Rumbling rumors out there regarding the overall status and health of the X Prize Cup - the rocket expo for personal spaceflight.

For months, lots of gossip filtering through my email about whether or not the X Prize Cup will be held this year.

The good news on this comes from Becky Ramsey, spokeswoman for the X Prize Cup: “Per our agreement with the NASA Centennial Challenges Program, we are planning to conduct a 2008 Lunar Lander Challenge,” Ramsey told me. “We are finalizing details right now, but we expect the Challenge to take place in New Mexico in the fall,” she explained to me this morning.

Still, loads of back chatter in my ear via the phone or at conferences - about where the overall X Prize Cup may wind up - or even if it is to be held this year. I’ve heard lots of talk about Florida being a new site for the Cup, even a whisper or two about Mojave, California…or if dollars are found, having the full Cup back in New Mexico, but tied to the construction of Spaceport America in that state.

So you pick.

My guess is that all will become clear in the weeks to come.