The Cleantech Open Global Forum included NASA's Night Rover Challenge. Astronaut Ed Lu was on the schedule after Sam Ortega of NASA's Centennial Challenges. From the post-NASA part of Ed's bio:
He later ran Advanced Projects at Google, where his teams developed imaging systems for Street View, Google Earth/Maps, and energy projects including Google PowerMeter. He is now Chief of Innovative Applications for Liquid Robotics, which makes autonomous wave/solar powered ocean-going robots.
Liquid Robotics technology includes the Wave Glider, an ocean-faring robot that uses solar panels to power sensors and wave motion for propulsion. They just launched 4 Wave Gliders on an ocean tour that is intended to break the unmanned ocean distance record while gathering scientific data using several sensors and satellite communications. They are working with Virgin Oceanic and Ocean in Google Earth. The PacX Challenge Prize is a competition for scientists to suggest the best science use for the data gathered during the tour. The winner gets access to data, input on the tour route, and input on the sensors deployed. Ed's quote for the prize compares the ocean-exploring robots to robotic spacecraft.
Follow robotic wave gliders on a record setting Pacific crossing in Google Earth - Google Lat/Long Blog
Tracking wave-powered robotic gliders across the Pacific - Google Earth Blog
Speaking of Google Earth ...
The 2012 Model Your Town competition is up and running - Google Earth Blog - Competitors can use Google SketchUp or Google Building Maker to create geolocated models of their town to win $25,000 for their local schools.
Showing posts with label Energy and Environment prizes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Energy and Environment prizes. Show all posts
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
FAA Trouble, YouTube Space Lab, Oil Spill Challenge, Why Do You Explore? Contest, Carmack Prize, More
Today, the Google Home Page features the YouTube Space Lab, so about a billion people should know about it by now. Just in case that isn't enough, I'll try to push it over the edge with this mention. The winning space experiment video will be performed on the International Space Station.
***
House appropriators tell FAA to focus more on air than space - Space Politics - The affordable space access prize proposed by the FAA is one of the casualties.
***
Illinois Team Wins Oil Spill Cleanup X CHALLENGE
Pictures: X PRIZE Contest Seeks Improved Oil Spill Cleanup - National Geographic
***
NASA Funded Astronomer Wins Nobel Prize - NASA Watch
***
Rocketry Winners Come to Washington - OSTP Blog - White House
***
NASA Adds Some Numbers to Green Flight Challenge
AVweb Readers Weigh In on Electric Aircraft, Green Flight Challenge
Green Flight Challenge Winners
Green Flight Challenge – Days Three and Five
Green Flight Challenge – Day Two - CAFE Foundation Blog
The CAFE Foundation PhotoStream has pictures from the event.
NASA Contest Heralds Dawn of the Electric Plane - OSTP Blog - White House - NASA Administrator Charles Bolden
***
X PRIZE Foundation Announces Three-Year, Multi-Million Dollar Sponsorship with Shell for Prizes Promoting Exploration of Space, Oceans and Land - X PRIZE Foundation press release - This includes the Why Do You Explore? video contest, with a grand prize of a $10,000 National Geographic Expedition, and 3 other prizes of Airship Ventures flights.
***
Amateur Rocketeers Chase $10,000 Launch Prize Offered by John Carmack - Space.com
***
House appropriators tell FAA to focus more on air than space - Space Politics - The affordable space access prize proposed by the FAA is one of the casualties.
***
Illinois Team Wins Oil Spill Cleanup X CHALLENGE
Pictures: X PRIZE Contest Seeks Improved Oil Spill Cleanup - National Geographic
***
NASA Funded Astronomer Wins Nobel Prize - NASA Watch
***
Rocketry Winners Come to Washington - OSTP Blog - White House
***
NASA Adds Some Numbers to Green Flight Challenge
AVweb Readers Weigh In on Electric Aircraft, Green Flight Challenge
Green Flight Challenge Winners
Green Flight Challenge – Days Three and Five
Green Flight Challenge – Day Two - CAFE Foundation Blog
The CAFE Foundation PhotoStream has pictures from the event.
NASA Contest Heralds Dawn of the Electric Plane - OSTP Blog - White House - NASA Administrator Charles Bolden
***
X PRIZE Foundation Announces Three-Year, Multi-Million Dollar Sponsorship with Shell for Prizes Promoting Exploration of Space, Oceans and Land - X PRIZE Foundation press release - This includes the Why Do You Explore? video contest, with a grand prize of a $10,000 National Geographic Expedition, and 3 other prizes of Airship Ventures flights.
***
Amateur Rocketeers Chase $10,000 Launch Prize Offered by John Carmack - Space.com
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Sample Return Registration, TARC Tour, Green Flight Challenge and Expo, Much More
Wow, there's a lot going on in the space prize world! A lot of the topics deserve their own post, but with my growing family I can only manage a quick link list. Here's the latest roundup of space prize updates:
Sample Return Robot Challenge
Challenge Rules Posted & Registration Open - Sample Return Robot Challenge (WPI)
@WPI_Robotics: Picture of the pre-cached sample for the Centennial Challenge!#WPI #omgrobotswpirobotics.smugmug.com/services/graph… or visit challenge.wpi.edu for info
Team America Rocketry Challenge
Winning TARC Team Visits Washington, Praises Raytheon for Support - Raytheon
TARC Winners in DC - This is a Flickr photo set of the visit.
Green Flight Challenge
Matters of Note for the Green Flight Expo - The CAFE Foundation Blog describes Matternet, "an outgrowth of Singularity University" that plans to enable transportation of supplies to remote locations.
List of Exhibitors - The Green Flight Expo will be at NASA Ames on October 3 after the competition. The actual competition starts in 1 week.
See the Google Green Flight Challenge Exposition hosted by NASA
Other
New Competition Brings Robots to Market - OSTP Blog
2nd Nanosat Launcher Challenge Seminar Draft Agenda Updated 9/16/2011 - Team Phoenicia
N-prize: the world's smallest space programme - SpaceRef - Part of this is a call for global representation in the challenge, particularly in Asia. The new N-prize teams map shows why. There is a gap, but on the bright side that's a lot of teams!
Fall 2011 Cassini Scientist for a Day essay contest - Teaching with Contests
CTSI Chooses LaserMotive as One of Top Ten Defense Energy Tech Companies - LaserMotive
Conrad Foundation on Capitol Hill - NASA Watch
"What's Next?" In Space Exploration Video Contest - NASA Watch - The contest is from the Coalition for Space Exploration.
Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts show Right Stuff in National Rocket Competition - Space for All
Student contest to name the GRAIL lunar probes and to direct their cameras - Space for All
Canadian Satellite Design Challenge - Space for All
Int. Art Contest - The Space Foundation - Space for All
Student NewSpace Business Plan Competition - RLV News
Unreasonable update - RLV News - Paul's post includes a picture of a new tank, and here's another one of it: twitpic.com/6j0jng
Sample Return Robot Challenge
Challenge Rules Posted & Registration Open - Sample Return Robot Challenge (WPI)
@WPI_Robotics: Picture of the pre-cached sample for the Centennial Challenge!
Team America Rocketry Challenge
Winning TARC Team Visits Washington, Praises Raytheon for Support - Raytheon
TARC Winners in DC - This is a Flickr photo set of the visit.
Green Flight Challenge
Matters of Note for the Green Flight Expo - The CAFE Foundation Blog describes Matternet, "an outgrowth of Singularity University" that plans to enable transportation of supplies to remote locations.
List of Exhibitors - The Green Flight Expo will be at NASA Ames on October 3 after the competition. The actual competition starts in 1 week.
See the Google Green Flight Challenge Exposition hosted by NASA
Other
New Competition Brings Robots to Market - OSTP Blog
2nd Nanosat Launcher Challenge Seminar Draft Agenda Updated 9/16/2011 - Team Phoenicia
N-prize: the world's smallest space programme - SpaceRef - Part of this is a call for global representation in the challenge, particularly in Asia. The new N-prize teams map shows why. There is a gap, but on the bright side that's a lot of teams!
Fall 2011 Cassini Scientist for a Day essay contest - Teaching with Contests
CTSI Chooses LaserMotive as One of Top Ten Defense Energy Tech Companies - LaserMotive
Conrad Foundation on Capitol Hill - NASA Watch
"What's Next?" In Space Exploration Video Contest - NASA Watch - The contest is from the Coalition for Space Exploration.
Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts show Right Stuff in National Rocket Competition - Space for All
Student contest to name the GRAIL lunar probes and to direct their cameras - Space for All
Canadian Satellite Design Challenge - Space for All
Int. Art Contest - The Space Foundation - Space for All
Student NewSpace Business Plan Competition - RLV News
Unreasonable update - RLV News - Paul's post includes a picture of a new tank, and here's another one of it: twitpic.com/6j0jng
Monday, September 05, 2011
Space Prize Roundup: Green Flight Approaches, MoonBots 2.0, Sample Return Rules, More
The Green Flight Challenge is getting close:
Embry Riddle Begins GFC Test Flights - CAFE Foundation Blog
Latest Details - Sample Return Robot Challenge at WPI gives an update on the final rules, team agreement, and registration.
