I wonder what this prize will be for? Guess we'll find out next week.

I could tell ya, but then I'd be in big trouble with Diamandis. But I suppose no cats are escaping the bag by stelling you it is NOT one hour to Europe. The distances involved are much greater. Interesting choice of title sponsor, too.

I know what it is.

It is the Monty Burns X prize.

It will go to the first contestant who can fly from it will carry 200 passengers from New York's Idlewild airport to the Belgian Congo in 17 minutes!

Since Diamandis has already indicated that it is about space exploration, one can only surmise that the goal is a private probe, perhaps either to the Moon or an Earth approaching asteroid.

It is most likely a lunar prize, probably in the 20-25 million dollar range. Sponsor may well be a tech company like Google, which could use the imput to boost its lunar simulation. At least that is the next logical step after the X-prize given the past interests in commercial lunar missions.