News Archive

Wednesday, July 31, 2002 X-Prize Foundation X-Prize. Credit: Canadian Arrow The X-Prize Foundation is holding a contest: a race to space. To date, only government space agencies have put a man into space, even in an economy where corporations make billions in cash profit each year. The contest offers a 10 million dollar prize to the first team that can launch a human being into orbit. Twenty-one teams are competing from five countries. While it may be years before a rocket can be launched, a Canadian team successfully demonstrated an engine test burn last week. If the public is educated about Mars colonization and corporations recognize a 'land of oppurtunity', private organizations may outperform government agencies. There is no congress, no war on terror, and no poorly funded space programs. A businessman may one day be the first to Mars, and he will bring a gushing flood of competitors. @ 17:11 EST