The X PRIZE Foundation and LEGO Group Announce Global Student Team Winners of MoonBots 2.0 Challenge - Google Lunar X PRIZE
Creating a Collaborative Nano-Bio Manufacturing Institute - Challenge.gov - This is for the Air Force Research Lab.
Competition Provides Solution for Stopping Uncooperative Vehicles - OSTP Blog
08/26/2011: Update - SpeedUp
The NASA Tech Briefs "Create the Future" Design Contest winners should be announced this month.
UK contest for student space settlement design - Space for All
The Hubble Roadshow - update and contest - Space for All
Embry Riddle Begins GFC Test Flights - CAFE Foundation Blog
Latest Details - Sample Return Robot Challenge at WPI gives an update on the final rules, team agreement, and registration.
The X PRIZE Foundation and LEGO Group Announce Global Student Team Winners of MoonBots 2.0 Challenge - Google Lunar X PRIZE
Creating a Collaborative Nano-Bio Manufacturing Institute - Challenge.gov - This is for the Air Force Research Lab.
Competition Provides Solution for Stopping Uncooperative Vehicles - OSTP Blog
08/26/2011: Update - SpeedUp
The NASA Tech Briefs "Create the Future" Design Contest winners should be announced this month.
UK contest for student space settlement design - Space for All
The Hubble Roadshow - update and contest - Space for All
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Prize Roundup: Nanosat Launcher Comment, Make Tech Winner, CAFE and EAA Flight Challenges, More
Student Experiment Microgravity Kit Wins NASA-Make Tech Contest - NASA press release:
Sponsored by Teachers in Space, a project of the Space Frontier Foundation in Nyack, N.Y, the first "Bring It Back" kits will fly aboard the Excelsior STEM mission scheduled to fly on a Masten Aerospace unmanned suborbital mission later this year.
Jeff Foust tweets about one of the ISDC 2011 talks:
@jeff_foust: London: NASA's planned $2M nanolaunch prize is a "little light"; estimates it would cost $20-30M to build a nanosat launcher. #ISDC
Also see Jeff's twitter account for tweets on the Google Lunar X PRIZE ISDC session.
3DHawaii expands with private label product and a great trip giveaway - Google Earth Blog
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [45]: More First Small Holes - Team Phoenicia (see more pictures at their site)
Pipistrel’s Four-seat, Side-by-side Electric Airplane - CAFE Foundation blog:
This unique design has come about by grafting two Pipistrel Taurus aircraft together with a center section which is some 5 meters (16 feet) wide and includes a center pylon housing the electric engine and batteries designed to successfully carry this aircraft to the skies and hopefully to the completion of the 2011 CAFE/NASA challenge, the design bears some similarity to the twin Mustang fighter and even White Knight Two. ... The goal for the development of this aircraft is to enter and hopefully be successful in completing the 2011 CAFE/NASA green flight challenge which is held between July 11 and July 17, 2011 at the Santa Rosa airport in northern California and then also competing in the EAA AirVenture Electric Flight Challenge held at this year’s Oshkosh event just a few weeks later.
Sponsored by Teachers in Space, a project of the Space Frontier Foundation in Nyack, N.Y, the first "Bring It Back" kits will fly aboard the Excelsior STEM mission scheduled to fly on a Masten Aerospace unmanned suborbital mission later this year.
Jeff Foust tweets about one of the ISDC 2011 talks:
@jeff_foust: London: NASA's planned $2M nanolaunch prize is a "little light"; estimates it would cost $20-30M to build a nanosat launcher. #ISDC
3DHawaii expands with private label product and a great trip giveaway - Google Earth Blog
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [45]: More First Small Holes - Team Phoenicia (see more pictures at their site)
Pipistrel’s Four-seat, Side-by-side Electric Airplane - CAFE Foundation blog:
This unique design has come about by grafting two Pipistrel Taurus aircraft together with a center section which is some 5 meters (16 feet) wide and includes a center pylon housing the electric engine and batteries designed to successfully carry this aircraft to the skies and hopefully to the completion of the 2011 CAFE/NASA challenge, the design bears some similarity to the twin Mustang fighter and even White Knight Two. ... The goal for the development of this aircraft is to enter and hopefully be successful in completing the 2011 CAFE/NASA green flight challenge which is held between July 11 and July 17, 2011 at the Santa Rosa airport in northern California and then also competing in the EAA AirVenture Electric Flight Challenge held at this year’s Oshkosh event just a few weeks later.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Aviation Prize Workshop, ISPCS, Art Contest, Pop! Tech, Much More
@NASAPrize: Brainstorming session for future aviation prizes in Hampton, VA was well attended with lots of good ideas and insights. Thanks to all.
The conference Aviation Unleashed included the Aviation Unleashed Centennial Challenge Prize Workshop that I'm sure was the brainstorming session mentioned above. The conference also included the Edison2 Progressive Automotive X PRIZE team.
@nss: Tell kids/teens 10-17 to enter NASA art-music contest on Human Space Flight: www.humansinspaceart.org. Deadline Dec. 3.
a CanSat that points to the sun. - CanSat DeSoto team on YouTube
Weekend Update - Unreasonable Rocket
Astrobotic gets NASA grant for prototype lunar mining robot - RLV News has more details about the phase II SBIR award I mentioned Monday.
Registration Open for NASA’s Great Moon Buggy Race - Parabolic Arc
Richards & Moon Express - RLV News
ISPCS 2010 update #2 - RLV News - I'm just picking 1 of many posts on the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight. You'll find a lot of discussion involving past and present prize teams (e.g.: Armadillo, Masten, Rocket City Space Pioneers) and other related topics from these posts. This one in particular gives a twitter link that will keep you busy.
@sedsusa: SEDS Video Contest official contest end date is in two days. Get your submissions in! http://tinyurl.com/SEDSVidAd
@ad_astra2: Great #XPRIZE session at #poptech today, but secretly wish I could have helped w the weather balloon launch! #spacetweep
Using prizes and challenges to drive innovation - Pop! Tech blog
@NASA_Technology: The Weightlessness of Creativity @Etsy Blog http://goo.gl/1Gac featuring @NASA Astronaut Karen Nyberg. Have you submitted your Space Craft?
@glxp: Please welcome our newest #glxp team to Twitter: @Moon_Ex!
NASA Awards Innovative Lunar Demonstration Data (ILDD) Contracts! - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration discusses the recent lunar engineering data news.
@ISS_NatLab: Discussion: Microelectronics & competitions like FIRST will blur lines between what students & traditional researchers can do on ISS.
The conference Aviation Unleashed included the Aviation Unleashed Centennial Challenge Prize Workshop that I'm sure was the brainstorming session mentioned above. The conference also included the Edison2 Progressive Automotive X PRIZE team.
@nss: Tell kids/teens 10-17 to enter NASA art-music contest on Human Space Flight: www.humansinspaceart.org. Deadline Dec. 3.
a CanSat that points to the sun. - CanSat DeSoto team on YouTube
Weekend Update - Unreasonable Rocket
Astrobotic gets NASA grant for prototype lunar mining robot - RLV News has more details about the phase II SBIR award I mentioned Monday.
Registration Open for NASA’s Great Moon Buggy Race - Parabolic Arc
Richards & Moon Express - RLV News
ISPCS 2010 update #2 - RLV News - I'm just picking 1 of many posts on the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight. You'll find a lot of discussion involving past and present prize teams (e.g.: Armadillo, Masten, Rocket City Space Pioneers) and other related topics from these posts. This one in particular gives a twitter link that will keep you busy.
@sedsusa: SEDS Video Contest official contest end date is in two days. Get your submissions in! http://tinyurl.com/SEDSVidAd
@ad_astra2: Great #XPRIZE session at #poptech today, but secretly wish I could have helped w the weather balloon launch! #spacetweep
Using prizes and challenges to drive innovation - Pop! Tech blog
@NASA_Technology: The Weightlessness of Creativity @Etsy Blog http://goo.gl/1Gac featuring @NASA Astronaut Karen Nyberg. Have you submitted your Space Craft?
@glxp: Please welcome our newest #glxp team to Twitter: @Moon_Ex!
NASA Awards Innovative Lunar Demonstration Data (ILDD) Contracts! - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration discusses the recent lunar engineering data news.
