NASA Gets in on the Act(2 / 3)

"Expecttoseethegovernmentlookingtomakeadealinacommercialsense.Ratherthanissuingaprimecontractfocusedonprocessandonverydetailedspecificationsofhowtodothings,lookforadeal-makingarrangementwherewetellyouwhatitisthatwewanttherequest-edserviceorgoodstobeabletoperform.Thisisthewaypeoplebuythingsoutintheworld.Idon'tgoandbuyacaroranairplaneorprettymuchanythingelseonthebasisof,'Whydon'tyoubuildmethiscarandtellmehowmuchitcostswhenyou'redone?'"

—MikeGriffin,administrator,NASA

WithNASAwarmingtotheideaofaccessingthecommercialspaceflightindustry,PeterDiamandiswantedtocomeupwithsomenewanddifferentwaystogetmainstreampeopleenthusedaboutcommercialspacetravel.Accordingly,hecameupwiththeconceptofformingaRocketRacingLeaguewhichwouldbelooselybasedontheIndyRacingLeaguewhichranracesliketheIndy500everyyear.Diamandisvisualizedathree-dimensionalcoursewithsmallonemanrocketpoweredairplaneswhichwouldhopefullybecomethefirstbignewspectatorsportofthetwenty-firstcentury.AprototypeRocketRacingLeagueplanewasbuiltbasedonRutan'sLong-EZdesignbutwithan1,800-poundthrustliquid-fueledrocketenginereplacingthenormalrear-facingpropellor.

"Ultimately,DiamandisandhisfriendandracecarinvestorGrangerWhitelawenvisionedmassspectatoreventsontheorderoftheIndy500autoracesthatwouldgarnermajornetworkTVcoverageandtheiraccompanyingmillionsofdollarsincorporatesponsorships.Andjustasautoracinghadfosteredadvancesinautomobiletechnologylikeradialtires,diskbrakes,seatbelts,andevenrearviewmirrors,sotoo,Diamandishoped,wouldtheRocketRacingleaguespurimprovementsinrocketdesignthatcouldcarryovertospaceships.Rapidturnaroundbetweenflightswasonlythebeginning.Perhapsthebiggestbenefittocommercialspaceflightwouldcomefromtheintroductionofstandardizedpartstotheindustry.Thereasonrocketsweresoprohibitivelyexpensivewasnotbecauseofanytechnicalchallengesbutbecauserocketbuilderscouldn'tjustbuypartsattheirlocalrocketsupplyoutlet.Thoseoutletsandthepartstofillthemwithsimplydidn'texist.ButwithasmanyastenX-RacersenteringracesrunbyasuccessfulRocketRacingleagueinthenextdecade,thatsituationcouldchangeasentrepreneursmanufacturedandsoldstandardizedrocketpartsthatwouldbeavailabletoanyonewhowantedtobuildarocket,notjustRRLteams."