June 21st, 2004, might just be the day that the world’s first commercial manned space vehicle might reach space. And the flight that day just might simultaneously be the first of the two flights needed to win the Ansari X-Prize.
I really wish I could go. Really really really. There is an extreme amount of excitement in the space enthusiast community about the X-Prize (recently renamed the "Ansari X-Prize") in general, and Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne in particular. There are a couple dozen entries in the X-Prize competition, but it's looking like Scaled Composites could be the winner. And it may happen within the next couple of weeks! I've heard that all the hotels around the launch site are booked; the public viewing area is going to be packed.
If the Ansari X-Prize is won this year, it could perhaps mean commercial sub-orbital flights open to anyone with enough money by the end of the decade. Here's to hoping for the best!
Posted by Tom Nugent at June 11, 2004 10:22 PM