@ISS_NatLab: Discussion: Microelectronics & competitions like FIRST will blur lines between what students & traditional researchers can do on ISS.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
CanSat 2011 Guide, Google Lunar X PRIZE Summit, More
2011 Student CanSat Competition will be held June 10-12 in Abilene, Texas. - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Penn State chapter:
The mission for 2011 will be to launch an autonomous CanSat with a deployable lander containing one large raw hen's egg. ... The official web site http://www.cansatcompetition.com has been updated with a revised Competition Guide, application forms, photos from previous competitions and names of the 2010 winning teams.
Cansat Competition Guide 2011
Here's a good place to start if you want to know what's happening at the Google Lunar X PRIZE summit and you're not there:
GLXP Summit this week
GLXP Summit updates
GLXP Summit updates (not a repeat of the previous link) - RLV News
That's a lot, but if even that isn't enough, since not everyone is using the hashtag, you could also try some Google Lunar X PRIZE twitter accounts to supplement this. You'll have to figure out which Google Lunar X PRIZE tweets are from the summit, of course.
Tanks the other hard part - Unreasonable Rocket
Supporting Commercial Space at NASA - LaserMotive
Here are a few non-space prize updates:
SolSource Wins! ~ Scot Frank's 500K Euro Check - Maximizing Progress - From the Green Challenge site:
Scot Frank has won the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge 2010 for the affordable portable solar concentrator SolSource.
Grand Forks lands international UAS competition - Grand Forks Herald
GE's Open Innovation Ecomagination Challenge involving $200M in investments finished its first phase on September 30. From their blog:
We’ve pledged to announce the idea that received the most votes by October 7th, and to announce the innovation award winners by early November. Given the large number of entries, we need time to properly evaluate business plans and determine those for investment, commercialization or other potential partnerships.
The mission for 2011 will be to launch an autonomous CanSat with a deployable lander containing one large raw hen's egg. ... The official web site http://www.cansatcompetition.com has been updated with a revised Competition Guide, application forms, photos from previous competitions and names of the 2010 winning teams.
Cansat Competition Guide 2011
Here's a good place to start if you want to know what's happening at the Google Lunar X PRIZE summit and you're not there:
GLXP Summit this week
GLXP Summit updates
GLXP Summit updates (not a repeat of the previous link) - RLV News
That's a lot, but if even that isn't enough, since not everyone is using the hashtag, you could also try some Google Lunar X PRIZE twitter accounts to supplement this. You'll have to figure out which Google Lunar X PRIZE tweets are from the summit, of course.
Tanks the other hard part - Unreasonable Rocket
Supporting Commercial Space at NASA - LaserMotive
Here are a few non-space prize updates:
SolSource Wins! ~ Scot Frank's 500K Euro Check - Maximizing Progress - From the Green Challenge site:
Scot Frank has won the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge 2010 for the affordable portable solar concentrator SolSource.
Grand Forks lands international UAS competition - Grand Forks Herald
GE's Open Innovation Ecomagination Challenge involving $200M in investments finished its first phase on September 30. From their blog:
We’ve pledged to announce the idea that received the most votes by October 7th, and to announce the innovation award winners by early November. Given the large number of entries, we need time to properly evaluate business plans and determine those for investment, commercialization or other potential partnerships.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Prize Roundup: Altius Milestone, Student Astronomy, Prometheus Sponsors, Virtual Worlds, Asteroid Competition Hints, More
@RobinSnelson: Vote to give this idea 50K: Rebuild an astronomy observatory for student and community education. #pepsirefresh http://pep.si/bXRWIT
@rocketrepreneur: NASA Authorization Bill passes, Altius signs its first contract, and I had a good time meeting with LM and ULA friends today. Good day.
@TeamPrometheus: Has added DIY Drones to the sponsor list! Thanks, Chris. http://fb.me/G3yQ3xDK
Has added Big Red Bee to the sponsor list! Thanks, Greg. http://fb.me/F5q6hbv4
Has added Featherweight Altimeters to the list of sponsors! Thanks, Adrian. http://fb.me/GNGGlr5K
@unrocket: Machine to round then brake cylinder hone. http://plixi.com/p/47588504
Low melting temp metal to fixture odd shape parts in the mill. Cleaning up weld scale on sealing surface. http://plixi.com/p/47568220
Green Flight Challenge: Elektra One Progress - CAFE Foundation Blog
If you can't get to other worlds using spacecraft yet, try the Federal Virtual Worlds Challenge.
British Entreprenuer Julian Ranger Backs Astrobotic in Google Lunar X Prize - Parabolic Arc
Follow this link to see some more hints about the Planetary Society's planned HUMAN MISSION TO AN ASTEROID COMPETITION.
WSJ tech prizes now and in future - RLV News
@rocketrepreneur: NASA Authorization Bill passes, Altius signs its first contract, and I had a good time meeting with LM and ULA friends today. Good day.
@TeamPrometheus: Has added DIY Drones to the sponsor list! Thanks, Chris. http://fb.me/G3yQ3xDK
Has added Big Red Bee to the sponsor list! Thanks, Greg. http://fb.me/F5q6hbv4
Has added Featherweight Altimeters to the list of sponsors! Thanks, Adrian. http://fb.me/GNGGlr5K
@unrocket: Machine to round then brake cylinder hone. http://plixi.com/p/47588504
Low melting temp metal to fixture odd shape parts in the mill. Cleaning up weld scale on sealing surface. http://plixi.com/p/47568220
Green Flight Challenge: Elektra One Progress - CAFE Foundation Blog
If you can't get to other worlds using spacecraft yet, try the Federal Virtual Worlds Challenge.
British Entreprenuer Julian Ranger Backs Astrobotic in Google Lunar X Prize - Parabolic Arc
Follow this link to see some more hints about the Planetary Society's planned HUMAN MISSION TO AN ASTEROID COMPETITION.
WSJ tech prizes now and in future - RLV News
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Prize Roundup: NSF Robotics Competitions, Asteroid Prize Plan, Many Space Elevator Prizes, NASA Lunar Lander Data Purchase, More
Here's an excerpt from the 2011 Departments of Commerce and Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill report (PDF):
Promoting STEM Education Through Competition.—The future of U.S. competitiveness rests on our ability to train the next generation of scientists and engineers. The Committee has acted on the ‘‘Rising Above the Gathering Storm’’ recommendation to improve K–12 STEM education by robustly funding the National Science Foundation and other science agencies. The Committee also recognizes the important contributions of groups and organizations that have developed nationwide STEM robotics competitions to inspire and train America’s students. The Committee directs NSF to set aside $2,000,000 for a competitive program of grants to promote STEM education through robotics competitions.
BLOG: Update on the NASA Authorization Bill - The Planetary Society - The reason that I included this here is that there's an interesting hint about a possible new Planetary Society prize at the end of the post:
A big first step will be consideration of the human asteroid mission. The Planetary Society will be participating in an upcoming NASA workshop on this subject, and we're getting ready to announce a new competition to advance the concept of humans exploring an asteroid. So stay tuned!
More Masten Space pictures
A brief glimpse of leg at Masten Space
Armadillo Aerospace flies Pixel - all 3 from RLV News
ISEC e-Newsletter #6 - August 2010 - International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC) - This newsletter has a lot of information about Space Elevator Games Centennial Challenges and other prizes. Here are some excerpts, but the newsletter has many more details:
The Climber / Power-Beaming competition has been postponed until next year. ... The Strong Tether competition will be held at the upcoming Space Elevator Conference. The current schedule calls for this competition to be held on Friday, August 13th, at 4:15pm (US Pacific time) ...
In March, the International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC) announced the Yuri Artsutanov and Jerome Pearson Prizes for Space Elevator research. ... the prize committee did not feel that any of them met the criteria; ... the prize committee did award an "Honorable Mention" to a paper submitted by Mr. Gaylen R. Hinton and he and his entry will be honored at the upcoming Space Elevator Conference. These prizes will be repeated next year. A new topic will be chosen for ... the Pearson prize ...
From August 6th-8th, the Japan Space Elevator Association (JSEA) will host it's second annual JSETEC (Japan Space Elevator Technical & Engineering Competition) event. ... The 2009 competition was held on a 150 meter tether. This year's competition will be held on a 300 meter tether. Next year, they plan on using a 600 meter tether. But, unlike the Space Elevator Games, they plan on holding the tether aloft with balloons, not a helicopter.
NASA Centennial Challenges 2010 Strong Tether Challenge - SpaceRef
Astrobotic designs excavator to recover lunar volatiles - Google Lunar X PRIZE Teams page
NASA Seeks Data from Innovative Lunar Demonstrations - NASA:
NASA has issued a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) to purchase specific data resulting from industry efforts to test and verify vehicle capabilities through demonstrations of small robotic landers. The purpose is to inform the development of future human and robotic lander vehicles. ... The ILDD BAA challenges industry to demonstrate Earth-to-lunar surface flight system capabilities and test technologies.
