Here's another good story about the upcoming flight, the X-Prize, and its implications, with an LA angle.

[Via Clark Lindsey]

Many X Prize competitors plan on making their millions in space tourism, even if they don’t win the prize itself. Maryniak says their expectations are reasonable. “To paraphrase Pogo, we have found the payload of the future, and it is us,” he says. “In a recent poll, seven out of 10 people said that if they could buy a ticket to space, they’d go.”

The "giggle factor" continues to diminish. And here's a related story.

Five or so years ago, I decided that a trip into orbit (say, 3 days) at some point in my life would be worth 1/3rd of my assets or $5M, which ever is less (and, believe me, there's no contest on THAT point right now). Now, I'm beginning to believe that -- being 34 right now -- I have no reason to think I won't see the Earth from space at least during my retirement and perhaps well before.