Space Prize Roundup: University Rover Challenge, Space Apps, CanSat, High Altitude Astrobiology, More

The University Rover Challenge is scheduled to start on May 31.  You can find a lot more information on the URC Teams page, which links to the sites for all of the teams.  Google Lunar X PRIZE team JURBAN is one of the teams through Johns Hopkins University.

Kevin Sloan interview on the University Rover Challenge - The Space Show

OSTP Sees NASA As Leader In Offering Prizes - NASA Watch

The 6 Space App Challenge winners that want to change the world - DVICE.com

Announcing the Opening of the 2012 Humans in Space Youth Art Competition: Winners' Artwork to be Displayed and Performed Worldwide - SpaceRef - See HumansInSpaceArt on Facebook
for examples of the artwork, presumably from previous years' competitions.

5/12/2012: Laramie Rose Free Flight - SpeedUp - I didn't write up the SpeedUp presentation at Space Access because I missed it when there was a change in the schedule there, so I'm glad to be able to link to this.

AISR CanSat Competition - Nina Markham on YouTube

Masten Space fires new Katana engine - RLV News

Briefs: Jordin Kare interview; KSC master plan - RLV News

Citizens in Space opens High Altitude Astrobiology Challenge - RLV News

XCOR announces Lynx suborbital flight winner - RLV News

2011 Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court competition finals - Space for All

Space Access '12: A Conference Warmup Roundup

After a long break from posting on Space Prizes, my post backlog is a bit too huge to handle all in one post, so I plan to do some "roundup with a theme" posts.  This post's theme is the Space Access '12 Conference.  It's a good time for this theme, since the Space Show's lineup for this week includes Henry Vanderbilt, who will discuss the 2012 Space Access Society meeting on the radio show today.  The conference itself is scheduled to start April 12.  Many of the presenters at this conference are, or have been, involved with various space prizes (the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge being a prominent example).  Let's take a look at what some of this year's presenters with space prize backgrounds have been up to lately, borrowing heading links straight out of the Space Access '12 agenda.

Altius Space Machines, Jon Goff

New Moonandback Interviews - Altius Space Machines

Armadillo Aerospace

Second Flight of Stiga - Armadillo Aerospace gives a detailed and entertaining description of the flight and subsequent shovel-less shovel recovery.  The post ends with a hint about what to expect next from the team.
More on Armadillo STIG-A flight - RLV News
Florida team pursues Carmack Prize - RLV News
Briefs: Latest ATREX launch target; Project Ursa aims for Carmack Prize - RLV News
NASA selects expt. payloads for commercial suborbital flights - RLV News (This one is relevant to both Armadillo Aerospace and Masten Space Systems) 

Lasermotive, Jordin Kare

LaserMotive: Working the paths at the DoD - LaserMotive
LaserMotive Marks Five Years Pioneering Wireless Power Technology - LaserMotive
Student Science Fair Project Studying Power Beaming - LaserMotive

LaserMotive is also mentioned briefly in this Space Elevator Blog post: JSETEC ‘11

Masten Space, Dave Masten

Why Precision Landing? - Masten Space Systems
Masten's Xaero extended hover test - RLV News
SpaceUp San Diego review - RLV News - This includes a talk by Dave Masten.
Masten Xaero free flight - RLV News
Draper flies Masten's Zombie with GENIE guidance system - RLV News
Masten Space's XEUS lunar lander system - RLV News
Briefs: More on Xombie & Draper; Steve Brody pt. 3 - RLV News
Briefs: Q&A with Masten Space; Alaskan rocket launch - RLV News
Masten's Xaero did 61m free flight on Feb.17th - RLV News

Tim Pickens, Rocket City Space Pioneers GLXP Project

Fourth Graders Name Rocket City Space Pioneers' Lander "Spirit of Alabama" - Rocket City Space Pioneers Blog
Rocket City Space Pioneers Team Member Participates in Electric Car Competition - Rocket City Space Pioneers Blog

Team Phoenicia, Will Baird

Team Phoenicia Wins $1 Million Contract - Team Phoenicia announces an arrangement with Nova Rocketcraft, which is interested in the Nanosatellite Launch Challenge.
Team JURBAN Selects Team Phoenicia Engines for GLXP Lander - Team Phoenicia

You can also see a number of recent rocket test videos and component pictures at the Phoenicia blog.

