Just had a very interesting conversation with the X Prize Foundation’s Ian Murphy: he wants me to let him know if I have any suggestions for improving next year’s X Prize Cup.
It’s a great opportunity to have a hand in shaping what will hopefully become the premier event for space enthusiasts. I need some time to mull this one over, but if you have any ideas yourself, especially if you were at this year’s Cup, post them here, and I’ll pass them on. Or visit www.michaelbelfiore.com to find my address and email me privately.
Hi Michael, how about some hovering rocket competitions, like the Arnadillo demo at this years event. We can compete based on height, quickest up, total hover time…
i’m thiniking, small remote controlled ones as an entry category, plus 1-person, and more people, maybe add in some cargo categories too or more people.
How’s the mulling going, Michael? Hope you’ll share your thoughts with your loyal readers! May I suggest the X Prize read your blog entries about the terrors of food service and the sorry lack of flying and rocketized things?
I’d like to see Burt Rutan tossing scale models of SpaceShipTwo from the air traffic control tower.
“Rocketized.” I like that. I’ve been trying to find that word.
I’ve been talking more with Tim Pickens about rocketizing just about everything that can be rocketized, and I think that might just be the key to this whole thing. Rocket bicycles, rocket pickup trucks, rocket go-carts you name it; things people can relate to and get close to. And, yeah, more food vendors would be great. Ian Murphy tells me that’s definitely on tap for next year–lots of local restaurants with food booths. Now we’re talkin!
Rutan would certainly have livened things up this year; his was a most conspicuous absence. Who knows–maybe he’ll bring HIS mockup next year. I’d pay to see that. But maybe make that they only mockup at the show. Make the rest of the show about real vehicles firing real rockets–not necessarily flying ones, just real, rocketized ANYTHING.