Photos: X Prize's rocket fest

Armadillo Aerospace's MOD, which is four metres tall, is a computer-controlled liquid oxygen rocket vehicle. At launch, it weighs 635 kilograms. It's guided by GPS, among other aides. The company said that the MOD is a precursor to modular vehicles it plans to use to send tourists into surborbital space one day.

The work of Armadillo -- founded by Doom creator John Carmack -- impressed the crowd on Saturday by flying MOD for more than 90 seconds and landing. But the craft couldn't perform the same feat twice, as required, and failed to win NASA's challenge worth $350,000 (£169,000). The MOD was the only vehicle out of nine registered teams that actually competed for the prize.

Credit: Stefanie Olsen/News.com

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