Team Phoenicia set up the Nanosatellite Launch Challenge seminars.  One of the teams, Vog Rockets, links to one of Phoenicia's seminar recordings in this post: The Team Phoenicia/Techshop Nanosat Launcher Seminar Video: Vog Rockets 

Speedup, Robert Steinke 

Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, Sara Meschberger

2nd Annual SEDS High-Powered Rocketry Competition Announcement - SEDS

Unreasonable Rocket, Paul Breed

Quick Update... - Unreasonable Rocket - This post covers a lot of ground, including a possible "show and tell" topic at the SA '12 conference.
Ideas about business and a request for feedback... - Unreasonable Rocket

Space Prize Roundup: Shredder Challenge, Cost Saving Idea, Nanosat Allied Org, LEAG, more

This isn't a space prize, but it's an interesting one nonetheless: the DARPA Shredder Challenge.

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White House Selects NASA Idea for Savings - Lori Garver at NASA discusses the NASA finalist for the SAVE Award.

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YouTube Space Lab Competition Expands Panel of Prestigious Judges: YouTube and Lenovo Tap Renowned Science and Technology Experts to Ignite Students' Interest in Space - press release at CNBC - The new Teachers in Space effort is well represented.

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NASA And Space Florida Small Satellite Research Center Partner In Space Launch Challenge - This is a NASA press release on the long-awaited selection of the allied organization for the $2M Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge


2nd Nanosat Launcher Challenge Seminar Draft Agenda Updated 11/2/2011 - Team Phoenicia presents the latest update on the schedule for the Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge seminar.  This includes Space Florida, NASA representatives, spaceports, potential suppliers and teams, and more.  The seminar is this weekend, and a parallel seminar covers NASA's other Centennial Challenges.

@unrocket: Saturday I'm going to NanoSat conference. I really like this particular Centennial challenge, IMHO best one yet.. (http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/early_stage_innovation/centennial_challenges/nano_satellite/index.html)

Space Florida promises Virgin Galactic payloads - Florida Today shows that Space Florida is keeping busy with space prize activity.  The researcher and payloads for the suborbital flight will be selected using a competition.  Part of the competition will be for Florida university students.

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NASA 2011 OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Video Contest - SpaceRef notes that registration is now open for the 2011 version of this contest.

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Teams selected for the 2012 CanSat competition - ESA on the high school finalists for the European CanSat competition

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NASA prepares for moon tourism - USA Today

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Rules have been updated - Sample Return Robot Challenge - WPI

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WSJ Innovator of the Year in Tech award for Elon Musk - RLV News

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Finding Commercial Applications for Laser Power Designed for Space - Space News

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FUTURE MISSIONS OF EXPLORATION AND SCIENCE (PDF)
FORGING INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS I: COMMERCIAL LUNAR EXPLORATION (PDF) - The LEAG (Lunar Exploration Analysis Group) meeting agenda includes X PRIZE Foundation and Google Lunar X PRIZE team participation.

Notables sign letter to Congress in support of Commercial Crew - RLV News - This includes representatives of the X PRIZE Foundation and Google Lunar X PRIZE teams.

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Here is some news about some former Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge competitors, including their latest work and the Carmack 100kft Micro Prize:

Armadillo Stig-A rocket video
Briefs: Armadillo rocket snapshot; New Virgin Galactic vid
Masten Space update
Armadillo Stig snapshot
Briefs: Ben Brockert interview; Derek Deville interview
Briefs: Ben Brockert pt. 2; Ken Murphy interview
Derek Deville's Qu8k rocket in USA Today
Unreasonable composite tank test - all from RLV News

Prize Roundup: 100kft Prize, Crater Finder, Sample Agreement, AIAA Booster Plane, Debris Removal, and Prop Depot Designs, More

The Carmack 100kft Micro Prize - Armadillo Aerospace - Currently one launch attempt is scheduled, the Proteus 7 sounding rocket, at the Tripoli Rocket Association's Black Rock Desert high power rocket event.

