About that X-Prize

[Shiver Me Timbers]

Hey folks...... It's just me again.

I thought that to claim the X-Prize that two passengers had to be taken
upstairs as well as the pilot.

Yesterday I saw the pilot during the flight, then waving the flag, but
I didn't see sign of passengers.

Was I blind...... or just misinformed.

[Rip]

No passengers required, just weight equal to passengers.

Shiver Me Timbers wrote:
> Hey folks...... It's just me again.
>
> I thought that to claim the X-Prize that two passengers had to be taken
> upstairs as well as the pilot.
>
> Yesterday I saw the pilot during the flight, then waving the flag, but
> I didn't see sign of passengers.
>
> Was I blind...... or just misinformed.

[Robert Bonomi]

In article >,
Shiver Me Timbers > wrote:
>Hey folks...... It's just me again.
>
>I thought that to claim the X-Prize that two passengers had to be taken
>upstairs as well as the pilot.
>
>Yesterday I saw the pilot during the flight, then waving the flag, but
>I didn't see sign of passengers.
>
>Was I blind...... or just misinformed.



You haven't done _that_ enough to go blind, so you must be just misinformed. :)

Seriously, the requirements were that the craft had to carry a 'load' equal
to two passengers. Rather than carrying 'warm bodies', they had 180kg of
ballast aboard.

[Matt Whiting]

Shiver Me Timbers wrote:
> Hey folks...... It's just me again.
>
> I thought that to claim the X-Prize that two passengers had to be taken
> upstairs as well as the pilot.
>
> Yesterday I saw the pilot during the flight, then waving the flag, but
> I didn't see sign of passengers.
>
> Was I blind...... or just misinformed.

Misinformed ... again. It also could be the equivalent weight of two
passengers.


Matt

[Blueskies]

"Robert Bonomi" > wrote in message
ervers.com...
> In article >,
> Shiver Me Timbers > wrote:
>>Hey folks...... It's just me again.
>>
>>I thought that to claim the X-Prize that two passengers had to be taken
>>upstairs as well as the pilot.
>>
>>Yesterday I saw the pilot during the flight, then waving the flag, but
>>I didn't see sign of passengers.
>>
>>Was I blind...... or just misinformed.
>
>
>
> You haven't done _that_ enough to go blind, so you must be just misinformed. :)
>
> Seriously, the requirements were that the craft had to carry a 'load' equal
> to two passengers. Rather than carrying 'warm bodies', they had 180kg of
> ballast aboard.
>
>

and not just ballast, they were carefully packed boxes of employee 'stuff', such as Burt's slide rule from college...

[Q]

They only had to carry the equivalent weight of two passengers along
with the pilot. They took souvenirs along for the extra weight.

Q

Shiver Me Timbers wrote:
> Hey folks...... It's just me again.
>
> I thought that to claim the X-Prize that two passengers had to be taken
> upstairs as well as the pilot.
>
> Yesterday I saw the pilot during the flight, then waving the flag, but
> I didn't see sign of passengers.
>
> Was I blind...... or just misinformed.

[RobertR237]

>
>Hey folks...... It's just me again.
>
>I thought that to claim the X-Prize that two passengers had to be taken
>upstairs as well as the pilot.
>
>Yesterday I saw the pilot during the flight, then waving the flag, but
>I didn't see sign of passengers.
>
>Was I blind...... or just misinformed.
>
>

You were right and misinformed. He had to take the equilivent in weight to
represent the two standard sized adult passengers. The weight was made of
instrumentation, cameras, and other personal items.


Bob Reed
www.kisbuild.r-a-reed-assoc.com (KIS Builders Site)
KIS Cruiser in progress...Slow but steady progress....

"Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice,
pull down your pants and Slide on the Ice!"
(M.A.S.H. Sidney Freedman)

[Anthony]

"RobertR237" > wrote in message
...
> You were right and misinformed. He had to take the equilivent in weight
to
> represent the two standard sized adult passengers. The weight was made of
> instrumentation, cameras, and other personal items.
>
>
> Bob Reed

I'd like to get a few of those M&Ms that were floating out of the pilot's
pocket at 0g. That has to be one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

Tony

[Shiver Me Timbers]

> Anthony > wrote:

> I'd like to get a few of those M&Ms that were floating out of the pilot's
> pocket at 0g. That has to be one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

You know Tony I was thinking about those the other day.

