Here are some more Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundups from Nick Azer:
GOOGLE LUNAR X PRIZE ROUNDUP #6
GOOGLE LUNAR X PRIZE ROUNDUP #7
GOOGLE LUNAR X PRIZE ROUNDUP #8 - MyMoon
The Google Lunar X PRIZE has brought back an online forum: Google Lunar X PRIZE forums
Here is a sample conversation there: Alright Gentle(wo)men, place your bets!
The Ardusat Kickstarter succeeded, and now Team Prometheus set up a ChipIn site for their Ardusat Test Launch.
NRL Supports 8th Annual CanSat Competition - Naval Research Laboratory
2012 Zero Robotics Tourney Kicks Off Saturday! - NASA Television video on YouTube
Challenge.gov: Two Years and 200 Prizes Later - The White House Blog
Space Florida and NanoRacks host ISS research competition - NewSpace Watch - Here is the competition site: International Space Station Research Competition
Weekly Update 8.30.2012 - Space Florida again mentions NASA's RFI on the Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge, and suggests that NASA might move ahead with the challenge rules in October.
Weekly Update 9.07.2012 - Space Florida mentions the possibility of TV coverage for the Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge
Teenagers Worldwide Invited to Innovate Commercially-viable Products, Services - Spirit of Innovation Challenge:
The top five teams from each category will travel to the Conrad Foundation’s annual Innovation Summit,
hosted at NASA-Johnson Space Center, April 10 – 13, 2013, where they
present their innovations and vie for $10,000 next-step grants and
commercialization opportunities.
The Back of the Napkin Challenge - Top Gun Maine
NASA sponsors student contest for naming an asteroid - Space for All - The asteroid is the target for the OSIRIS-REx mission.
Centennial Challenges: After the Challenge - NASA Centennial Challenges gives some examples of what happened to competitors after the competition. The link is from Peter Homer, one of the Astronaut Glove Challenge winners.
Homer Hickam to attend October Sky Festival and Reach for the Stars rocketry competition - Space for All
UAV Demonstrates Utility Of Laser Power - Aviation Week & Space Technology
Galactic Unite awards first scholarships - Space for All
NASA360: Robots, Rocks, and Rovers Premiere! - Sample Return Robot Challenge - In addition to the NASA 360 shout-out, there is a hint of more news coming soon.
Showing posts with label Sample Return. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sample Return. Show all posts
Saturday, September 08, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Space Prize Roundup: SSR Approaches, Space Pirates Strike Back, Public Sector Prizes Forum, More
I have several updates on NASA Centennial Challenges:
Garver To Attend NASA $1.5 Million Robot Competition June 16 - NASA on the NASA-WPI Sample Return Robot Centennial Challenge
The NASA Centennial Challenges are now on Facebook: NASA Centennial Challenges. They have a few pictures related to the SSR Challenge, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more over the next few days.
Space Florida Announces Nano-Sat Launch Challenge Logo Design Contest - Space Florida
Space Elevator conference registration now open! - The Space Elevator Blog - The conference, to be held at the Seattle Museum of Flight, includes the Strong Tether Centennial Challenge and a robotic climber competition for kids.
The Return of the Kansas City Space Pirates - The Space Elevator Blog - It sounds like the KCSP team is going to make this year's Space Elevator conference even more interesting. Hmmm ... I wonder how LaserMotive will respond? See more information at the KCSP blog 2012- New Mission: The Dawn of Laser Powered Flight
FAQ-What are the uses for wireless power via laser? - LaserMotive
Here's an article that isn't really about Armadillo Aerospace, another former Centennial Challenge team, but that nevertheless has some Armadillo "ambiance": 'Doom 3 BFG Edition' will deliver the full Doom back catalog plus new levels
Yesterday, the Collaborative Innovation: Public Sector Prizes was held by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Case Foundation, and the Joyce Foundation. Here are a couple related articles:
Unleashing Innovation and Deepening Democracy Through Prizes - The White House Blog
How the White House is aiming the X Prize model at big problems - CNET interviews Cristin Dorgelo, formerly of the X PRIZE Foundation and now Assistant Director of Grand Challenges in the OSTP
To round things out, I'll catch up on some other prize news:
One moonshot team buys up another - Cosmic Log on Moon Express and Next Giant Leap
Landsat Contest Offers View of Local Landscape Change from Space - NASA - The contest is at "My American Landscape" Contest: A Space Chronicle of Change.