NASA Tournament Lab: Open Innovation On-Demand - OSTP Blog discusses NASA's prize and open innovation work, including the recent NASA Tournament Lab announcement of the winner of a contest to create ideas to automate detection of craters.

Competition Shines Light on Dark Matter - OSTP Blog

Team Agreement – For Review - Sample Return Robot Challenge

HeinleinPrizeTrust - YouTube - The Heinlein Prize Trust YouTube channel has some newly uploaded videos of the 2011 Heinlein Prize Award ceremony to Elon Musk.

The 2010-2011 academic year's AIAA Design Competitions include a Low-Cost Access to Space Booster Aircraft, an Orbital Debris Removal Spacecraft, and a Propellant Depot Design and Analysis of Economic Benefit.

The next 2 links are from the Science in School - Competitions page.

Entries wanted for the 2012 European CanSat competition - ESA

Explore the dynamic high-energy Universe – competition for secondary students - ESA - The competition is open to secondary students from "ESA Member States and Cooperating States, Russia and the USA".

A Busy Summer Looms for Masten - Parabolic Arc describes a highlight in a visit to Mojave.

Google Lunar X Prize Appoints New Senior Director - Parabolic Arc presents a press release on the new director of the Google Lunar X PRIZE.

Altius Selected as Finalist for the 2011 NewSpace Business Plan Competition - Altius Space Machines (link from RLV News)

We-Are-Space Video Contest Finalists Now Online - Space Frontier Foundation (link from Space for All)

NASA/Etsy Space Craft winner's work on Atlantis - Space for All

Prize Roundup: Heinlein Prize, International Rocketry Challenge, CanSat winners, SEDS Conference, More

Heinlein Prize Honors Elon Musk of SpaceX - Heinlein Prize Trust

06/16/2011: Swing Test - SpeedUp

NASA And DARPA Offer Students Chance To Support Future Missions - NASA - This is for the Zero Robotics competition using floating SPHERES platforms on the International Space Station

The CanSat Competition has posted their 2011 Competition Winners and 2011 Cansat Photos.  Also, the 2012 mission has already been identified: Mission: Planetary Atmospheric Entry Vehicle.

Raytheon has a number of posts about the International Rocketry Challenge at the International Paris Air Show.  You can see all of them at their 2011 Paris Air Show - Team America Rocketry Challenge tag.  The most recent post is Raytheon-Sponsored Texas High School Team Wins International Rocket Fly-Off at Paris Air Show.

Northrop Grumman Announces Student Winners of Fourth Annual Engineering Scholars Program for Woodland Hills Facility - SpaceRef

SEDS Space Vision 2011 - RLV News - The early Speakers list for the conference includes a number of people with prize connections: Bill Nye (Executive Director of the Planetary Society, which has held a number of space competitions like the Apophis Mission Design Competition and numerous contests with themes like space art and mission names), Robert Richards (a Google Lunar X PRIZE competitor), Will Pomerantz (formerly of the X PRIZE Foundation), Jon Goff (who was part of the winning Masten Space Systems Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge team), and Ben Brockert (also from the Masten NG-LLC team, and now a member of another prize-winning NG-LLC team, Armadillo Aerospace).

Team Phoenicia sells first engine - RLV News

Briefs: Masten intern jobs; Langley lifting body event; Bruce Cordell interview - RLV News

White Label Space starts testing engines - RLV News

The next 2 links are from @ChallengeGov:

Now this is a cool ride! - The White House Blog discusses the Experimental Crowd-derived Combat-support Vehicle (XC2V).

The latest International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge opened on May 31. 

A TEA Party organization called TEA Party in Space has a platform that includes the following plank:

NASA shall use competitions and prizes whenever feasible to stimulate the private sector, including individual American inventors, to achieve innovative and affordable solutions to technological challenges.

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.

Space Access '11: Masten Space Systems - Dave Masten

In the past year, Masten Space has been building their team, focusing more on the business side, but still making substantial technology achievements.  They have 4 new engineers, and 3 new business people.

