The X-Prize Flights(1 / 3)

【Scenario】

WhenPeterDiamandishadfirstconceivedoftheideaoftheX-Prizeandlaunchedit,hedidn'thavethefundinginplace.Fortunately,thatwasabouttochange.

【MainText】

"AtthesuggestionofXPRIZEcodirectorBobWeiss,PeterDiamandishadfinallygottentheprizemoneytogetherbytakingoutaso-calledhole-in-oneinsurancepolicy,commonlyusedtoinsureprizesforperformingsomenear-impossiblefeatlikeshootingabasketfromacrossabasketballcourt.Iranian-bornbusinesswomanAnoushehAnsari,whohadmadeafortuneintheUnitedStatesintelecommunicationsandwhodesperatelywantedaridetospace,hadpaidthepolicy'ssix-figurepremiumwithherbrother-in-law,AmirAnsari.WiththeAnsari'sbacking,Diamandisfinallyhadhistitlesponsor.TheXPRIZEwasnowtheAnsariX-PRIZE.Accordingtothetermsoftheinsurancepolicy,theprizehadtobewonbytheendof2004,ortheinsurancecompany,Bermuda-basedXLCapital,wouldpocketthepremiumswithouthavingtoshelloutadime.ItwasariskybetforDiamandisandtheAnsari's,andaprettygoodone,itseemed,forXLCapital."

—MichaelBelfiore

Thefactthattherewasnowrealmoneyonthetableandadeadlinebywhichthatprizehadtobewongeneratedanincrediblebuzzamongstaspiringspaceshipdevelopers.Alargenumberofdifferentdesignsandapproachestowinningtheprizecametoprominenceandattractedmediaattention.ThiswasexactlywhatDiamandishadhopedwouldhappen.

OnAugust1,2002—alittleoverayear-and-a-halfsincePaulAllenhadsignedontoprovidedevelopmentfunding—RutanandScaledCompositesranthefirsttestflightoftheWhiteKnight,themothershipwhichwasintendedtocarryRutan'sspaceshipto50,000feetfromwhereitwouldstartitsrocketenginesandheadintospace.EventhoughtheWhiteKnightwasessentiallyaconventionalairplane,ithadaveryfuturisticlook.Insteadofaconventionalwindscreenasfoundonmostcommercialjets,theWhiteKnighthadaseriesofroundportholes.TheScaledCompositesteamhaddecidedamongstthemselvesthisremindedthemofaknightinarmor,andhencetheairplane'sname.SomemediareporterssuggestedtheWhiteKnightwouldnotlookoutofplaceasaKlingonbattleshipinsomefutureStarTrekmovie.

ThefirstsuccessfultestflightoftheWhiteKnightwasfollowedinApril2003bythepublicunveilingofSpaceShipOne,Rutan'sfirsthandbuiltspaceshipwhichwouldgoaftertheX-Prize.

"SpaceShipOnewasgiventhetailnumberN328KFtodenotetheloftyambitionsofitsdesigner,whohopedthatitwouldreach328,000feetinaltitude.ItlookedalittleliketheBellX-1inwhichChuckYeagerbrokethesoundbarrierforthefirsttime.Bullet-shaped.Small—weighingonlythreethousandpoundshenempty.ItscarbonfiberframefeaturedthesamecompositeconstructionthatRutanhadpioneeredforhomebuildersoffiberglassairplanes.Muchlighterthanordinaryaircraftaluminumorevenfiberglass,theship'sairframewasneverthelessstrongerthansteel.Aftertheunveiling,justtoprovetheseshipswerenomock-ups,RutanhadMikeMelvillandBrianBinnietaketheWhiteKnightonajoyridetobuzzthecrowd.Theshipdovelow,pitchedupsteeply,androaredskywardwithbothenginesinafterburner.'Dammit!'Rutanlaughed.'Thoseguysarehavingtoomuchfun!I'mgonnahavetostoppayingthem!'Still,thehardworkhadonlyjustbegun,andnowtherewasadeadlineforwinningtheXPRIZE."