Garver To Attend NASA $1.5 Million Robot Competition June 16 - NASA on the NASA-WPI Sample Return Robot Centennial Challenge
The NASA Centennial Challenges are now on Facebook: NASA Centennial Challenges. They have a few pictures related to the SSR Challenge, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more over the next few days.
Space Florida Announces Nano-Sat Launch Challenge Logo Design Contest - Space Florida
Space Elevator conference registration now open! - The Space Elevator Blog - The conference, to be held at the Seattle Museum of Flight, includes the Strong Tether Centennial Challenge and a robotic climber competition for kids.
The Return of the Kansas City Space Pirates - The Space Elevator Blog - It sounds like the KCSP team is going to make this year's Space Elevator conference even more interesting. Hmmm ... I wonder how LaserMotive will respond? See more information at the KCSP blog 2012- New Mission: The Dawn of Laser Powered Flight
FAQ-What are the uses for wireless power via laser? - LaserMotive
Here's an article that isn't really about Armadillo Aerospace, another former Centennial Challenge team, but that nevertheless has some Armadillo "ambiance": 'Doom 3 BFG Edition' will deliver the full Doom back catalog plus new levels
Yesterday, the Collaborative Innovation: Public Sector Prizes was held by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Case Foundation, and the Joyce Foundation. Here are a couple related articles:
Unleashing Innovation and Deepening Democracy Through Prizes - The White House Blog
How the White House is aiming the X Prize model at big problems - CNET interviews Cristin Dorgelo, formerly of the X PRIZE Foundation and now Assistant Director of Grand Challenges in the OSTP
To round things out, I'll catch up on some other prize news:
One moonshot team buys up another - Cosmic Log on Moon Express and Next Giant Leap
Landsat Contest Offers View of Local Landscape Change from Space - NASA - The contest is at "My American Landscape" Contest: A Space Chronicle of Change.
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Student Prize Roundup: Lunabotics, Conrad Awards, X-Hab, URC, RASC-AL, WPI hosting Sample Return Robot Challenge
Alabama robotics team takes home first prize - The Crimson White on the winners of the 2012 NASA Lunabotics Mining Competition, Alabama Lunabotics
2012-2013 Spirit of Innovation Challenge now open! - Spirit of Innovation Challenge (Conrad Challenge)
NASA Selects Five Universities For 2013 X-Hab Innovation Challenge - NASA
2012 University Rover Challenge Doesn’t Fail to Excite - Mars Society - The Mars Society also has photos from the event: URC 2012 photos. The winner is York University, and they also have a lot of photos: York University Rover Team @ URC 2012
Won Robo-Ops! - Oryx 2.0: A Planetary Exploration Mobility Platform,Worcester Polytechnic Institute's 2012 RASC-AL Exploration Robo-Ops - You can see more posts and photos on that site.
It's not a student-only competition, but the Worcester Polytechnic Institute is also the host of the Sample Return Robot Centennial Challenge competition that will be held about a week from now. They've made a number of updates since I last mentioned the competition and the festival that goes with it at TouchTomorrow. It looks like it will be a big event. Also see the Team Bios at NASA and the latest WPI SRR blog post: Daily Schedule Posted.
2012-2013 Spirit of Innovation Challenge now open! - Spirit of Innovation Challenge (Conrad Challenge)
NASA Selects Five Universities For 2013 X-Hab Innovation Challenge - NASA
2012 University Rover Challenge Doesn’t Fail to Excite - Mars Society - The Mars Society also has photos from the event: URC 2012 photos. The winner is York University, and they also have a lot of photos: York University Rover Team @ URC 2012
Won Robo-Ops! - Oryx 2.0: A Planetary Exploration Mobility Platform,Worcester Polytechnic Institute's 2012 RASC-AL Exploration Robo-Ops - You can see more posts and photos on that site.
It's not a student-only competition, but the Worcester Polytechnic Institute is also the host of the Sample Return Robot Centennial Challenge competition that will be held about a week from now. They've made a number of updates since I last mentioned the competition and the festival that goes with it at TouchTomorrow. It looks like it will be a big event. Also see the Team Bios at NASA and the latest WPI SRR blog post: Daily Schedule Posted.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Sample Return Robot Challenge: Competition Approaches, Includes WPI Festival
It's time to get ready for the Sample Return Robot Challenge, which is scheduled for mid-June:
$1.5 million NASA rover contest set for robo-showdown in June - Cosmic Log
30-day Required Information - Sample Return Robot Challenge (at WPI)
NASA $1.5 Million Robot Competition Rolls Onto WPI Campus June 14-17 - NASA
Touch Tomorrow - A Festival of Science, Technology, and Robots at WPI - WPI:
Simultaneous to the competition on Saturday, June 16, 2012, science and technology enthusiasts of all ages will be welcomed to the WPI campus for TouchTomorrow, a free and fun festival comprised of hands-on exhibits and activities focused on our scientific and technological future. ... A sampling of TouchTomorrow’s outdoor and indoor exhibits and activities includes:
There's already a lot of background information on the TouchTomorrow media page. Check back on their site later this month when the full details about the event should be posted.
