- The X-Prize is a prize sum of $10 million to be awarded by the X-Prize Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to make cheap,frequent yet safe human space flight a reality.
- It is same in concept as the aviation prizes in the early 20th century, like the $25K Orteig prize won by Charles Lindburg.
- It aims to accomplish this by giving away the prize to the builder of a reusable space vehicle that meets the criteria set by the organisation.
- These criteria include:
- The vehicle must have a capability to seat three persons.
- The must reach a height of 100 kms.
- The flight should be repeated in a span of 14 days.
- The project should be privately financed completely.
- The spacecraft should have high reusability.
- The net result of the above rules means that the "space ship" should be cheap to build and run.
- Prize named after Anousheh and Amir Ansari is co-founders of venture capital firm Prodea, Inc. They also co-founded Telecom Technologies, Inc., a supplier of softswitch-based solutions for network and service providers, which was acquired by Sonus Networks in 2000.. Read the press release announcing the sponsorship.
- 24 teams have competed for the prize, one won it last week
Show of 10-9-2004
October 9, 2004
- Ansari X-Prize