On the technology side, they did the first VTVL relight, worked on the CRuSR conract, won a plume impingement SBIR where they can use Mars or lunar simulant to study landers and effects on regolith, worked on thei Scimitar engine, and flew Xaero which is capable of 30 km flight.  On the business side, since they are working on contracts, they have a strong customer focus.  They also got a Letter of Intent with Space Florida.

Dave gave some technical details on the Scimitar engine.

For CRuSR, they plan a 5 km flight in the 2nd quarter of 2011.

Their 2011 technology focus is on a rigid control system, getting Xaero to 30 km, put Scimitar on the vehicle, do Katana engine tests (Katana is a new engine), Xogdar build out, and customer projects.

They plan to continue developing their customer focus, increase sales and growth, make their back office smooth, and expand their investors.

Q: Why Florida?

A: There is an experienced work force that will be available with Shuttle retirement.  Also, there are problems with places where they can fly.  Mojave is just for research and development flights.  Spaceport America in New Mexico has difficult scheduling problems with White Sands Missile Range.  Florida is the most airspace-friendly.  Also, Florida is giving business incentives.

Q: What's the timeline for the 30 km flight, and is there a backup plan in case of a crash?

A: Ideally they would have the flight by September for the end of the fiscal year.  If there was a crash, they could rebuild with spare parts.

Prize Roundup: FAA Space Access Prize? Space Elevator, ISDC, NSRC Student Prize, More

FAA 2012 budget proposal includes space access prize - Space Politics

Here are 3 updates that mix in some other topics with information about competitions with a Space Elevator theme:

An oldie but goodie… - The Space Elevator Blog

Call for Papers for the 2011 Space Elevator Conference - The Space Elevator Reference

Moving Forward In March - LaserMotive

Need your help: A GLXP Panel at International Space Development Conference (ISDC 2011) - Evadot

Allure From Afar: 1st Prize Student Essay at the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference, 2011 - SpaceRef

NASA recruiting sponsors for new high-tech competitions - Network World / Layer 8

The following RLV News set includes a number of Armadillo and Unreasonable Rocket updates:

Briefs: Paul Breed interview Pt.2; Stig at sunset; REL update
Briefs: Blue Origin article; Stig + team; CSF hails NSRC
Packing up Stig
Briefs: Unreasonable interview; Andrews Space gets Reusable Booster study contract
Armadillo nosecone/parachute deployment test video
NSRC 2011: Monday afternoon - Suborbital provider session
Armadillo video of the Tube Rocket preparations

Prize Roundup: Canadian Sat Challenge,UCF Conference, Prometheus Activity, EAA Electric Planes, More

Seven Entries for EAA's Electric Flight Prize - EAA AirVenture 2011

USST, the University of Saskatchewan Space Design Team, was one of the prominent Space Elevator Games climber teams.  They are also participating in another competition, the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge.

Ladies and Gentleman, Start Your Rocket Engines - Peter Diamandis at The Huffington Post

Future of Space Tourism, Research Will Be Focus of Conference - University of Central Florida Newsroom

GPS progress.... - Unreasonable Rocket

Team Prometheus had a number of interesting tweets recently.  Here are a couple of them:

@TeamPrometheus: John Carmack of Armadillo Aerospace just agreed to donate $5000 to Team Prometheus to launch the Prometheus III... http://fb.me/V84sgdTG

@TeamPrometheus: I uploaded a YouTube video -- "Q" motor Static test http://youtu.be/Qt6nYh27BAQ?a

@tedprize: Check out this story from NPR on "Tuning In Space Noise For Sounds Of Life". Includes interview w/ Jill Tarter. http://n.pr/gguVPI

@evadot: Working on a proposed #GLXP panel for ISDC 2011. Would be nice if some teams could come. I know @rcspacepioneers and @ptscientists are.

