  1. The rules specify the 5 people... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...must be Bush, Rumsfeld, Rove, Ashcroft, and Oreilly. Successful reentry is not required to receive your prize.

    1. Re:The rules specify the 5 people... by JavaLord · · Score: 4, Funny

      ...must be Bush, Rumsfeld, Rove, Ashcroft, and Oreilly. Successful reentry is not required to receive your prize.

      Yes, but with those people in the Rocket, successful re-entry is likely since they are very succssful people. Now, if you are shooting for failure try putting in Kerry, Edwards, Gore, Nader and Sharpton

  2. Make an orbit by freeze128 · · Score: 4, Funny
    I've got a gremlin and a huge rubber band... now if I only had 4 friends!
    Your taun-taun will freeze before you reach the first marker!
  3. Re:80% reusable? by tepples · · Score: 5, Funny

    Then begin your rationalizing by claiming that the part that lifts off is the 20 percent, and the launch pad is the 80 percent.

  4. Re:80% reusable? by Zarniwoop_Editor · · Score: 5, Funny
    Can the crew be part of the expendable 20%?

    Might save on life support overhead for the two orbits. ;-)

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    - F1 NEWS
  5. friends by Fr05t · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ok since noone has said it:

    Who wouldn't be able to find 4 friends when you have a gremlin and a huge rubber band!

  6. No way ! by Thomas+Miconi · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... Schröder, Chirac, Blair, Sharon and Berlusconi on the second trip?

    Schroder will attract hordes of angry east German protester who will block the launch, Blair will give the plans of the ship to the US government with offers of complimentary sexual gratification to any senior member of the administration, Sharon won't get in the ship because it will probably fly over a moslem country at some point, Chirac will ask for United Nations meetings, counter-meeting, commissions and detailed reports on the size and orientation of every single joint in the fuselage, and Berlusconi will just run away with the prize !

    Thomas-

  7. Re:Better Idea by mr_z_beeblebrox · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wish you were right on this. It should help, but poverty is caused more by government corruption and lawlessness than by lack of infrastructure. Given good government, Uganda would soon be more like Canada than Uganda. Unfortunately, no one knows how to ``give'' good government.

    Give them the Canadian government. Canadians are basically good people and would behave without their government.

  8. Orbital Gremlins by jshark · · Score: 5, Funny

    The aerodynamics of a Gremlin are such that the giant rubber band will give insufficient lift to attain orbital velocity. You'll be better off with a good strong plank and one of those weights from Acme that read 16 TONS on the side.

    The only drawback is that the sudden acceleration may cause your passengers to look like pancakes of mercury on the floormats, assuming they don't just flow through the rust holes in the floorboards.

    --
    If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough.