NASA To Possibly Offer Prizes For Space Firsts

[Mr. Anderson]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/06/22/space.flight.nasa.reut/index.html

a couple million dollars for an orbit around earth? Damn, that's a ton of money - but I think its a good start at getting things moving again in terms of gaining a foothold in space.

I wonder if the guys over at Scaled Composites are eyeing orbital flights any time soon

D

 

[wdlove]

I see this as a good thing also. We need to stimulate private enterprise in space. I disagree with NASA that they are the only ones that can do the expensive and hazardous missions.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

I disagree with NASA that they are the only ones that can do the expensive and hazardous missions.

Who do you know who's going to put up 10 Billion dollars for a manned mission to colonize the moon? 1 Trillion (one estimate) for a manned mission to Mars?

D

 

[MongoTheGeek]

Who do you know who's going to put up 10 Billion dollars for a manned mission to colonize the moon? 1 Trillion (one estimate) for a manned mission to Mars?

D

Paul Allen might pony up the money, or his Gatesness.

As for the trillion I dunno. Thats the GDP of California. Maybe we can convince them to live like a third world country for a year to pay for it...

I had seen an article that suggested that nasa just pony up money for prizes with certain restrictions. 10M for a heavy lift of so many tons of cargo to LEO with the stipulation that the company be willing to provide at least 10 lifts at that cost. There were a bunch of others, a space taxi between earth and LEO for 6 people, Y tons to GEO. This was in Analog about 5 or 6 years ago.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Paul Allen might pony up the money, or his Gatesness.

Ted Turner, Gates and other super wealthy individuals were approached a while back to help fund a multi-billion dollar attempt for Mars. They all declined

So, I think these prizes will remain one of the key motivators in getting people to space. I just hope I get a chance to see the Earth from orbit one day myself

D

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Ted Turner, Gates and other super wealthy individuals were approached a while back to help fund a multi-billion dollar attempt for Mars. They all declined

So, I think these prizes will remain one of the key motivators in getting people to space. I just hope I get a chance to see the Earth from orbit one day myself

D

It is amazing what Spaceship One was able to do.

I am concerned when you put profit ahead of anything else.