@sedsusa: SEDS-USA is happy to announce the SEDS 2011 High-Powered Rocketry Competition! Full rules and details can be found at http://bit.ly/gAMsb1

@dmasten: A little Xaero flying action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=H8rOcDW4Pbk

@FLspacereport: Anousheh Ansari, private-sector astronaut, gives keynote address today at @EmbryRiddle for Engineering Week.

@National Engineers Week at Embry-Riddle Features Anousheh Ansari, Space Explorer and X Prize Creator - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University News Center - This news release gives more information about the keynote speech and some competitions at Engineers Week.

@wikkit: Need a good machine shop? Nosala Engineering has been used by Armadillo, Altius, XCOR, and Masten. http://nosala.com/ Wnosala@aol.com

Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge Teams Roundup

Many of the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge teams are still quite active.  Here's another update on some of those teams.  This is an impressive week of activity, considering that many of the RLV News posts cover more than one topic.

Armadillo Aerospace update - RLV News - This one features a post by Ben Brockert on the new tube rocket.

Armadillo Aerospace photos - RLV News

Getting ready for big hot flamey stuff at Armadillo - RLV News - This one was also updated to include some Masten pictures.

Briefs: A SS1 for the backyard; A historic Armadillo rocket - RLV News

Briefs: Masten engine test; Armadillo engine test - RLV News

Here's more about the Masten engine test mentioned above:

@ikluft: Preparing for @mastenspace static rocket engine firing test at #Mojave http://twitpic.com/3tc2yn 

I got to watch today... successful @mastenspace rocket engine static test - 3 firings

From an earlier tweet I'm guessing that this next one happened a couple days after the ones above:

@dmasten: Yep, #thrust. Looked like a good run. We're testing engine extremes. http://twitpic.com/3ty726

Briefs: Speed Up update; Alaskan sounding rockets - RLV News

Mr. Bezos, "please don't be evil" - RLV News - This one covers a post at Unreasonable Rocket about patents and openness.

Some Armadillo Q and A - RLV News

@mastenspace: January 30 is the deadline for @mastenspace summer internships! Apply now! Exciting time in sRLV dev / flight testing! http://bit.ly/cAemQk

@spaceberger: After 2 weeks in Mojave, I'm heading home. Had a great time working w/ @mastenspace. Plenty still to do though! Bring it on!

Team Phoenicia continues its series of Zephyr Aurora updates:

• Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [34]
• Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [33]
• Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [32] 

@wikkit : James welding inside the tube rocket. http://twitpic.com/3tzj6n

So how bad do you think it would make me look if I was to webcast an engine test and the engine destroyed itself?

Dual-Fluid Single-Launch Propellant Depots - Selenian Boondocks

The 2011 Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference will be held in a few weeks - February 28 - March 2.  Here is the preliminary program.  The preliminary program includes a student competition session with a Masten Student Prizes Address by Colin Ake, presentations on the Student Suborbital Experiment and Student Essay, and awards.  The program also includes an update session on flight provider program status, with Dave Masten representing Masten Space Systems and Neil Milburn representing Armadillo Aerospace.  Blue Origin, XCOR Aerospace, and Virgin Galactic are also represented.  The conference covers many other topics, too - check the preliminary program for more information.

With all of this activity from the teams long after the prizes, I wonder how much interest there would be in another variant on a lunar lander challenge?

European Space Elevator Challenge, Masten Spotlight, Video Contest, More

I'm going to start a bit off-topic today.  Part of yesterday's post involved propellant depots and satellite servicing.  Here's some related news (via @spacevidcast):

NASA Awards Systems Engineering Contract For In-Space Servicing - NASA - The contract is for support of 2 Goddard Space Flight Center-led technology demonstrations at the ISS:

The first demonstration will use a customized payload task box, Dextre and specialized tools to robotically demonstrate refueling and repair tasks in orbit. Tasks will include locating, accessing and uncapping valves and transferring simulated liquid fuel. During the second demonstration, Dextre will test and evaluate a variety of tools, sensors and instruments to support autonomous rendezvous and capture capabilities for orbiting spacecraft systems.

And now back to the prizes and prize teams!

Suborbital Spotlight: Masten’s Xaero and Xogdor Vehicles - Parabolic Arc

Way out of the box presure system... - Unreasonable Rocket

PET third stage COTS tank - Unreasonable Rocket

The Leeward Space Foundation - The Space Elevator Blog

@SEGames: Europe will hold its first Space Elevator Challenge June 10-12, 2011. Details here: http://eusec.warr.de/

@JUXTOPIA_JURBAN: It gives me great pleasure to announce that the Space Act Agreement Between Juxtopia and NASA has been signed. Congratulations!!!!!!!!

@NASA: Students: Reminder - time is running out to submit videos in the OPTIMUS PRIME Video Contest about NASA Technology http://go.nasa.gov/fWfWfZ

Prize Roundup: Phoenicia History, NW Startup Win, Rover Captions, SBIR, More

IEEE Presentation: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Launch Pad - Check out the presentation within this Team Phoenicia blog post.  It has a lot of interesting information about the team.

Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [21] - Team Phoenicia

@LaserMotive: LaserMotive won the NW Startup Demo, beating out some other very good demos.

@MarsRovers: Here are the winning entries from the Oppy caption contest. Drumroll, please: http://on.fb.me/g5WsT0

@jetlab: Students Bounce to the Top at JPL Competition: With rubber band contraptions, leaf blowers, balloons and o... http://bit.ly/hmy1TQ

Internacional Cansat Competition 2011 - coming soon ...

Briefs: Masten Space's SBIR; Rocket City Space Pioneers update - RLV News

NASA SBIRs, TARC Survey, Moonbuggy Is On, ZeroG Photos, More

@wikkit: Congrats to new space! Altius, Firestar, Masten, MicroSpace, Microcosm, Ventions, and XCOR, Nasa SBIR phase 1 negotiation http://is.gd/iplGs

Here are some examples that caught my eye:

An ElectroAdhesive "Stick Boom" for Mars Sample Return Orbiting Sample Capture - Altius Space Machines, Inc.
Petal Brake Hypersonic Entry System - Andrews Space, Inc.
Cryogenic Composite Tank Fabrication for Reusable Launch Vehicles - XCOR Aerospace
Terrestrial Plume Impingement Testbed - Masten Space Systems, Inc.- Google Lunar X PRIZE team needs are described in the "Potential Non-NASA Commercial Applications" section.

@FLspacereport: Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) survey seeks your input for program improvement. http://bit.ly/euLL9B

@MOONBUGGYRACE: Registration is still open for 18th NASA Great Moonbuggy Race April 1-2, 2011! Sign up now! http://bit.ly/gRl97z

@SLI_1MILEHIGH: We're getting ready to fly! Student rocketeers nationwide set for 2010-11 NASA Student Launch Projects! http://bit.ly/gy06Bs

@ConradAwards: Get Your Genius On! http://ow.ly/3lRXB

@NASActo: 6th-12th graders: Submit your designs for a human colony in outer space by 3/15/11 for a chance to win $3k! http://bit.ly/dLlXlo #NASA

@GoZeroG: Top 10 Announcement for the 2010 Weightless Photo Competitio... http://conta.cc/hsLJj0 via #constantcontact

@unrocket: Ed LeBouthillier's pictures from FAR yesterday: http://www.flickr.com/photos/neutronium/sets/72157625409987503/ The tiny motor is ours.

@MoonbaseX: Yahoo! News has just featured MoonbaseX's "Fly Me to the Moon" SMS campaign! If you're in the UK, find out how to join... http://ow.ly/3mc24

Prize Roundup: Free Trips, Launch or Fizzle?, Zephyr Aurora, LEGO ISS Challenge?, NASA Crowdsourcing

Win a Free Trip to Space - Discovery News

Space Tourism: Will it go far or fizzle out? - NewSpace Magazine - This is an overview that features several companies involved with space prizes in one way or another.

NASA Launches Innovative Approach to Solve Old Challenges - NASA Ames shows how NASA is using crowdsourcing and InnoCentive internally to solve 3 challenges:

"NASA InternSpace" ... NASA Ames is considering developing a customized social networking and new media communications platform for use by NASA interns, mentors, and managers. ...
"Low Impact Robotic Sensor Platform for Land Survey" ... This challenge is seeking brainstorms and "eureka moments" for alternative sensor platforms. ...
"Measuring Gas Concentrations in Microliter Samples" ... Suggestions are being sought for a new small device (<10 cm3) capable of measuring key gas concentrations in small volumes (10-500 microliters) of gaseous samples.

Team Phoenicia has some new photos:

• Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [16]
• Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [15]
• Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [14]
• Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [13]
• Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [12]

I'm curious what the LEGO ® Challenge (coming soon) featured on the NASA International Space Station National Laboratory page sidebar is about.  Any more hints?

Space Snowflakes, Health/Biology Prizes, Many Masten Assignments, More

@NASAGoddard: RT @NASAblueshift: We're having a snowflake contest! Details: http://bit.ly/gWhJI9

@TheRealBuzz: Check out photo of Danny DeVito and me at his house for the XPrize party that he and Rhea hosted 2 wks ago http://tinyurl.com/38y32u4

@ PeterDiamandis: In DC, full day of mtgs w/ OSTP, FDA, DARPA, VA on AI Physician, Bionics + Genomics X PRIZEs. Excited about moving these XPs forward!

@dmasten: Today is trying to drink from a firehose. Reviewed a briefing, sketch for FAA, code for gear and transponder, range safety documents...
 
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #38 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration

Prize Roundup: Unreasonable Prize Plans, Government Prize Forum, Kiwi2Space Engine Test, More

Team Phoenicia/Techshop Nanosat Launcher Challenge Seminar Presentations - Team Phoenicia - I'm updating the links on the right in the "NanoSat Launch Sites and Teams" section to point to this.

Ways to save the world... and more Rockets - Unreasonable Rocket comments on the Nanosatellite Launcher Challenge Seminar, Unreasonable plans for that challenge, Unreasonable weekend plans, and Lawrenceville Plasma Physics.  Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge team SpeedUp's President Bob Steinke is on the LPP team.

This was tweeted yesterday:

@NASAPrize: At Potomac Forum on Govt use of prizes and challenges at Williar Hotel in DC, talking about NASA's prize challenges

Here's more information on yesterday's forum:

Implementing OMB Guidance on the Use of Challenges and Prizes to Promote Innovative, Accountable and Open Government - Potomacforum.org

Updated information for EuSEC - Europe’s first Space Elevator Challenge - The Space Elevator Blog

Check out the new look:

@dmasten: Getting close to flight test. http://twitpic.com/35y1ws

More progress. http://twitpic.com/3608vk

More About That Second Contract - Jon Goff at Altius Space Systems

@fineri: Pictures of the engine test here: http://picasaweb.google.com/kiwi2space/RATTWorksL600PolyurethaneFuelTest#

Polyurethane hybrid fuel test carried out tonight, video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unuiuBln3yU

Prize Roundup: Nanosat Launcher Seminar, Starting a Startup, Micro-G Challenge, More

@LunaCI: Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #36: http://bit.ly/cJFux6 The GLXP loses a leader, but his dream lives on...

Here's more about the Nanosat Launcher Challenge Seminar, which is scheduled to take place today:

@rocketrepreneur: After a nice full 12hr day at the Altius office, I made the drive out to DIA, on my way to the Nanosat LV Seminar tomorrow.

@NASAPrize: Going to Nano-Sat Launch Challenge seminar at Tech Shop in Menlo Park, CA on Saturday. See http://techshop.ws/Upcoming_Events.html

Team Phoenicia/Techshop Nanosat Launcher Seminar: Final Update - Team Phoenicia

If you can't go, don't forget this from an earlier Team Phoenicia post:

We will be posting the Nanosat Launcher Challenge Seminar presentations on youtube to the Team Phoenicia channel.

@ISS_Research: 1/3 NASA’s seeks proposal submissions from 5th-8th graders for 2011 Kids in Micro-g challenge, due 12/8.

2/3 The crew will perform winning experiments onboard ISS: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/nlab/experimentchallenge.html
 
3/3 To learn more about entering the 2011 challenge, contact the ISS Payloads Office at jsc-iss-payloads-helpline@mail.nasa.gov.

