Glenn Reynolds links to Rand Simberg, who has the scoop on Bush's space proposals:
However, there's one little item in the budget also mentioned in Keith's report that, while tiny, may be a portent of huge things to come. The budget of the new Office of Exploration is about a billion dollars (less than 10 percent of the total NASA budget), and buried deep within it is a $20 million line item called "Centennial Challenges."According to the description, the purpose of this is "to establish a series of annual prizes for revolutionary, breakthrough accomplishments that advance exploration of the solar system and beyond and other NASA goals...By making awards based on actual achievements instead of proposals, NASA will tap innovators in academia, industry, and the public who do not normally work on NASA issues. Centennial Challenges will be modeled on past successes, including 19th century navigation prizes, early 20th century aviation prizes, and more recent prizes offered by the U.S. government and private sector."
Key words? "Private sector." It's just a toehold - but in American space exploration, a toehold is the best chance free enterprize has ever had. Excellent work, Mr. Bush.