Colorado Springs, Colo. (October 4, 2004) Space Foundation president and CEO, Elliot G. Pulham, offers these comments following today’s successful flight of SpaceShipOne and Scaled Composites’ apparent win of the $10 million Ansari X-Prize.
“Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to the SpaceShipOne team for ‘Daring Greatly’ in their quest for the Holy Grail of affordable, accessible spaceflight. They have reminded us that America is not just about soulless gray boardrooms, not just about legislating or managing risk. The remarkable Scaled Composites industry team has shown what is possible when you forego the status quo and approach the marketplace with innovation, risk-taking and moxie.
“The Space Foundation salutes the SpaceShipOne team and the X-Prize Foundation for fostering a barnstorming atmosphere of friendly, innovative competition leading us toward the day when space travel is no longer for the privileged few. They have opened a window into the power of innovation and the marketplace that can help lead us back to the Moon, on to Mars, and beyond.
“There are lessons in the saga of SpaceShipOne that leaders of our federal space programs would do well to study lessons in imagination, creativity, innovation and risk-taking. This is the ‘Right Stuff’ that sent Apollo to the Moon and SpaceShipOne to the edge of space.
“We stand at the shore of an infinite sea space. To the SpaceShipOne team and all those who would sail upon it: fair winds, following seas and Godspeed.”
About The Space Foundation
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., and Cape Canaveral, Fla., the Space Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to vigorously advance and support civil, commercial and national security space endeavors and educational excellence. For more information, visit www.spacefoundation.org.
