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X-Prize Lunar Lander Competition a Go
Tiger4 writes "The X-Prize foundation and NASA have signed off on a $2.5 million prize for proof of concept lunar lander vehicles. From the article, 'NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale told MSNBC.com that the point of the competition was to "take advantage of new innovative technologies that have been developed" since the last lunar landing, during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972." There are two levels of competition, "In the Level 1 competition, the vehicles must be in the air for at least 90 seconds during each leg of the round trip, and land on a flat, even surface. The Level 2 competition is harder -- requiring 180 seconds of flight each way, with a rocky, lunar-style landing site.' NASA and X-Prize people are still working on the final rules, but they are already signing up teams and expect to see vehicles in time for the X-Prize exhibition in New Mexico, October 18-21, 2006."
"just because there is one winner doesn't mean the runners up are failures"
Well, pardon the french, and I don't mean this as an offence to you, but what complete and utter bullshit! In my experience with people, they all pretty much default to failures until they're the first in space. In the meantime, there's no consolation prize. They failed (whether it's at being the first in space, raising kids that don't end up in jail, or not dying of a terminal illness), and that makes them failures. Hell, I tried to be a rockstar; where's my damn milion-billion dollars? And groupies? How come I don't get a consolation prize?
Life is a trap, and we're all already stuck.
However, if your libertarian, republican, democratic or communist opinions serve to make the world a better place, I'm all for them.
America is an amalgamation of greatness.
barack to the future?
So, you really believe that anybody was on the moon yet? Don't believe your own nations propaganda.
maybe. If I don't, then what if I think I do? but that's regardless of my point. Do you understand the point of success at all? I'll help: the purpose of success, among other things, is to drive progress, and reward innovation; whether it be in hitting the moon, raising an army, or winning a game of pinball. Actually, this holds especially true today, given the recent advances in competitive pinball. Success drives innovation, and innovation results in success (not unlike the snake with a mouthful of tail). Failure, on the other hand, is antithetical to success, and thusin a world who's goal is the promotion of success through innovationshould not be rewarded. I refuse to hear of you or anybody giving consolation prizes outside of the special olympics (where everyone's a winner). It's just counter-intuitive to the whole purpose. If you don't like the rules to my rat-race, get the hell out of it. And while you're out, stop by the corner store and see if they have a sense of humor; by the looks f things, you're running low.
Over and Out.