Go For
Launch!!!
July 28 - X PRIZE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES TEAMS READY
TO COMPETE FOR $10 MILLION
The American Mojave Aerospace Ventures Team announces launch dates for
SpaceShipOne and the Canadian da Vinci Project Team announces roll-out
date for their completed spaceship.
The X PRIZE Foundation announced key next steps today by two of its top
competitors for the ANSARI X PRIZE. The American Mojave Aerospace
Ventures, LLC Team (a partnership between Paul G. Allen and Burt Rutan
and his team at Scaled Composites) announced today that it has given its
official 60-day notice and has scheduled its first competition flight on
September 29th, 2004, at the Mojave Airport Civilian Aerospace Test
Center in Mojave, California. To win the $10 million, SpaceShipOne will
need to make a second flight within two weeks, by October 13th, 2004.
In addition, the Canadian da Vinci Project Team, based in Toronto,
Canada, announced its plans to roll-out its completed Wild Fire
spacecraft for public viewing and photo opportunities on Thursday, Aug
5th, 2004, at its Downsview Airport hanger in Toronto. The da Vinci
Project Team, widely heralded as a contender for the $10 million, will
pursue its own ANSARI X PRIZE space flight attempts this Fall.
Also introduced to supporters and press was Amir Ansari, representing
the Ansari family, the benefactors who titled the ANSARI X PRIZE, and
Astronaut Rick Searfoss, the Chief Judge of the competition. The
announcements took place at the Santa Monica Municipal Airport in Santa
Monica, California, at 10:30 am PST.
"Eight years ago, under the Arch in St. Louis, we kicked off the X PRIZE
competition. Today I'm pleased to announce that the first team is ready
to make an attempt to claim the $10 million, with other teams close
behind, said Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, Chairman and Founder of the X PRIZE
Foundation. "The American Mojave Aerospace Ventures Team and the
Canadian da Vinci Project Team are just two of the 26 competing groups
who will someday make it possible for spaceflights to be conducted from
commercial spaceports across the globe. When the ANSARI X PRIZE
competition is won, it will herald the start of a new renaissance of
spaceflight in which the general public will have their chance to fly
next."
If successful, Mojave Aerospace Ventures will make history by launching
a privately financed, manned spaceship to 100 km altitude, twice within
two weeks, each carrying a pilot and the weight and volume equivalent of
two additional passengers. On June 21st, Mike Melvill, a pilot for
Mojave Aerospace Ventures, became the first commercial pilot to enter
suborbital space, earning astronaut wings and a spot in the Guinness
Book of World Records. Similar to the June flight, the competition
launches will take place at the Mojave Airport Civilian Aerospace Test
Center in Mojave, California. The public is invited and encouraged to
attend the historic events. Parking passes for public attendance can be
purchased on the X PRIZE website (www.xprize.org).
"The idea of competitions have always had a rich heritage in our
society," said Paul G. Allen, sole investor of SpaceShipOne and partner
in Mojave Aerospace Ventures, LLC. "This competition has proven that
there are many different ways to attack the challenges set out by the
ANSARI X PRIZE. From the start we have approached SpaceShipOne with a
'can-do, home-brew' attitude. We are grateful that our previous flights
have brought even more attention to the ANSARI X PRIZE and given more
momentum to the groundswell of excitement that is continuing to build
for the long-term potential of affordable space exploration."
"I want to thank the X PRIZE Foundation for providing the inspiration in
1996, to get us little guys thinking about private development of manned
space flight. Last month our team demonstrated that private companies
can indeed conduct space flights without government help." stated Burt
Rutan, Team Leader of the Mojave Aerospace Ventures Team and designer of
both the White Knight and SpaceShipOne. "We are hopeful to complete both
qualifying flights and to win the ANSARI X PRIZE."
Wild Fire, the Canadian da Vinci Project Team spacecraft, is also
launched at high-altitude into suborbital space at 80,000 feet from an
unmanned, reusable helium balloon. The Canadian da Vinci Project Team,
considered one of the top ANSARI X PRIZE competitors, will reveal its
Wild Fire space vehicle to the public for the first time on August 5th,
2004, at its Downsview Airport Hanger in Toronto.
"The da Vinci Project Team has made huge strides in the past year and
we're excited to finally share Wild Fire with the public," noted Brian
Feeney, da Vinci Project Team Leader. "We're in the commercial tourist
race for the long haul and while working with an all-volunteer team,
we've been able to accomplish major aviation and space milestones in
pursuit of the ANSARI X PRIZE."
In addition, Colonel Rick Searfoss, pilot and commander of three Space
Shuttle missions, was introduced as the Chief Judge of the ANSARI X
PRIZE. "We have met with the Mojave Aerospace Ventures Team and we are
prepared to ensure that the flights are well monitored and that all
rules are followed carefully," said Col. Searfoss. "As an experienced
astronaut, I can tell you that I'm personally excited to see the
beginning of a new generation of spaceflight."
About the ANSARI X PRIZE Competition
Currently, 26 teams from around the globe are competing for the $10
million ANSARI X PRIZE. In order to win the competition, teams must
build a safe and reusable space vehicle able to carry one pilot and the
weight equivalent of two passengers, 100km (62 miles) into suborbital
space. The vehicle must be privately financed and safely flown twice
within a two-week period. The first registered ANSARI X PRIZE team to
complete this feat will win the $10 million prize and a spectacular
5-foot trophy.
About the X PRIZE Foundation (www.xprize.org)
The X PRIZE Foundation is a not-for-profit educational organization with
headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. The Foundation's ANSARI X PRIZE
Competition is supported by its Title Sponsor, the Ansari family, and
Presenting Sponsor, Champ Car World Series. The Foundation is also
supported by private donations from the St. Louis Community through an
organization called the New Spirit of St. Louis Organization. The
Foundation's mission is to educate the public about space travel, create
educational programming for students and space enthusiasts, and provide
incentives in the private sector to make space travel frequent and
affordable for the general public. Several additional sponsorships for
the ANSARI X PRIZE competition remain available to corporations or
individuals who wish to support the contest and associate themselves
with courage, determination, achievement, space, speed, high performance
and technology.
To find out how individuals or corporations can join the efforts of the
X PRIZE, or involve neighborhood schools or community centers with X
PRIZE educational programs, visit
www.xprize.org or contact the office at 636-519-9449
About the X PRIZE Foundation
The X PRIZE Foundation is a not-for-profit educational organization with
headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. Supported by private donations and
the St. Louis community, the Foundation's mission is to create
educational programming for students and space enthusiasts as well as
provide incentives in the private sector to make space travel frequent
and affordable for the general public. Several additional sponsorships
for the ANSARI X PRIZE competition remain available to corporations or
individuals who wish to support the X PRIZE Foundation and associate
themselves with space, speed and high technology.
To learn more about the ANSARI X PRIZE competition, please visit
www.ansarixprize.org <http://www.ansarixprize.org>.
To find out how individuals, educational organizations or corporations
can join the efforts of the X PRIZE Foundation, please visit
www.xprize.org <http://www.xprize.org>
or contact the office at +1 636 519-9449.
|
