The Aero-News Network (ANN), the Aviation World's DAILY News Service (http://www.aero-news.net), has been selected by the X PRIZE Foundation to serve as their designated news service in order to provide specialized news and news pool services for the upcoming activities of the X PRIZE CUP, October 19th-22nd, 2006, in Southern New Mexico.

The Countdown to the X PRIZE CUP is the inaugural event of the X PRIZE CUP competitions, an annual event hosted by the X PRIZE Foundation and Office of Economic Development of the State of New Mexico. Led by Governor Bill Richardson, the X PRIZE CUP has become the civilian aerospace industry's pivotal public event and a showcase for the fledgling private space flight movement.

Aero-News brings substantial credentials to this endeavor. ANN covered the intensive air-to-air photographic effort that documented Astronaut Mike Melvill's successful June 21st sub-orbital flight to just over 100km. This effort produced striking images and stories that were seen by tens of millions of people all over the world. ANN staffers also provided expert news resources to numerous media outlets of Brian Binnie's winning ANSARI X PRIZE flight on October 4, 2004. ANN staffers have also been extensively involved in documenting the efforts of the Zero-G Corporation and a presence on dozens of flights, experiencing hundreds of Zero-G parabolas. In October of 2005, ANN Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell was named by X Prize Founder Peter Diamandis as one of the four founding pilots of the provocative Rocket Racing League program.

"Jim Campbell and Aero News Network (ANN) are proven professionals and we are pleased that they will be our official news pool service for the second year in row at the X PRIZE CUP. This is a unique event that will transform how the world looks at spaceflight and act as a major incentive for the development of the personal spaceflight industry."

Staffed by a solid group of aviation journalists, aviators, photographers and test pilots, ANN is uniquely qualified to render expert aviation and aerospace news services to the world on behalf of the X PRIZE Foundation. ANN will be supplying photos, daily progress reports, specialized interviews, editorial, and audio to news services around the globe and will be supplying a full-time FTP site with extensive high-resolution photos, on-site news stories and mp3 audio.

ANN Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell noted that, "We're thrilled to have another ring-side seat to history, and look forward to helping the world see and understand that private access to space is a part of all our futures."

News organizations in need of pool photography, audio, and news materials are instructed to contact the Aero-News Network at 800-356-7767 or via publisher@aero-news.net to work out all special requirements well in advance of the week's events.

A complete listing of the events from Thursday, October 19th through Sunday, October 22nd can be found at the X PRIZE Foundation X PRIZE CUP website.

FMI: www.xpcup.com