X marks the spot

[DavRedf]

An attempt is to be made on the X prise.

https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5121072/?GT1=3584

Your thoughts?

David

 

[Elbmod]

not yet - this is still another proving flight - won't have passengers...

 

[Micromeister]

OOH OOH wheres my ticket ..I'll go ..I'll go!!
Just light that candle! Go get the prize

Yeah your right, another test flight..but their SOOO close.

 

[hokkyokusei]

Originally posted by elbmod
not yet - this is still another proving flight - won't have passengers...

Doesn't actually need flesh and blood passengers.


"3. The flight vehicle must be flown twice within a 14-day period. Each flight must carry at least one person, to minimum altitude of 100 km (62 miles). The flight vehicle must be built with the capacity (weight and volume) to carry a minimum of 3 adults of height 188 cm (6 feet 2 inches) and weight 90 kg (198 pounds) each. Three people of this size or larger must be able to enter, occupy, and be fastened into the flight vehicle on Earth's surface prior to take-off, and equivalent ballast must be carried in-flight if the number of persons on-board during flight is less than 3 persons."


I was surprised when I read that too.

 

[Chilly]

I don't believe this meets the requirements for an X-Prize attempt. Aren't they requiring 60-day notice?

 

[hokkyokusei]

Originally posted by Chilly
I don't believe this meets the requirements for an X-Prize attempt. Aren't they requiring 60-day notice?

Again from the rules on the web site:


"6. Entrants must specify and provide the ANSARI X PRIZE Rules Committee with their take-off and landing location, and the date of their launch, not less than 30 days prior to any flight attempt."


I know this announcement wasn't within 30 days either, but I guess we don't _know_ they didn't inform the X foundation in time?

 

[grimlock3000]

Doesn't actually need flesh and blood passengers.

3. The flight vehicle must be flown twice within a 14-day period. Each flight must carry at least one person

Did you read the text you quoted? The entries need to fly one actual human, and have ballast in the place of two other humans.

 

[mark schnell]

Quote from the linked article, bold added by me.

To win the prize, notice of an attempt must be given 60 days in advance, and the 100-kilometer flight must be done twice in a two-week period, with a pilot and enough ballast to represent the weight of two passengers. June's flight will be a solo outing, without the extra ballast.

 

[hokkyokusei]

Originally posted by grimlock3000
Did you read the text you quoted? The entries need to fly one actual human, and have ballast in the place of two other humans.

I'm not sure what you mean? That's the same point I was trying to make.

elbmod said it couldn't be an x-prize flight because there were no passengers, so I quoted the rules where it says you don't actually need to carry passengers - just provision for them, and equivalent ballast. What am I missing?

 

[Chilly]

They're not carrying ballast. This sounds like a full-up proving run, not an actual X-Prize attempt. The speculation is that one of the prize flights will carry two pax - Rutan and Paul Allen.

 

[hokkyokusei]

If I'd paid for the whole thing, I'd certainly be looking for a ride!

 

[OccamMD]

This is a proving flight, but would still put the first civilian launched passenger into space as the pilot.