the buzz log

While our economy may be headed back to the 1930s, progress marches on in other areas. Take, for instance, the Rocket Racing League, jetting up the Buzz charts today.

The league, which may or may not be based on an idea from “The Jetsons,” has announced that the FAA has approved a rocket-powered aircraft, propelled by liquid oxygen and alcohol engines, for use in the 2009 RRL exhibition season. The first official competitions will take place in 2010, with ten racers set to face off in eight of 20 venues under consideration (we’re guessing no domed stadiums). The league will headquarter in Las Cruces, New Mexico and hold annual races at the upcoming New Mexico Spaceport. 

Now, Buzz denizens may ask, how, exactly, is this gonna work? "Network World" explains:

"The idea is the aircraft will take off like a regular small airplane, blast into the sky and fly through a virtual course with twists, turns and straight-aways like a souped-up Indy or NASCAR racetrack in the sky. Racing League pilots see the course superimposed on helmet-mounted 3-D displays, while the crowd monitors the race from large-screen TVs on the ground."

Wow. Well, it’s all fun and games until some rocketeer forgets to wear his spacebelt and bumps his head. Or ends up destroying Albuquerque. We’ll wait for the PlayStation version.