In article om,
"John T" writes:
"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net

Why?

Just because.

I don't think there's any sort of "Wow! NOBODY's done this before!" aspect
to this. Of *course* men have flown in space. The only difference here -
and the challenge of the task - is to do it with private money.

Why is that a challenge? Because traditionally space travel has only been
done at the expense of billions of dollars and huge government
bureaucracies. The X-Prize is out to demonstrate that space travel doesn't
have to remain the domain of governments.

And that was also, in fact, the Big Deal behind teh Orteig Prize.
Transatlantic flights had been done for nearly a decade before
Lindberg (Or Byrd, or Nungesser & Coli, ir Wooster) entered into the
picture. While not reoutine, there had been a number of crossings,
but of either so limited value (Alcock & Browm - a great flight, mind,
but so razor-edged that it wasn't in any wise anything but a valiant
first attempt) or required a system and infrastructure equivalant to
the Shuttle R.34 and the Graf Zeppelin) The Orteig Prize was large
enough to get civilians involved, rather than governments, and allow
the civilians to finance "responsible", rather than daredevil,
projects.

If the U.S. or Soviet Governments had seen any need for a 3-seat
Spaceplane, they were perfectly capable of building one in the early
1960s. They didn't need one. The X-Prize is serving to jumpstart the
civilian side at teh most basic (and most attainable level).

--
Pete Stickney
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many
bad measures. -- Daniel Webster