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X-prize Cup. I returned only to find an internet connection that ran at about 2kbps. I'm posting this from the connection at school now, and hopefully I'll be able to fix this issue before it leads in any more missed updates.

And with all that out of the way, the X-prize cup report I promised. This year was enormously disappointing. A month ago, it appeared that there would be about 10 competitors for the lunar lander challenge, and a number of other awesome displays. As of a week ago, Wirefly, the event's primary sponsor, pulled out, meaning that this year there would be no guest speakers (last year had Anousheh Ansari amongst others) and a greatly reduced number of displays. Of all the competitors of the lunar lander challenge, only one was actually attempting anything; the rest would just be showing off what they had do far with a static display. It might as well have been called the "Come See Armadillo Aerospace Make An Attempt Cup", for that is basically what it was.

On the bright side though, we did go to White Sands, which ended up being awesome. If you haven't been, I highly suggest going, as boring as it does sound at first.

[an error occurred while processing this directive] 10/21/07 [an error occurred while processing this directive] Sorry about missing last update guys. I barely survived the week myself. I'm going to attempt to make it up to you with a bonus comic this Friday, but seeing as I'm leaving for the X-prize cup on that day, that may or may not happen. We'll see how it goes and play it from there. [an error occurred while processing this directive] 10/07/07 [an error occurred while processing this directive] Yesterday I took a tour of the LBT (official site / wiki). Below are a few pictures (and a video) I wanted to share.


One of the two giant mirrors (8.4m) in the LBT. There is nowhere inside of the structure that you can actually get both of them in frame at the same time, so large are they.


The view looking down from the very top of the LBT.


If you don't know why I'm including this picture, then you haven't been paying attention. Proper grammar makes me happy.


From the parking lot outside the LBT. The picture doesn't even begin to show you just how huge this thing is.


Taken from a distance of about 250m or so.


Sunset from level 5 of the LBT (essentially the floor upon which the mirrors are mounted.) The sun is just dipping below the horizon on the left.

Click here for a video of the doors to the LBT opening as filmed through one of the mirrors (3.8MB).