X-Prize space olympics

[kojikun]

Space.com's Astronotes reports that the X-Prize Foundation is going to begin
holding smaller contests, in a small-leaps fashion to see which company can
set what records. The categories are things like highest altitude, fastest
climb, shortest time between flights, etc.

How will this effect the race to commercial space, and the publics view of it,
and do you think that this is a good thing for commercial space travel?

[Xenophobe3691]

Space.com's Astronotes reports that the X-Prize Foundation is going to begin
holding smaller contests, in a small-leaps fashion to see which company can
set what records. The categories are things like highest altitude, fastest
climb, shortest time between flights, etc.

How will this effect the race to commercial space, and the publics view of it,
and do you think that this is a good thing for commercial space travel?

If it's the exact same prize per goal, then yeah. It gives diverse goals that can be built on one another, as well as giving rewards for each goal set. That way, you can build up to a spaceplane instead of having a one shot deal.

[Eleas]

Space.com's Astronotes reports that the X-Prize Foundation is going to begin
holding smaller contests, in a small-leaps fashion to see which company can
set what records. The categories are things like highest altitude, fastest
climb, shortest time between flights, etc.

How will this effect the race to commercial space, and the publics view of it,
and do you think that this is a good thing for commercial space travel?

I think it's a great incentive to go farther and build better.