Slashdot linked up news that NASA is getting in on the X-prize bandwagon:

X PRIZE IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT NASA'S FISCAL YEAR 2005 BUDGET INCLUDES $20 MILLION IN COMPETITIVE PRIZES CALLED "CENTENNIAL CHALLENGES." X PRIZE IS PROUD TO HAVE WORKED WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF NASA TO HELP CREATE THIS PRIZE CONCEPT AND CONGRATULATES THE ADMINISTRATION ON ITS BOLD INITIATIVE.

Sorry about the caps... that's the way it is on their site. Anyway, I've always thought private enterprise should be given some sort of incentive to work toward space travel innovation. It worked for air travel between the wars!