News on GLXP Teams Cringely, STELLAR, and SCSG

Briefs: Team Cringely on its own; Team Stellar - RLV News - This includes a link to an article on STELLAR and some interesting comments, but I want to focus on another part. Team Cringely drops out of the Google Lunar X PRIZE competition for political and economic reasons explained in the article. He has some criticisms of the X PRIZE Foundation in the article on issues like media rights. However, he still plans on a mission to the Moon, perhaps with a nice media deal to help fund the venture.

While I think a thoughtful pause may be in order at the X PRIZE Foundation on this and the SCSG exit, I don't really see a down side if they're going for a lunar mission on their own. That would sort of leapfrog past the prize step on the path to sustainable business, which sounds fine to me. That effort probably wouldn't have started without the GLXP. Meanwhile teams without the built-in media fundraising capabilities can continue with their (hopefully somewhat different) efforts.

Cringely also gives the following links:

Team Cringely Talks to the Space Fellowship about winning the Google Lunar X-Prize. - the media rule issue is mentioned

SoCal Selene Group Drops Google Lunar X Prize Bid - Slashdot on SCSG

Here's more news:

Getting Back in the Swing of Things - William Pomerantz - It sounds like Will has been very busy, with big personal events, travel, and of course prize work. He notes some other cases where prizes were mentioned at the ISDC, and the idea that similar panels may be held at later events.

Raleigh Team Shooting For The Moon - The Raleigh Chronicle