Prize Roundup: Lasers, Regolith Challenge Approaches, Google Lunar X PRIZE, Student Prizes, More

Beam Power/Climber Competition

LASER '09 - The Space Elevator Blog has some information about a LEGO student competition in Japan with a Space Elevator theme.

@lasermotive - One of the activites today, hanging telescope mirror 15 feet in air from something that looks like field goal posts. Always interesting.

The field goalpost telescope worked reasonably well today. But maybe one day Tom can stop being the high-altitude monkey...

Regolith Excavation Challenge

@paulsrobotics - This what you look like after sifting 1000lbs of rock out of 5000lbs of sand... http://yfrog.com/0f852sj

Starting a sandbox run with Moonraker. Watch at http://bit.ly/dfTRc (Broadcasting live at http://ustre.am/54fd)

@grncheese - The hitch is installed on the minivan, one step closer to hauling BESSie over the Rockies to California

@glxp - Regolith Challenge at Ames!!! Oct. 17 and 18 http://www.nasa.gov/centers... (via @NLSI)

Google Lunar X PRIZE

@interorbital - Interorbital Signs Launch Deal with Morehead State University and Bob Twiggs!http://www.moreheadstate.edu/news/release.aspx?id=49994

@omegaenvoy - Take 3 minutes out of your day and go vote for the name of the next robot to go to the moon, it's worth it, I promise! http://bit.ly/F2NYq

@soldthemoon - During the G-20 here in Pittsburgh, leaders from China and Australia came by to see our lunar robots: http://tinyurl.com/ybsd36z

Student Competitions

@glxp - Do you know a teacher? The Conrad Awards is hosting an "Innovation in the Classroom" webinar 10/6, 3pm PST: http://bit.ly/gqS2X

CanSat Arcus (part 1) - YouTube

CanSat Arcus (part 2) - YouTube

NASA Sponsors Student Water Recycling Competition - NASA

Buzz Lightyear returns from space - Space for All - This includes the Buzz Lightyear Mission Patch Design Challenge

Other

DIGITALGLOBE NAMED EARTH OBSERVATION OPERATOR OF THE YEAR BY INTERNATIONAL FIRM - Space 2.0 Blog

WINNING SITES ON THE SCIENTIFIC WEB - Cosmic Log

Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 2847 -- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (NASA excerpt) - SpaceRef:

... The Administration is concerned with the elimination of $21 million from the request for NASA innovation, which uses public-private partnerships to advance important technologies and enable access to new sources of innovation through incentive prizes and partnerships. ...