For those of you who recognize the name, it probably comes as no surprise that Burt Rutan, creator of the VariEze, a pioneering kit aircraft, has set his sites on the X Prize (a .

His new endeavor, Space Ship One, is described in an article on Space Today, with links to a number of major market stories.

The X Prize is a contest for the creation of a 3-person reusable sub-orbital craft (100km altitude) by private hands. The award is $10M and there have been a number of companies and individuals who have announced that they are planning to participate in the race.