Five Control Loops - Jon Goff at Altius Space Systems shows what it's like to juggle multiple jobs in the processing of starting a new space business.

@ikluft: 1 yr ago: 1st place in Lunar Lander #XPrize awarded to @MastenSpace on Capitol Hill. My pics: http://is.gd/gJO4I #newspace

Prize Roundup: Nanosat Launch Seminar, Centennial Winners Keep Going, ZeroG Pictures, More

As the Nanosatellite Launch Challenge Seminar this weekend approaches, the news continues:

Team Phoenicia/Techshop Nanosat Launcher Challenge Seminar: Gathering Questions - Team Phoenicia:

The FAA-AST has asked Team Phoenicia to gather questions that the community would like answered for their part of the challenge.

Nanosat Launcher Challenge Seminar: Agenda Change (11/1/10) - Team Phoenicia

Getting closer - Vog Rockets

@TeamPrometheus - Getting ready to go to the conference for the NASA Centennial Challenge Nanosat contest! Go! Team Prometheus!

Several past Centennial Challenge winners are keeping themselves in the spotlight.  LaserMotive is getting a lot of press and staying active:

@LaserMotive: Regardless of how our pitch is received, I overcame my mental glitches and delivered a good presentation today.

Copter sets a laser-powered record - Cosmic Log

Laser-Powered Helicopter Breaks Records, Is Pretty Cute - Discover

Nov 2nd Update: Joining “The Vault” - Altius Space Machines

NASA’s Quest to Send a Robot to the Moon - The New York Times features Armadillo Aerospace in part of this article.

@paulsrobotics: Moonraker will be dropping the first puck this Friday @ Worcester Sharks! Buy tix through me to support FRC190. Check out the #omgrobots

Of course there's plenty of prize news from other sources, too:

@GoZeroG: 2010 Weightless Photo Competition http://conta.cc/aBapiz via #constantcontact

@sedsusa: The SEDS-USA Video Contest is finished. Thanks to everyone who submitted! Comment on your favorites - http://bit.ly/c6nNxe

CPM TV Pre-Launch Test Phase Begins - Synergy Moon on Google Lunar X PRIZE Teams page

@arielwaldman: Science Hack Day SF is looking for prizes and/or sponsors! Anyone able to help? http://sf.sciencehackday.com/

Student Competitions: Suborbital Researchers Competition, CanSat-France, SEDS Video Ad, Lunabotics, TARC Internship; Plus Altius, Unreasonable, more

@Suborbi_Science: NSRC-2011 registration is now open http://nsrc.swri.org/ !!

The 2011 Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference includes a student contest sponsored by Masten Space Systems. Here's the contest flyer (PDF). The contest site includes lots more details, but here's a brief summary from that site:

The competition is divided into two categories, i) a proposed experiment to fly in the microgravity environment of a suborbital flight, open to teams and individuals; ii) an essay on the benefits of suborbital spaceflight...

@sedsusa: Good at editing videos? Check out the SEDS Video Ad Contest! Now with flier http://tinyurl.com/VidAdFlier , http://tinyurl.com/SEDSVidAd

@b0yle: Great to hear "Case for Pluto" is a finalist for AAAS prize. But @RebeccaSkloot will be hard to beat. #honor2bnominated http://bit.ly/cqeu8F

@NASA_Lunar: University students: compete to design a rover for NASA! Lunabotics is on for the spring: http://bit.ly/avp6eZ

@teamprometheus: The humble new home of Team Prometheus! Lot's of work to do! Nice high ceiling and very long! http://fb.me/BH0GPvoy

First test part in the bag - Unreasonable Rocket

Altius Space Machines new blog and first contract - RLV News

The CanSat 2011 competition is underway - Enjoy Space - Just so there is no confusion, since there are a lot of CanSat competitions, this is about the CanSat-France Competition.

Intern: Team America Rocketry Challenge (Rosslyn, VA) - Washington, DC craigslist internship listing

Use contests effectively! - Advice Unlimited

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