Astrobotic to pursue NASA data purchase offer - RLV News
First Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prizes Announced At AirVenture - Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prize (LEAP) - You can find out about this year's prizes at the link. There is also some information about next year's prizes:
LEAP announced that in 2011, LEAP prizes will be awarded at Aero-Friedrichschafen in Germany as well as at AirVenture.
Fueling Innovation (100 MPGe at a time) - Energy Blog (Department of Energy)
See much, much more about the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE here.
And the winner is… Offering a cash prize to encourage innovation is all the rage. Sometimes it works rather well - The Economist
Promoting STEM Education Through Competition.—The future of U.S. competitiveness rests on our ability to train the next generation of scientists and engineers. The Committee has acted on the ‘‘Rising Above the Gathering Storm’’ recommendation to improve K–12 STEM education by robustly funding the National Science Foundation and other science agencies. The Committee also recognizes the important contributions of groups and organizations that have developed nationwide STEM robotics competitions to inspire and train America’s students. The Committee directs NSF to set aside $2,000,000 for a competitive program of grants to promote STEM education through robotics competitions.
BLOG: Update on the NASA Authorization Bill - The Planetary Society - The reason that I included this here is that there's an interesting hint about a possible new Planetary Society prize at the end of the post:
A big first step will be consideration of the human asteroid mission. The Planetary Society will be participating in an upcoming NASA workshop on this subject, and we're getting ready to announce a new competition to advance the concept of humans exploring an asteroid. So stay tuned!
More Masten Space pictures
A brief glimpse of leg at Masten Space
Armadillo Aerospace flies Pixel - all 3 from RLV News
ISEC e-Newsletter #6 - August 2010 - International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC) - This newsletter has a lot of information about Space Elevator Games Centennial Challenges and other prizes. Here are some excerpts, but the newsletter has many more details:
The Climber / Power-Beaming competition has been postponed until next year. ... The Strong Tether competition will be held at the upcoming Space Elevator Conference. The current schedule calls for this competition to be held on Friday, August 13th, at 4:15pm (US Pacific time) ...
In March, the International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC) announced the Yuri Artsutanov and Jerome Pearson Prizes for Space Elevator research. ... the prize committee did not feel that any of them met the criteria; ... the prize committee did award an "Honorable Mention" to a paper submitted by Mr. Gaylen R. Hinton and he and his entry will be honored at the upcoming Space Elevator Conference. These prizes will be repeated next year. A new topic will be chosen for ... the Pearson prize ...
From August 6th-8th, the Japan Space Elevator Association (JSEA) will host it's second annual JSETEC (Japan Space Elevator Technical & Engineering Competition) event. ... The 2009 competition was held on a 150 meter tether. This year's competition will be held on a 300 meter tether. Next year, they plan on using a 600 meter tether. But, unlike the Space Elevator Games, they plan on holding the tether aloft with balloons, not a helicopter.
NASA Centennial Challenges 2010 Strong Tether Challenge - SpaceRef
Astrobotic designs excavator to recover lunar volatiles - Google Lunar X PRIZE Teams page
NASA Seeks Data from Innovative Lunar Demonstrations - NASA:
NASA has issued a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) to purchase specific data resulting from industry efforts to test and verify vehicle capabilities through demonstrations of small robotic landers. The purpose is to inform the development of future human and robotic lander vehicles. ... The ILDD BAA challenges industry to demonstrate Earth-to-lunar surface flight system capabilities and test technologies.
Astrobotic to pursue NASA data purchase offer - RLV News
First Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prizes Announced At AirVenture - Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prize (LEAP) - You can find out about this year's prizes at the link. There is also some information about next year's prizes:
LEAP announced that in 2011, LEAP prizes will be awarded at Aero-Friedrichschafen in Germany as well as at AirVenture.
Fueling Innovation (100 MPGe at a time) - Energy Blog (Department of Energy)
See much, much more about the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE here.
And the winner is… Offering a cash prize to encourage innovation is all the rage. Sometimes it works rather well - The Economist
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Prize Roundup: Electric Aircraft at AirVenture, Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE, Lunar Hopper, More
Tomorrow (July 30) the World Symposium of Electric Flight will be held at 2010 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Register Today for Electric Aircraft Symposium - EAA AirVenture - Here's some information about the event:
Among the confirmed participants for the symposium are Scaled Composites founder Burt Rutan; FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt; Electric Aircraft Corporation founder Randall Fishman; Yuneec founder Tian Yu; Sonex Aircraft founder John Monnett; and Earthstar Aircraft founder Mark Beierle, who displayed his eGull ultralight aircraft at AirVenture 2009. Commercial pilot and flight instructor Erik Lindbergh, grandson of aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh and founder of the nonprofit Creative Solutions Alliance, will also be on hand to announce the LEAP (Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prize) winners.
AirVenture 2010 World Symposium At Eagle Hangar - CAFE Foundation Blog
Introducing The Oil Cleanup X Challenge - Wendy Schmidt at The Huffington Post
X Prize Foundation Unveils $1.4 Million Oil Cleanup X Challenge - Fast Company
Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE:
The judges will select the top teams to demonstrate their ability to efficiently and rapidly clean up oil on the ocean surface in a head-to-head competition. These demonstrations, which will determine the winner, will take place at the National Oil Spill Response Research & Renewable Energy Test Facility (OHSMETT) in New Jersey, USA.
New Look, Same InnoCentive - Perspectives on Innovation Blog
Evadot Podcast #30 – NextGiantLeap
Archon Genomics X PRIZE Powers Into Phase II: Genomics Technologies Progressing Towards Prize Vision - neXt PRIZE
Register Today for Electric Aircraft Symposium - EAA AirVenture - Here's some information about the event:
Among the confirmed participants for the symposium are Scaled Composites founder Burt Rutan; FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt; Electric Aircraft Corporation founder Randall Fishman; Yuneec founder Tian Yu; Sonex Aircraft founder John Monnett; and Earthstar Aircraft founder Mark Beierle, who displayed his eGull ultralight aircraft at AirVenture 2009. Commercial pilot and flight instructor Erik Lindbergh, grandson of aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh and founder of the nonprofit Creative Solutions Alliance, will also be on hand to announce the LEAP (Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prize) winners.
AirVenture 2010 World Symposium At Eagle Hangar - CAFE Foundation Blog
Introducing The Oil Cleanup X Challenge - Wendy Schmidt at The Huffington Post
X Prize Foundation Unveils $1.4 Million Oil Cleanup X Challenge - Fast Company
Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE:
The judges will select the top teams to demonstrate their ability to efficiently and rapidly clean up oil on the ocean surface in a head-to-head competition. These demonstrations, which will determine the winner, will take place at the National Oil Spill Response Research & Renewable Energy Test Facility (OHSMETT) in New Jersey, USA.
New Look, Same InnoCentive - Perspectives on Innovation Blog
Evadot Podcast #30 – NextGiantLeap
Archon Genomics X PRIZE Powers Into Phase II: Genomics Technologies Progressing Towards Prize Vision - neXt PRIZE
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Prize Roundup: Steps to Green Flight, Penn Manor, Oil Cleanup, NewSpace Awards, More
Green Flight Challenge: Six Steps to Synergy - CAFE Foundation Blog
CAFE News: Become a Part of Aviation History – Help Fund the Green Flight Challenge - CAFE Foundation Blog
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #27 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
Penn Manor Rocket Team Beats the World! - Penn Points - The Student News Magazine of PMHS
U.S. Team Wins International Youth Rocketry Challenge - Raytheon
X Prize Contest Coming For Oil Clean Up - EarthTechling
X Prize Foundation to Announce Multi-Million Dollar Incentive Competition to Clean Up Oil - MarketWire:
Who: X PRIZE Foundation
What: Press Conference to Launch the Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE
When: Thursday, July 29, 2010
Where: National Press Club - Holeman Lounge
529 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20545
Time: 1:00 PM (ET); Noon (CT); 10:00 AM (PT)
Armadillo posts 2010 Space Access Society video in HD - RLV News
Power-Beaming competition postponed… - The Space Elevator Blog - They anticipate a date somewhere in the March-April 2011 timeframe. The Tether Challenge is still on for the Space Elevator Conference this August 13-15, and so are the Artsutanov and Pearson research paper prizes. Speaking of that conference:
Watch this space… - The Space Elevator Blog:
Coming very soon - a special announcement about the upcoming Space Elevator Conference.