If they are smart they will have scooped them all up and
one day in the future donate them to the Smithsonian.

[Anthony]

"Shiver Me Timbers" > wrote in message
...
> > Anthony > wrote:
>
> > I'd like to get a few of those M&Ms that were floating out of the
pilot's
> > pocket at 0g. That has to be one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
>
> You know Tony I was thinking about those the other day.
>
> If they are smart they will have scooped them all up and
> one day in the future donate them to the Smithsonian.

I heard some one mention the Smithsonian in "Black Sky" but I'm not sure if
sending some of the M&Ms was part of it. I wonder when/if they'll launch
again.

Tony

[bryan chaisone]

Shiver Me Timbers > wrote in message >...
> > Anthony > wrote:
>
> > I'd like to get a few of those M&Ms that were floating out of the pilot's
> > pocket at 0g. That has to be one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
>
> You know Tony I was thinking about those the other day.
>
> If they are smart they will have scooped them all up and
> one day in the future donate them to the Smithsonian.


Melvill's wife was passing them out after the first flight. She asked
somebody if they wanted some M&Ms and said that they've been in space.
Probably ate all of them by now.

Bryan

[Anthony]

"bryan chaisone" > wrote in message
> >
> > > I'd like to get a few of those M&Ms that were floating out of the
pilot's
> > > pocket at 0g. That has to be one of the coolest things I've ever
seen.
> >
> > You know Tony I was thinking about those the other day.
> >
> > If they are smart they will have scooped them all up and
> > one day in the future donate them to the Smithsonian.
>
>
> Melvill's wife was passing them out after the first flight. She asked
> somebody if they wanted some M&Ms and said that they've been in space.
> Probably ate all of them by now.
>
> Bryan

Look at all that free advertizing M&Ms got there. The candy company owes
Melvill and Rutan a favor big time.

Tony

[Gig Giacona]

"Anthony" > wrote in message
news:oHf9d.12288$na.8166@trnddc04...
>
> "bryan chaisone" > wrote in message
>> >
>> > > I'd like to get a few of those M&Ms that were floating out of the
> pilot's
>> > > pocket at 0g. That has to be one of the coolest things I've ever
> seen.
>> >
>> > You know Tony I was thinking about those the other day.
>> >
>> > If they are smart they will have scooped them all up and
>> > one day in the future donate them to the Smithsonian.
>>
>>
>> Melvill's wife was passing them out after the first flight. She asked
>> somebody if they wanted some M&Ms and said that they've been in space.
>> Probably ate all of them by now.
>>
>> Bryan
>
> Look at all that free advertizing M&Ms got there. The candy company owes
> Melvill and Rutan a favor big time.
>
> Tony
>

I don't know how free it was. xprize.com has M&M's little trademark man on
the site.

[Anthony]

"Gig Giacona" > wrote in message
...
>
> >
> > Look at all that free advertizing M&Ms got there. The candy company
owes
> > Melvill and Rutan a favor big time.
> >
> > Tony
>
> I don't know how free it was. xprize.com has M&M's little trademark man on
> the site.

That's what I get for not looking. I saw Rutan and Melville on the tonight
show last night and Rutan was talking about how he has licensed out the
technology and taken an order for 3 new spaceships. I think we're going to
see a lot more floating M&Ms. ;o)

Tony

[Cy Galley]

M&Ms signed up as a sponsor after the first flight with the M&Ms.


"Anthony" > wrote in message
news:OPh9d.5046$eq1.910@trnddc08...
>
> "Gig Giacona" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > >
> > > Look at all that free advertizing M&Ms got there. The candy company
> owes
> > > Melvill and Rutan a favor big time.
> > >
> > > Tony
> >
> > I don't know how free it was. xprize.com has M&M's little trademark man
on
> > the site.
>
> That's what I get for not looking. I saw Rutan and Melville on the
tonight
> show last night and Rutan was talking about how he has licensed out the
> technology and taken an order for 3 new spaceships. I think we're going
to
> see a lot more floating M&Ms. ;o)
>
> Tony
>
>

[Bob Martin]

Rip wrote:
> No passengers required, just weight equal to passengers.
>

Not just weight... but also furnishings and stuff. They didn't need to
bring two live meatsacks, only the have the facilities required to bring
them, and carry ballast equivalent to their weight.