X Prize

To fill some of you who do not know what the X Prize is, let me explain. The X Prize is a $10 million prize that goes to the first team to launch a 3 person spacecraft to an altitude of 62.5 miles and do it again within 2 weeks using the same hardware. It was first announced in 1996 and is funded only until 2005. This contest is open to anyone or group of people able to do it. Now, on to my thoughts. Since I love science and technology so much, I subscribe to both Popular Science and Discover magazine. I have been interested in this X Prize since I first read about it and only recently have I actually thought of the impact of this prize should anyone succeed. If someone wins the prize this year (as of now, October, they have not yet officially tested anything) then it would be conceivable for there to be the beginnings of space tourism within 5 years. In 10 there could be space hotels. 15, 20 years? Who knows. You must be saying to yourself now, "This guy's a loon. There is no possible way for anything to grow that fast." No? How about planes, automobiles, computers, X-rays, medicine, medical technology in general. The list goes on and on. One of the strongest trait humans have, besides killing each other, is to expand. And once businesses have made enough money blasting people into the atmosphere and back, what next? The moon, Mars, Europa. In my lifetime I may get to see the humans on another world. Heck, I may even get to GO to another world. Please excuse me if I sound like an over-zealous child at christmas, but ever since I learned to read I have been interested in space. And despite the fact that news has a terrible war or tragedy on every other day, these are indeed exciting times for those of us who have always looked at the stars and wondered, "What if..." And yes, I know you are out there, so if you read this article and feel the same as me, then give me a HECK YA!!

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