CAFE News: Become a Part of Aviation History – Help Fund the Green Flight Challenge - CAFE Foundation Blog
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #27 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
Penn Manor Rocket Team Beats the World! - Penn Points - The Student News Magazine of PMHS
U.S. Team Wins International Youth Rocketry Challenge - Raytheon
X Prize Contest Coming For Oil Clean Up - EarthTechling
X Prize Foundation to Announce Multi-Million Dollar Incentive Competition to Clean Up Oil - MarketWire:
Who: X PRIZE Foundation
What: Press Conference to Launch the Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE
When: Thursday, July 29, 2010
Where: National Press Club - Holeman Lounge
529 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20545
Time: 1:00 PM (ET); Noon (CT); 10:00 AM (PT)
Armadillo posts 2010 Space Access Society video in HD - RLV News
Power-Beaming competition postponed… - The Space Elevator Blog - They anticipate a date somewhere in the March-April 2011 timeframe. The Tether Challenge is still on for the Space Elevator Conference this August 13-15, and so are the Artsutanov and Pearson research paper prizes. Speaking of that conference:
Watch this space… - The Space Elevator Blog:
Coming very soon - a special announcement about the upcoming Space Elevator Conference.
Here are a few tweets from Jeff Foust about awards at the NewSpace 2010 conference:
@jeff_foust: @dmasten recalls being asked what his conpany's ultimate goal is when accepting his #newspace2010 award. "Solar system domination."
Duncan Jones, director of "Moon", accepts his award at #newspace2010: http://yfrog.com/b5mufhj
Congrats to @spacevidcast for the Best Presentation of Space award at #newspace2010!
Art Dula gets the Pioneer of NewSpace award. "How the heck am I supposed to get this into my suitcase?" #newspace2010
Lori Garver's acceptance video at #newspace2010: http://yfrog.com/2obaxyj
Miles O'Brien on the big screen accepting his award: #newspace2010 http://yfrog.com/5mu9dxj
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Prize Roundup: Lunar Lander Teams Still At It, Resistance to Prizes, Oil Cleanup Prize, Moon Art
Multi-million Dollar Oil Spill Cleanup X PRIZE Announced at TEDxOilSpill - TEDxOilSpill.com
Official Statement Regarding Oil Spill Clean-up - X PRIZE Foundation - Just to be clear on where that competition stands:
The X PRIZE Foundation is considering, but has not yet developed, a multi-million dollar competition to help alleviate the effects of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #25 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
2010 NASA art contest winners - Space for All
It's good to see all sorts of activity from former Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge teams continue:
Armadillo Aerospace Mod flight with roll vane - RLV News
More printed Motor Progress - Unreasonable Rocket
New Sponsor: The Graphite Store!
Team Phoenicia Needs You! - Team Phoenicia
@mastenspace: Students: Want to intern this fall with @mastenspace? Applications due Sunday! http://masten-space.com/internships.html
Why is there resistance to prize funds? - Knowledge Ecology International
Official Statement Regarding Oil Spill Clean-up - X PRIZE Foundation - Just to be clear on where that competition stands:
The X PRIZE Foundation is considering, but has not yet developed, a multi-million dollar competition to help alleviate the effects of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #25 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
2010 NASA art contest winners - Space for All
It's good to see all sorts of activity from former Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge teams continue:
Armadillo Aerospace Mod flight with roll vane - RLV News
More printed Motor Progress - Unreasonable Rocket
New Sponsor: The Graphite Store!
Team Phoenicia Needs You! - Team Phoenicia
@mastenspace: Students: Want to intern this fall with @mastenspace? Applications due Sunday! http://masten-space.com/internships.html
Why is there resistance to prize funds? - Knowledge Ecology International
Monday, June 21, 2010
Prize Roundup: EDA Prize, 3 New Centennial Challenges, MoonBots, Automotive Prize, More
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #23 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
i6 Challenge - U.S. Economic Development Administration:
The i6 Challenge is a new $12 million innovation competition administered by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce, in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF). EDA will award up to $1 million to each of six winning teams with the most innovative ideas to drive technology commercialization and entrepreneurship in their regions. ...
The 2010 X-PRIZE Benefit - San Francisco Luxury Living gives a summary of the event accompanied by lots of photos.
RoboSpartans MoonBots Team to conduct Google Lunar X prize Missions - WKTV.com (Utica, New York)
@jeff_foust: NASA to announce 3 new Centennial Challenges prize competitions at space tech industry forum next month: http://is.gd/cZdII
@NASAMICI: Presentation at 3pm 2day from Dr Antonio Soares of FAMU regarding Space Elevator Photovoltaic Cells. http://nasamici.com/ #NASA
@PaulSecor: Im running the controls on Dr Soares presentation right now in NASA MICI http://twitpic.com/1ysynn
@glxp: Want to see the amazing rovers & spacecraft being built by teams around the world for the Google Lunar X PRIZE? Video: http://bit.ly/acdFGm
@alias_amanda: Follow @progautoxp to get the live webcast and real-time telemetry updates from the #PIAXP cars. Knockout competition happening all week.
@fineri: David, Dad & Keith, fixing a valve.Some more pics on facebook, search kiwi 2 space. Didn't get a lot of pics sorry http://twitpic.com/1yyysy
@TeamPrometheus: "P" Motor in flight test! Same motor as Rockoon Launch. http://fb.me/unuzxf6n
@wikkit: I gave Xombie a hug, and I am out of here. Keep it crazy, Mojave.
i6 Challenge - U.S. Economic Development Administration:
The i6 Challenge is a new $12 million innovation competition administered by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce, in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF). EDA will award up to $1 million to each of six winning teams with the most innovative ideas to drive technology commercialization and entrepreneurship in their regions. ...
The 2010 X-PRIZE Benefit - San Francisco Luxury Living gives a summary of the event accompanied by lots of photos.
RoboSpartans MoonBots Team to conduct Google Lunar X prize Missions - WKTV.com (Utica, New York)
@jeff_foust: NASA to announce 3 new Centennial Challenges prize competitions at space tech industry forum next month: http://is.gd/cZdII
@NASAMICI: Presentation at 3pm 2day from Dr Antonio Soares of FAMU regarding Space Elevator Photovoltaic Cells. http://nasamici.com/ #NASA
@PaulSecor: Im running the controls on Dr Soares presentation right now in NASA MICI http://twitpic.com/1ysynn
@glxp: Want to see the amazing rovers & spacecraft being built by teams around the world for the Google Lunar X PRIZE? Video: http://bit.ly/acdFGm
@alias_amanda: Follow @progautoxp to get the live webcast and real-time telemetry updates from the #PIAXP cars. Knockout competition happening all week.
@fineri: David, Dad & Keith, fixing a valve.Some more pics on facebook, search kiwi 2 space. Didn't get a lot of pics sorry http://twitpic.com/1yyysy
@TeamPrometheus: "P" Motor in flight test! Same motor as Rockoon Launch. http://fb.me/unuzxf6n
@wikkit: I gave Xombie a hug, and I am out of here. Keep it crazy, Mojave.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Prize Roundup: NASA MICI, LaserMotive Website, Moonraker at Maker, OSTP and Case Foundation Event, Automotive Testing Phase, Much More
@tedprize: Jill Tarter named one of the most influential women in technology 2010 by Fast Company magazine http://bit.ly/9IjHzm #TED #SETI
@glxp: NASA's Minority Innovation Challenges Institute is now on Twitter: @NASAMICI. Welcome!
Here's the NASA MICI site. From the site:
This NASA funded program, which is managed by Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), provides a year-round virtual conference platform where students from across the country can participate in free interactive educational sessions of their choosing. Many of the sessions will focus on competitions found within NASA’s Centennial Challenges program ... students will also learn how to complete in other NASA sponsored competitions created specifically for Universities including: the Fundamental Aeronautics Student Competition for Colleges/Universities, The NASA University Student Launch Initiative, University Business Plan Contest for Engineering Technology, and the Great Moonbuggy Race.
@paulsrobotics - Moonraker will be on display at the Maker's Faire in San Mateo on May 22-23, come check it out if you're in the area! http://fb.me/xkmqokWR
April 2010 Update - Kiwi 2 Space
New LaserMotive Website Is Live - LaserMotive:
The design will be undergoing some tweaks over the next few days, so check back next week (when we will also have more news)!
Laser Power for UAVs - LaserMotive White Paper
Heinlein Commercial Space Activity Prize Awarded to the University of Arkansas - The Heinlein Prize
University of Arkansas Teams Take Top Prizes at Rice University Business Plan Competition - University of Arkansas
Pete Worden Receives Arthur C. Clarke Award - NASA Watch
More about MiniSpaceWorld Contest 2010: MoonDreams - Space for All
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #16 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
X PRIZE Foundation Open House - TechZulu
Mechanisms Partner: TU Munich Satellite Technology Group - White Label Space
Government contests offer different way to find solutions for problems - The Washington Post:
... on Friday, hoping to scatter the concept more broadly throughout the government, the White House and the Case Foundation will team up with federal employees from 35 agencies in an all-day strategy session titled "Promoting Innovation: Prizes, Challenges and Open Grantmaking."
