Israeli X Prize Overview

sckienle writes "Space.com has an article about the Israeli X Prize spacecraft. Not a lot of hard technical details, but a good overview of an attempted alternative to standard rocket launches."

it was our idea first

[hswerdfe]

GO CANADA!!!

http://www.davinciproject.com/beta/Technical/Tec hn icalFlight.html

GO CANADA!!!

Re:Balloon launch

[geek42]

Looks like they intend to detach first, then fire rockets with the module at an angle of 70 to 80 degrees from horizontal.

http://www.xprize.org/pdfs/ILAT.pdf

Dumb question: do they retrieve the balloon later, or just let it float about up there? How long will it take to come down?

Less dumb question: how do you control where the landing site will be when your initial, 2-3 hour ascent is at the mercy of the wind? I suspect you don't - not my favorite form of transportation, given the landing is supposed to be at 25 km/h (15.5 mph). I can think of plenty of places I _wouldn't_ want to land at that speed, with or without ballutes!

None

[Mt._Honkey]

From the Article:

To win the $10 million X Prize a spacecraft must be privately financed and constructed with the ability to fly three people 62 miles (100 kilometers) into space. It also must be reusable, flying twice within a two-week period.

They can use no money from the Israeli Gov., whether it be from Israeli or US taxpayers.