Also in today’s issue of The Space Review, Bob Clarebrough asks if the EU is capable of allowing a space tourism industry to develop in Europe:
…consider this: the Gettysburg Address ran to 264 words, the Declaration of Independence required 1,332, yet the European Union regulations on the sale of cabbages need 23,826 words. It
Jeff Foust already has a piece up at The Space Review about this past weekend’s X-Prize Cup, and the state of NewSpace:
Both the overall Cup and Armadillo
Arecibo can’t find any ice on the moon.
I think we should be planning asteroid/comet missions, anyway. The private sector is more likely to do that, since they’ll be more focused on the practical use of resources than science and symbolism.
I’m back from New Mexico. I got home about 11:30 last night. During my layover in Dallas, I learned from Robin Snelson, and saw on my Treo, that Armadillo didn’t get the job done. It was a good attempt, though, and I think that it’s actually good that all the money is still on the table for next year. Hopefully, their efforts this year will make it easier for others to raise the money in time for next year, where we can have a real competition.
One thing I don’t understand, though. How do they break ties? Suppose that there had been two successful contenders this year, in terms of meeting the minimum prize requirements? Anyone know?
[Update a little after noon Eastern]
Paul Breed has an answer, that I’ll assume is reliable, in comments. Also, Jeff Foust has posted some pictures of yesterday’s events over at Flikr.
I actually think that this is the coolest picture from the event, and a unique one.
But then, I confess to a bias. (And note the pants creases from too much sitting in the press tent…)
Jeff Foust says that Armadillo will try again about 12:45 MT. Unfortunately, I’ve got a 2:20 flight out of El Paso, so I’ll be leaving here about 12:30. While I wish good luck to the Armadillo team, I have to confess some hope that the prize remains unwon, so there will be some real competition next year. But I guess I’ll find out when I get home tonight.
But just as I type this, they’re getting ready to start the clock again, and send the vehicle back out to the test site. So maybe, if things go ahead of schedule, I’ll get to see it after all.
…
OK, the clock just started.
Jeff Foust says that Armadillo will try again about 12:45 MT. Unfortunately, I’ve got a 2:20 flight out of El Paso, so I’ll be leaving here about 12:30. While I wish good luck to the Armadillo team, I have to confess some hope that the prize remains unwon, so there will be some real competition next year. But I guess I’ll find out when I get home tonight.
But just as I type this, they’re getting ready to start the clock again, and send the vehicle back out to the test site. So maybe, if things go ahead of schedule, I’ll get to see it after all.
…
OK, the clock just started.
Jeff Foust says that Armadillo will try again about 12:45 MT. Unfortunately, I’ve got a 2:20 flight out of El Paso, so I’ll be leaving here about 12:30. While I wish good luck to the Armadillo team, I have to confess some hope that the prize remains unwon, so there will be some real competition next year. But I guess I’ll find out when I get home tonight.
But just as I type this, they’re getting ready to start the clock again, and send the vehicle back out to the test site. So maybe, if things go ahead of schedule, I’ll get to see it after all.
…
OK, the clock just started.
Yesterday, the University of Michigan team climbed the ribbon using a beamed-power system (lights below shining on solar panels). Today another team (a high school from Silicon Valley) just did it using solar power, with the arrays tracking the rising sun here mid morning. No word on their time yet.
Tim Pickens uses an asphalt-nitrous combination for both his rocket bike, and his rocket truck. Earlier, he had an igniter failure on the rocket bike. Just a few minutes ago, he was demonstrating the rocket truck (it’s in the bed of his Chevy, pointing–no surprise–backwards). He has it chocked for a static engine firing–for some strange reason, he can’t get insurance to actually propel it. This time, the igniter ignited, but there didn’t seem to be any oxidizer flow. It may be a failure of a temperature sensor that allows the valve to open.
So he’s 0 for 2 today.