Promoting Innovation: We want you to join the discussion! - Case Foundation
Public Input Solicited for Conference on Prizes and Challenges - OSTP (Office of Science and Technology Policy) Blog
Peter Diamandis discusses commercial spaceflight projects - RLV News
Briefs: ARCA test update; Bad day in Alice Springs - RLV News
Space Adventures Announces Exclusive Marketing Agreement with Armadillo Aerospace - RLV News
Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Teams Arrive at Michigan International Speedway for Start of On-Track Testing - Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE
The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE page has a lot of ways to follow that competition, including a twitter feed, facebook, a list of blog posts, and articles.
@glxp: NASA's Minority Innovation Challenges Institute is now on Twitter: @NASAMICI. Welcome!
Here's the NASA MICI site. From the site:
This NASA funded program, which is managed by Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), provides a year-round virtual conference platform where students from across the country can participate in free interactive educational sessions of their choosing. Many of the sessions will focus on competitions found within NASA’s Centennial Challenges program ... students will also learn how to complete in other NASA sponsored competitions created specifically for Universities including: the Fundamental Aeronautics Student Competition for Colleges/Universities, The NASA University Student Launch Initiative, University Business Plan Contest for Engineering Technology, and the Great Moonbuggy Race.
@paulsrobotics - Moonraker will be on display at the Maker's Faire in San Mateo on May 22-23, come check it out if you're in the area! http://fb.me/xkmqokWR
April 2010 Update - Kiwi 2 Space
New LaserMotive Website Is Live - LaserMotive:
The design will be undergoing some tweaks over the next few days, so check back next week (when we will also have more news)!
Laser Power for UAVs - LaserMotive White Paper
Heinlein Commercial Space Activity Prize Awarded to the University of Arkansas - The Heinlein Prize
University of Arkansas Teams Take Top Prizes at Rice University Business Plan Competition - University of Arkansas
Pete Worden Receives Arthur C. Clarke Award - NASA Watch
More about MiniSpaceWorld Contest 2010: MoonDreams - Space for All
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #16 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
X PRIZE Foundation Open House - TechZulu
Mechanisms Partner: TU Munich Satellite Technology Group - White Label Space
Government contests offer different way to find solutions for problems - The Washington Post:
... on Friday, hoping to scatter the concept more broadly throughout the government, the White House and the Case Foundation will team up with federal employees from 35 agencies in an all-day strategy session titled "Promoting Innovation: Prizes, Challenges and Open Grantmaking."
Promoting Innovation: We want you to join the discussion! - Case Foundation
Public Input Solicited for Conference on Prizes and Challenges - OSTP (Office of Science and Technology Policy) Blog
Peter Diamandis discusses commercial spaceflight projects - RLV News
Briefs: ARCA test update; Bad day in Alice Springs - RLV News
Space Adventures Announces Exclusive Marketing Agreement with Armadillo Aerospace - RLV News
Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Teams Arrive at Michigan International Speedway for Start of On-Track Testing - Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE
The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE page has a lot of ways to follow that competition, including a twitter feed, facebook, a list of blog posts, and articles.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Multi-Industry Prize Roundup - X PRIZE Vision, CO2 Capture, NewOrgan Prize, Art Auction, Power Beaming Earth Apps
Here are a few prize links that go beyond the space field (although space is a part of some of them):
X PRIZE Foundation Reveals Expanded Vision for Future; Prize Groups Aim to Solve World’s Problems By Targeting Four Key Areas - X PRIZE Foundation
Here are some of the prize subjects where it seems to me that space could play a role, depending on the details of the prize:
Climate Change: CO2 utilization/sequestration, ocean acidification, forest conservation, forest carbon measurement, emissions, climate modeling
Energy Distribution & Storage: transmission and distribution (e.g. smart grid), storage (grid level, end user, community), monitoring and measurement
Ocean Exploration: sensing (e.g. pH, temperature, current), mapping (e.g. floor, marine spatial mapping)
I could see space remote sensing playing a role with forest or other carbon measurements, climate modeling, ocean sensing, and ocean mapping. Power relay satellites might play a role in energy distribution, and there are more conventional energy distribution roles for satellites in telecommunications, environment monitoring, and space weather monitoring.
It would be great to be able to design a successful prize that addresses needs in 2 fields at the same time (like energy/environment and space, or ocean exploration and space), but we will have to wait to see the details of the prizes that make it through the prize development and funding process.
Space (or for the aircraft prizes, "aerospace") would obviously play a role with these:
Space Transportation: beamed power propulsion, hypersonic point to point, solar power satellite
Space Exploration: orbital debris, asteroid deflection
Aircraft Efficiency: electric/hybrid aircraft, alternative aviation fuels
The Carbon Dioxide Capture Technology Prize - Knowledge Ecology International - This is based on a bill, S.2744, that was introduced in the Senate in November 2009.
Methuselah Foundation Launches NewOrgan Prize - Methuselah Foundation Blog:
The first research team to construct a whole new complex organ (heart, kidney, liver, lung, pancreas) made from a person's own cells - one that is functionally equivalent and successfully transplanted - will be awarded the NewOrgan Prize.
A New Methuselah Foundation Prize: the NewOrgan Prize - Methuselah Foundation Blog
Evening with Prize4Life - Prize4Life:
This cocktail party and art showing will be held on May 20, from six o'clock to eight o'clock in the evening at Sotheby's Auction House, 1334 York Ave, New York, NY.
Beaming Power to UAVs, Space Elevators, and Someday, Earth: The LaserMotive Plan - Xconomy Seattle
We're probably most familiar with LaserMotive from the Space Elevator Games and aerospace applications like power beaming involving satellites or UAVs. However, there are some potential applications that are more down-to-Earth, too:
Other uses of LaserMotive’s technology are slightly further out, such as beaming power to disaster relief efforts like communication cells or makeshift field hospitals that might be set up after a massive earthquake or tsunami. And, in principle, the technology also could be used to beam power from the ground to satellites, military bases, or far-off weather stations.
New Website – Coming Very Soon! - LaserMotive
X PRIZE Foundation Reveals Expanded Vision for Future; Prize Groups Aim to Solve World’s Problems By Targeting Four Key Areas - X PRIZE Foundation
Here are some of the prize subjects where it seems to me that space could play a role, depending on the details of the prize:
Climate Change: CO2 utilization/sequestration, ocean acidification, forest conservation, forest carbon measurement, emissions, climate modeling
Energy Distribution & Storage: transmission and distribution (e.g. smart grid), storage (grid level, end user, community), monitoring and measurement
Ocean Exploration: sensing (e.g. pH, temperature, current), mapping (e.g. floor, marine spatial mapping)
I could see space remote sensing playing a role with forest or other carbon measurements, climate modeling, ocean sensing, and ocean mapping. Power relay satellites might play a role in energy distribution, and there are more conventional energy distribution roles for satellites in telecommunications, environment monitoring, and space weather monitoring.
It would be great to be able to design a successful prize that addresses needs in 2 fields at the same time (like energy/environment and space, or ocean exploration and space), but we will have to wait to see the details of the prizes that make it through the prize development and funding process.
Space (or for the aircraft prizes, "aerospace") would obviously play a role with these:
Space Transportation: beamed power propulsion, hypersonic point to point, solar power satellite
Space Exploration: orbital debris, asteroid deflection
Aircraft Efficiency: electric/hybrid aircraft, alternative aviation fuels
The Carbon Dioxide Capture Technology Prize - Knowledge Ecology International - This is based on a bill, S.2744, that was introduced in the Senate in November 2009.
Methuselah Foundation Launches NewOrgan Prize - Methuselah Foundation Blog:
The first research team to construct a whole new complex organ (heart, kidney, liver, lung, pancreas) made from a person's own cells - one that is functionally equivalent and successfully transplanted - will be awarded the NewOrgan Prize.
A New Methuselah Foundation Prize: the NewOrgan Prize - Methuselah Foundation Blog
Evening with Prize4Life - Prize4Life:
This cocktail party and art showing will be held on May 20, from six o'clock to eight o'clock in the evening at Sotheby's Auction House, 1334 York Ave, New York, NY.
Beaming Power to UAVs, Space Elevators, and Someday, Earth: The LaserMotive Plan - Xconomy Seattle
We're probably most familiar with LaserMotive from the Space Elevator Games and aerospace applications like power beaming involving satellites or UAVs. However, there are some potential applications that are more down-to-Earth, too:
Other uses of LaserMotive’s technology are slightly further out, such as beaming power to disaster relief efforts like communication cells or makeshift field hospitals that might be set up after a massive earthquake or tsunami. And, in principle, the technology also could be used to beam power from the ground to satellites, military bases, or far-off weather stations.
