Rules Set for $50 Million 'America's Space Prize'

Hi All
Bigelow has set the rules for his $50 Million 'America's Space Prize'

http://www.space.com/spacenews/busin...ow_041108.html

he Rules:

1. The spacecraft must reach a minimum altitude of 400 kilometers
(approximately 250 miles);

2. The spacecraft must reach a minimum velocity sufficient to
complete two (2) full orbits at altitude before returning to Earth;

3. The spacecraft must carry no less than a crew of five (5)
people;

4. The spacecraft must dock or demonstrate its ability to dock with
a Bigelow Aerospace inflatable space habitat, and be capable of
remaining on station at least six (6) months;

5. The spacecraft must perform two (2) consecutive, safe and
successful orbital missions within a period of sixty (60) calendar
days, subject to Government regulations;

6. No more than twenty percent (20 percent) of the spacecraft may
be composed of expendable hardware;

7. The contestant must be domiciled in the United States of
America.

8. The contestant must have its principal place of business in the
United States of America.

9. The Competitor must not accept of utilize government development
funding related to this contest of any kind, nor shall there be any
government ownership of the competitor. Usin government test
facilities shall be permitted.

10. The spacecraft must complete its two (2) missions safely and
successfully, with all five (5) crew members aboard for the second
qualifying flight, before the competition's deadline of Jan. 10, 2010.

Rules 8 & 9 pretty much eliminate anyone out side of the US, of course
it is called 'America's Space Prize', but I think that is limiting it
too much.
What I wonder about is rule 6 is that a reasonible restriction for a
vehicle that is capable of going orbital? This seems to elimate the
idea of taking a Falcon V and sticking a capsule on top of it. I know
that they plan on making the first stage recoverable/reusable, don't
know about the 2nd stage, but would they have that feature available
by that time frame?
Comments anyone?


Just my $0.02

Space Cadet

derwetzelsDASHmailATyahooDOTcom

Moon Society - St. Louis Chapter

http://www.moonsociety.org/chapters/stlouis/

The Moon Society is a non-profit educational and
scientific foundation formed to further scientific
study and development of the moon.