what happens if something goes wrong?

I understand the basics of the x-prize but haven`t been on this forum
very long so excuse me if this has already been discussed but....

In January 2005 when the X-prize contest is underway, what happens if
things go wrong and a couple of rockets explode resulting in several deaths.
Would the contest then be off for a while or be put off permanently?...or
would it go-ahead as scheduled?

Is this something which has been already considered?

Giblet Mcshannon,

This is litterly a race between companies... same as between boeing and airbus.. it's maybe not nice to say.; but if one company.. has some troubles.. others will see it as less competition..

I'm sure none of the companies involved in the xprize wish such terrible accidents to others.. but I'm sure none of the companies will stop testing, flying, working... if any company (xprize team) has an accident..
Those companies have real investors, are using real money.. and if anyone dies.. investors still need their money back in time.. for some teams it's 1 person.. but as example starchaser has manny, I think the person(s) who dies.. dreamd of acces to space.. so same as the spaceshutle disaster.. why stop space developments ? they died trying.. they gave their life for it... in the hope they but in this case others will ever succeed..

Sometimes.. dead is part of making history... and as you may know.. one day.. a private space ship will crash.. we can only hope it's not this monday or anytime soon.

For the ANSARI X PRIZE CUP (contest) I think if someone dies.. they could stop flying 1 day to show respect.. but I'm almost sure the contest will continue after that day.. cause the people who died... wanted this contect to take place... and they knew the risk.

It sounds more like he's talking about the X-Cup and not the X-Prize. I'm pretty sure that there simply will not be more than one team at a single place at the same time for the X-Prize.

As for the X-Cup I don't think there will be much of a risk for any spectators. I'm sure that there will be plenty of distance between the people watching and the rockets at launch and I believe that Armadillo is the only team seriously working on landing using rockets, everyone else is pretty much using unpowered landings except for maybe a jet powered design or two that I'm not familar with.

I'd say that monster truck racing is far more dangerous.

ya, the only worry with a death in the x-prize is that it would make it would make regulations alot more stringent, possibly not letting any more teams fly for a while, which obviously would not be good.

Interesting comments. I guess I only thought about it because Ive been reading a space book the other night which has highlighted the tragedies that happened with the race to the moon and building the first space station etc. Life seems to become so very fragile when mixed with rocket technology. If I was organising the X-prize/cup it would be something that I would fear the most...not only because of the loss of life but because it goes totally against the grain of what the x-prize/cup is ultimately trying to achieve.. stimulating mass market space travel?
I hope they all get plenty testing done before the human flights take place....and that nothing is rushed just so that they can make the contest in time. I would hope that x-prize organisers would deny a flight if they thought it was unsafe.