New Website – Coming Very Soon! - LaserMotive
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Weekend Twitter Update: Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundups, Madrid CanSats, Space Show, Beam Power Competition
@LunaCI: Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #12: http://is.gd/aVlDU Pretty active week around the GLXP :)
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #13!: http://is.gd/bc3Fj
@PTScientists: http://twitpic.com/1cvhky - I've got a cool new Jogging shirt! Thanks #SpaceX :-)
@glxp: "This is not your father's moon": NewScientist article on the state of lunar science http://bit.ly/d1AKUY (thx @iamjem)
@TeamPrometheus: Going back to Calli! With three launch Goals! Lander, Rockoon and Amatuer Altitude record! Not coming back to Texas... http://bit.ly/8XLjJd
Here's a couple Space Show interviews with prize themes (of course the interviews cover a lot of other ground, too):
Peter Homer - March 19th, 2010 (Astronaut Glove Challenge)
Dr. Paul Dear - March 26, 2010 (N-Prize)
The Space Elevator Games are still active:
Vertical no more - LaserMotive
Space Elevator Blog celebrates its 4 year anniversary - Space Elevator Blog
The McGill Space Elevator Team site has a new look. They're in the game for the 2010 competition:
We are currently working hard to finish our climber and power beaming laser system for the upcoming competition scheduled for May 2010. Be sure to visit our blog for frequent updates.
Lunar payloads for sale - Dispatches from the Final Frontier
CMU researchers aim for the moon by developing lunar rover - Pittsburgh Business Times
ECO-MARATHON ULM in Vichy - This is s competition for flying as far as possible using as little energy as possible.
2nd International CanSat Competition - DeSoto: ESA´s CanSat competition.
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #13!: http://is.gd/bc3Fj
@PTScientists: http://twitpic.com/1cvhky - I've got a cool new Jogging shirt! Thanks #SpaceX :-)
@glxp: "This is not your father's moon": NewScientist article on the state of lunar science http://bit.ly/d1AKUY (thx @iamjem)
@TeamPrometheus: Going back to Calli! With three launch Goals! Lander, Rockoon and Amatuer Altitude record! Not coming back to Texas... http://bit.ly/8XLjJd
Here's a couple Space Show interviews with prize themes (of course the interviews cover a lot of other ground, too):
Peter Homer - March 19th, 2010 (Astronaut Glove Challenge)
Dr. Paul Dear - March 26, 2010 (N-Prize)
The Space Elevator Games are still active:
Vertical no more - LaserMotive
Space Elevator Blog celebrates its 4 year anniversary - Space Elevator Blog
The McGill Space Elevator Team site has a new look. They're in the game for the 2010 competition:
We are currently working hard to finish our climber and power beaming laser system for the upcoming competition scheduled for May 2010. Be sure to visit our blog for frequent updates.
Lunar payloads for sale - Dispatches from the Final Frontier
CMU researchers aim for the moon by developing lunar rover - Pittsburgh Business Times
ECO-MARATHON ULM in Vichy - This is s competition for flying as far as possible using as little energy as possible.
2nd International CanSat Competition - DeSoto: ESA´s CanSat competition.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
FAR Testing, Peter Homer on Space Show, Intel Award, Lunar LaserMotive?, Space Entry in Art Contest, more
Here are a bunch of prize-related tweets from the last few days that caught my attention. Note that the date references in them (like "today") are most likely out of date.
The first batch is about some rocket testing by former Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge teams. I wouldn't be surprised if they have more tweets throughout the day. One convenient place you can check is the ngllc-teams twitter list.
@glxp: Rockets! Rockets! Rockets! New blog post: http://bit.ly/cLh1L1 #GLXP
@unrocket: Leaving for far eta 1230
At mojave am pm getting gas and fuel for the truck, 45 min to far
New gps ant mount, both lighter and stronger! http://yfrog.com/6u1obj
Blue Ball is ready, leaving for FAR in 11hrs, time enough to build new non-fragile GPS antenna mount. Off to the metal store....
@wikkit: Headed back out to FAR shortly. Will be camping under the stars guarding my rocket, maybe watch Moon on my laptop under the crescent moon.
@alias_amanda: http://twitpic.com/19mcz6 - Treasure map acquired -- 'X' marks the spot where rockets will be launching tomorrow.
@LaserMotive: In addition to UAVs, we've been having discussions with people interested in powering lunar rovers.
@FLspacereport: Teen Girl Wins $100,000 Intel Science Award with Spaceflight Project. http://bit.ly/bYA8oL
@LBourgeois1: forum.TeamFREDNET.org • View topic - Picorover http://bit.ly/ahy8tJ
@TeamPrometheus: I posted 3 photos on Facebook in the album "Gimbal" http://bit.ly/bOdSb6
jetlab: JPL Wins 'Green Building Award': JPL's environmentally friendly Flight Projects Center received a "Green Bui... http://bit.ly/b4dG9M
@PTScientists: @glxp new headcount we now got 40 Part Time Scientists!
@SpaceShow: Peter Homer, President & Founder of FLAGSUIT LLC, is the guest this morning, 9:30-11:30 AM PDT. Listen live at http://www.thespaceshow.com/.
Note: digitalart is the twitter account for Jim Plaxco:
@digitalart: BLUECANVAS Art Contest and New Art: With A Flourish The folks over at BLUECANVAS Magazine are having an art conte... http://bit.ly/b4fzoo
dmasten: An interesting view of today's free flight from @wikkit - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsO2YD9KV_I
http://twitpic.com/19ef6k and ready for free flight.
http://twitpic.com/19ee66 good flight. Prepping for free flight.
Heading out for a couple test flights today. http://twitpic.com/19dw2z
@arcaspace: Video journal entry 9 Videoclip from Mission 3 about Helen stage 1 being loaded onto 281 Constanta Navy ship. http://bit.ly/cfGhGe
@progautoxp: RT @PoulsenHybrid: Congrats to the 24 MIT Clean Energy Prize Semifinalist Teams. http://tinyurl.com/yelm8vz Who's your favorite?
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Prize Roundup: Suborbital Science Conference, GLXP Updates, Dutch CanSat, Beam Teams, Moon Trails, More
@glxp: We have a new addition to the #GLXP team and today is officially her 1st day! Super excited to introduce her to all of you.
@NextGiantLeap: New direct link to our facebook page: www.facebook.com/NextGiantLeap #GLXP
@PTScientists: http://twitpic.com/13l3xq - R2 of our Rover will feature many improvements
@Suborbi_Science: Some significant announcements expected at NSRC this week! Stay tuned, or better, come & hear the news 1st hand. http://tinyurl.com/yzpj6q6
Will any of these announcements be related to Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge teams? Ansari X PRIZE follow-on businesses? Student competitions? Maybe and maybe not, but you can could on there being a lot of presentations there related to prizes and prize teams - the conference program (PDF) already shows that.
CanSat competition - Thomas's Blog - This blog post links to the site for one of the teams competing in the Dutch CanSat competition.
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #10 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
Briefs: The budget wall; Lobbying for tech competition funding - RLV News
Here are a few news items on the Space Elevator Games climber/power beaming competition:
More from the KC Space Pirates… - The Space Elevator Blog
Welcome LaserMotive’s New Blogger! - LaserMotive
The Otis Diet - LaserMotive
On the automotive prize front:
Start your X Prize engines - COSMIC LOG
@NextGiantLeap: New direct link to our facebook page: www.facebook.com/NextGiantLeap #GLXP
@PTScientists: http://twitpic.com/13l3xq - R2 of our Rover will feature many improvements
@Suborbi_Science: Some significant announcements expected at NSRC this week! Stay tuned, or better, come & hear the news 1st hand. http://tinyurl.com/yzpj6q6
Will any of these announcements be related to Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge teams? Ansari X PRIZE follow-on businesses? Student competitions? Maybe and maybe not, but you can could on there being a lot of presentations there related to prizes and prize teams - the conference program (PDF) already shows that.
@EarthPic: Earth Science Picture of the Day: Moon Trails http://bit.ly/d6UCv5
May the Google Lunar X PRIZE teams blaze some Moon Trails of their own soon.CanSat competition - Thomas's Blog - This blog post links to the site for one of the teams competing in the Dutch CanSat competition.
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #10 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
Briefs: The budget wall; Lobbying for tech competition funding - RLV News
Here are a few news items on the Space Elevator Games climber/power beaming competition:
More from the KC Space Pirates… - The Space Elevator Blog
Welcome LaserMotive’s New Blogger! - LaserMotive
The Otis Diet - LaserMotive
On the automotive prize front:
Start your X Prize engines - COSMIC LOG
Thursday, January 21, 2010
CANSAT France, CMU Class, Dave Masten Trade Study, MSET, STELLAR Museum Event, More
@dmasten: For the rest of the day: aero estimations using DATCOM, then lots of CFD. If time tonight, write propellant trade study for @TeamFREDNET.
