Ansari X Prize update
 

HISTORIC SPACE LAUNCH ATTEMPT SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 21
Paul G. Allen and Burt Rutan Announce Plans for First Non-Government, Privately Funded Manned Space Flight

Mojave, CA: A privately-developed rocket plane will launch into history on June 21 on a mission to become the world's first commercial manned space vehicle. Investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen and aviation legend Burt Rutan have teamed to create the program, which will attempt the first non-governmental flight to leave the earth's atmosphere.

Paul G. Allen and aviation legend Burt Rutan have teamed to create a manned space program, which will attempt the first non-governmental flight to leave the earth's atmosphere. SpaceShipOne will rocket to 100 kilometers (62 miles) into sub-orbital space above the Mojave Civilian Aerospace Test Center, a commercial airport in the California desert. If successful, it will demonstrate that the space frontier is finally open to private enterprise. This event could be the breakthrough that will enable space access for future generations.

Cool!

never, ever bet against Dick and Burt Rutan. They understand how stuff works. Particularly stuff that that moves through air.

-sm

Sweet. I work with a lot of rocket scientists at Boeing Satelite Systems (Electron Dynamics Division), but my guess is they'd be prevented from taking part in the contest. Ever since I got here, I've been trying to get a bunch of engineers together after work to sit around with a few beers and come up with designs for battlebots.

I can see them having both military and space applications.