Longhorn or astronauts?

Bill Gates is reported to have said that the Longhorn project will cost more than the entire Apollo program. That’s scary. (Hat tip: Christian). It makes me fervently wish for the kind of program described in Benford’s The Mars Race: a privately backed prize fund for a manned mission to Mars. The X Prize is a great start, and its eventual success will hopefully spur the creation of bigger prizes for bigger explorations.