@glxp: Team @WhiteLabelSpace presents at the University of Tokyo: http://bit.ly/7XDxzo #GLXP
@dmasten: View from our shop parking lot this afternoon. http://twitpic.com/yrbvn
@NASAWatch: Teams Selected for 'Fly Your Thesis!' 2010 Microgravity Program http://bit.ly/568Y4Q
@mojaverocketguy: Ken just uploaed one of my favorite Xoie videos--our 195s flight in 30+ knot winds the day before the LLC competition: http://is.gd/6yqOu
@SoldTheMoon: CMU mobile robotics class under way today, with diverse student interests from mech E to cryogenic battery testing. A great group.
@mastenspace: welcomes @MattCannella to the Mojave desert!
@unrocket: Machined pieces for replacement bball landing gear, parts now at the welder. Haven't had the motivation to start the waiver paper work yet.
CANSAT France:
Where are we today? (PDF) - This shows the state of the CANSAT France competition, and includes a proposal for a European Cansat competion in 2011.
CANSAT - FRANCE - Proposed missions for the 2010 competition (PDF)
Mechanical Science and Engineering Team - This is a high school team that participates in the Vex Robotics Competition, First Robotics Competition, and Team America Rocketry Challenge, among other activities.
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #7 - Luna C/I
@ConradAwards: Check out our finalist teams at http://www.conradawards.org/
@Pomerantz: RT @michael_green: SEDS-UCF USLI (rocket for competition) Critical Design Review complete. nice 185 pages. PDF: http://tinyurl.com/y9pcxxf
@InnoCentiveCEO: New $30K InnoCentive Challenge! Lightning as an Alternative Energy Source http://bit.ly/5arIj3
@JUXTOPIA_JURBAN: Check out theWashington Post article on Ken Harvey, former Redskin and active member of the JURBAN team, on relieft efforts made in Haiti.
Here is the article http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/19/AR2010011904211.html
Astronauts on 'Roids - This is from the producers of Luna C/I. There is also twitter account @AstrosOnRoids.
Celebrate 20 Years of Astronomy at the Museum of Natural Sciences - Raleigh Downtowner Magazine - A lot of space events are planned, including this:
Visitors can also check the progress of TeamSTELLAR and their pursuit of the Google Lunar X Prize, a $30 million international competition to safely land a robot on the surface of the Moon; ...
@glxp: Team @WhiteLabelSpace presents at the University of Tokyo: http://bit.ly/7XDxzo #GLXP
@dmasten: View from our shop parking lot this afternoon. http://twitpic.com/yrbvn
@NASAWatch: Teams Selected for 'Fly Your Thesis!' 2010 Microgravity Program http://bit.ly/568Y4Q
@mojaverocketguy: Ken just uploaed one of my favorite Xoie videos--our 195s flight in 30+ knot winds the day before the LLC competition: http://is.gd/6yqOu
@SoldTheMoon: CMU mobile robotics class under way today, with diverse student interests from mech E to cryogenic battery testing. A great group.
@mastenspace: welcomes @MattCannella to the Mojave desert!
@unrocket: Machined pieces for replacement bball landing gear, parts now at the welder. Haven't had the motivation to start the waiver paper work yet.
CANSAT France:
Where are we today? (PDF) - This shows the state of the CANSAT France competition, and includes a proposal for a European Cansat competion in 2011.
CANSAT - FRANCE - Proposed missions for the 2010 competition (PDF)
Mechanical Science and Engineering Team - This is a high school team that participates in the Vex Robotics Competition, First Robotics Competition, and Team America Rocketry Challenge, among other activities.
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #7 - Luna C/I
@ConradAwards: Check out our finalist teams at http://www.conradawards.org/
@Pomerantz: RT @michael_green: SEDS-UCF USLI (rocket for competition) Critical Design Review complete. nice 185 pages. PDF: http://tinyurl.com/y9pcxxf
@InnoCentiveCEO: New $30K InnoCentive Challenge! Lightning as an Alternative Energy Source http://bit.ly/5arIj3
@JUXTOPIA_JURBAN: Check out theWashington Post article on Ken Harvey, former Redskin and active member of the JURBAN team, on relieft efforts made in Haiti.
Here is the article http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/19/AR2010011904211.html
Astronauts on 'Roids - This is from the producers of Luna C/I. There is also twitter account @AstrosOnRoids.
Celebrate 20 Years of Astronomy at the Museum of Natural Sciences - Raleigh Downtowner Magazine - A lot of space events are planned, including this:
Visitors can also check the progress of TeamSTELLAR and their pursuit of the Google Lunar X Prize, a $30 million international competition to safely land a robot on the surface of the Moon; ...
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Prize Tweet Collection and Some Speculation
@doug_comstock - NASA Year in Review 2009, 15 highlights include IPP's Spinoffs and Prize winning rockets! Vote for your favorite: http://tinyurl.com/NASA09
@ad_astra2 - Yay X PRIZE Lab students!] RT @MITNews: How to spur energy storage innovations (an X-prize maybe?): http://tinyurl.com/ydnc3ak
@fineri - http://twitpic.com/t9mj5 - Suborbital rocket design, many a long night spent on solidworks! good to start building.
@makerfaire - Maker Faire gets sustainability award nomination: We just found out that Maker Faire Bay Area has been nominated ... http://bit.ly/5aHfnE
@AirshipZ - NASA Green Aviation Workshop Report Published ~ Airship Z-Prize project included on page 18 http://ow.ly/LJnI
@lunaci - Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #4 is up! http://is.gd/5tfkc Merry GLXP-mas :)
@unrocket - Going out to far to watch rockets and for xmas bbq and to pick up blue ball.
@lksurley - X PRIZE and Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge mentioned in NASA Year in Review AND Discover lists X PRIZE in Top 100 Stories of 2009.
@soldthemoon - The Science Insider about Obama's decision also says landers and habs go to intl. partners - would reduce NASA interest in GLXP services.
That last one is fun to speculate about. Here's my take on it. The Augustine Committee final report suggested using commercial services such as derivatives of Google Lunar X PRIZE and Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge capabilities in the Flexible Path for some lunar lander components when commercial capabilities have matured enough to enable such components. I could see several scenarios related to the above tweet:
@ad_astra2 - Yay X PRIZE Lab students!] RT @MITNews: How to spur energy storage innovations (an X-prize maybe?): http://tinyurl.com/ydnc3ak
@fineri - http://twitpic.com/t9mj5 - Suborbital rocket design, many a long night spent on solidworks! good to start building.
@makerfaire - Maker Faire gets sustainability award nomination: We just found out that Maker Faire Bay Area has been nominated ... http://bit.ly/5aHfnE
@AirshipZ - NASA Green Aviation Workshop Report Published ~ Airship Z-Prize project included on page 18 http://ow.ly/LJnI
@lunaci - Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #4 is up! http://is.gd/5tfkc Merry GLXP-mas :)
@unrocket - Going out to far to watch rockets and for xmas bbq and to pick up blue ball.
@lksurley - X PRIZE and Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge mentioned in NASA Year in Review AND Discover lists X PRIZE in Top 100 Stories of 2009.
@soldthemoon - The Science Insider about Obama's decision also says landers and habs go to intl. partners - would reduce NASA interest in GLXP services.
That last one is fun to speculate about. Here's my take on it. The Augustine Committee final report suggested using commercial services such as derivatives of Google Lunar X PRIZE and Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge capabilities in the Flexible Path for some lunar lander components when commercial capabilities have matured enough to enable such components. I could see several scenarios related to the above tweet:
- NASA is seriously interested in lunar surface work, and is just bringing in international participation to allow more overall achievements in deep space and on the lunar surface. In this case lunar robotics derived from the Google Lunar X PRIZE would still be of great interest to NASA. Also, international partners could still encourage commercial participation in the international landers.
- NASA is not interested in lunar surface work, and just wants to check off a few boxes (Earth-Moon Lagrange Points, lunar orbit, lunar surface) on the Flexible Path on its way to more distant destinations. International partners are interested in the lunar surface. In this case lunar robotics derived from the Google Lunar X PRIZE wouldn't be of as much interest to NASA. However, commercial lunar robotics and commercial lunar lander components would be of interest to the international partners building the landers and habs. It's important to remember that the Google Lunar X PRIZE is an international competition.
- NASA is not interested in lunar surface work, and neither are the international partners - or at least not enough to develop astronaut lunar landers. In this case, there is no opportunity for commercial participation in the astronaut lunar lander since it wouldn't be built. However, there still could be enough interest in the lunar surface in NASA and/or in international partner agencies to result in space agency interest in commercial lunar surface robotics, since this would presumably be considerably cheaper than astronaut landers. The work from these robots could result in later increased interest in astronauts on the Moon from the space agencies.
- NASA is interested in sharing costs with international partners, and is seriously interested in the lunar surface, but the partners aren't interested in the lunar lander role. In this case, we are back to the Augustine Committee Flexible Path recommendation with NASA lunar landers involving commercial components.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
