The Aero-News Network
(ANN), the Aviation World's DAILY News Service (http://www.aero-news.net),
has been designated by the X PRIZE Foundation to provide
specialized news and news pool services for the upcoming activities
of the Countdown to the X PRIZE CUP, October 6-9, 2005 in Southern
New Mexico.
The Countdown to the X PRIZE CUP is the inaugural event of the
future X PRIZE CUP competitions, an annual event hosted by the X
PRIZE Foundation and Office of Economic Development of the State of
New Mexico.
Aero-News covered the intensive air-to-air photographic effort
that documented Astronaut Mike Melvill's successful June 21st
sub-orbital flight to just over 100km and the first successful X
Prize flight on September 29th, 2004. This effort produced striking
images and stories that were seen by tens of millions of people all
over the world. ANN staffers also provided expert news resources to
numerous media outlets of Brian Binnie's winning ANSARI X PRIZE
flight on October 4, 2004.
ANN Editor-In-Chief,
Jim Campbell, has also recently been selected by the X
PRIZE-inspired Rocket Racing League to be one
of four founding pilots, along with Rick Searfoss, Sean Tucker
and Erik Lindbergh, to command the forthcoming new generation of
Mark 1 Rocket Racers which will debut at next year's X Prize Cup
event.
"Jim Campbell and Aero News Network (ANN) are proven
professionals and we are pleased that they will be supporting our
newest efforts in New Mexico during the Countdown to the X PRIZE
CUP. This is a unique event that will transform how the world looks
at spaceflight and a major incentive for the development of the
personal spaceflight industry.
Staffed by a solid group of aviation journalists, aviators,
photographers and test pilots, ANN is uniquely qualified to render
expert aviation and aerospace news services to the world on behalf
of the X PRIZE Foundation.
Aero-News will be tasked with supporting the series of events
with air-to-air photography, daily progress reports, specialized
interviews, and radio updates.
ANN Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell noted that: "We're thrilled to
have another ring-side seat to history, and look forward to helping
the world see and understand that private access to space is a part
of all our futures."
News organizations in need of pool photography and news
materials are instructed to contact the Aero-News Network at
800-356-7767 or via publisher@aero-news.net
to work out all special requirements well in advance of the week's
events.
A complete listing of the events from Thursday, October 6
through Sunday, October 9 can be found at the X PRIZE Foundation X
PRIZE CUP website.