The fact that it took 46 years for private industry to

[dorktv]

get to space should really tell the Repukes something...But they will not listen.

[Interrobang]

1. I think the X Prize is going to result in a dead test pilot or two.

I'm a freelance writer who currently has an assignment to research and report on X Prize stuff, too. (There's a team in my hometown and I'm probably going to interview them.) But I *still* feel that way.

Then again, most of the original governmental space shots were pretty much driven by Morton Thiokol and Boeing, et cetera, so maybe I shouldn't complain.

[DrWeird]

2. Actually, if anything...

this is a case where big government, i.e. NASA, really fucked things up with bureacracy. Private industry built this thing with what, 2 million?