There is now an online forum for the teams. It arrives a bit late in the process, so I'm not sure how much it will be used, but there are a couple short conversations so far. One is on liability insurance, and another is on travel arrangements from the West, and the possibility of shipping the robots to the competition site. Having followed a number of these competitions, I'll say that a number of teams have had major problems with shipping their hardware, so a lot of care needs to be taken with that route. Of course driving the hardware isn't fool-proof ... one team had a car accident.
$1.5 million NASA rover contest set for robo-showdown in June - Cosmic Log
30-day Required Information - Sample Return Robot Challenge (at WPI)
NASA $1.5 Million Robot Competition Rolls Onto WPI Campus June 14-17 - NASA
Touch Tomorrow - A Festival of Science, Technology, and Robots at WPI - WPI:
Simultaneous to the competition on Saturday, June 16, 2012, science and technology enthusiasts of all ages will be welcomed to the WPI campus for TouchTomorrow, a free and fun festival comprised of hands-on exhibits and activities focused on our scientific and technological future. ... A sampling of TouchTomorrow’s outdoor and indoor exhibits and activities includes:
- The Space Smart Game
- Be The Robot – a virtual-reality adventure
- Engineer a Satellite
- Bouncing Bubbles!
- Lunar Quest
- Plus – demonstrations by FIRST Robotics Teams of advances in robotics technology, an “inflatable earth,” and an actual rocket launch!
There's already a lot of background information on the TouchTomorrow media page. Check back on their site later this month when the full details about the event should be posted.
There is now an online forum for the teams. It arrives a bit late in the process, so I'm not sure how much it will be used, but there are a couple short conversations so far. One is on liability insurance, and another is on travel arrangements from the West, and the possibility of shipping the robots to the competition site. Having followed a number of these competitions, I'll say that a number of teams have had major problems with shipping their hardware, so a lot of care needs to be taken with that route. Of course driving the hardware isn't fool-proof ... one team had a car accident.
Monday, February 06, 2012
Space Prize Roundup: Night Rover Plans, Sample Return Updates, SFF Biz Plans, Visualizing Science, Data Fusion, SPHERES, more
The Night Rover Challenge is presenting a slide presentation on its main page: Night Rover Challenge - January 2012. In addition to the main challenge itself, they are planning a number of related events, including an innovation summit, student competitions, educational events, technology expositions and workshops, and more. Anousheh Ansari is featured as one of the board members, along with a number of other prominent innovators.
Scientific visions that take the prize - Cosmic Log
Space Frontier Foundation and NASA Announce $110,000 in NewSpace Business Plan Competition Prizes - Space Frontier Foundation
List of Competitors
Sponsorship Opportunity from Clearpath Robotics
Proposal Review Complete - all 3 from Sample Return Robot Challenge
Candidate Gingrich Promises Space Coast Voters the Moon - Space News
Gingrich offers new goals but same philosophy in space speech - Space Politics - Prizes are featured prominently in Gingrich's proposal to overhaul NASA and encourage a thriving LEO economy, fast propulsion to Mars, and a lunar base. Gingrich would also take a close look at alternatives to some of NASA's larger programs, such as the SLS, MPCV, and JWST.
2012 IEEE GRSS Data Fusion Contest - IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society:
This year, participants will download three different sets of images (optical, SAR, and LIDAR) over the downtown of San Francisco and each participant will get to choose their own research topic to work with. Participants will receive a collection of images provided by DigitalGlobe, AstriumServices, and USGS that includes very-high spatial resolution QuickBird, WorldView-2, TerraSAR-X, and LIDAR data.
ERDAS IMAGINE-DigitalGlobe 2012 Geospatial Challenge - DigitalGlobe - This contest uses DigitalGlobe WorldView-2 satellite imagery and ERDAS IMAGINE image processing software. Winners are to be announced on February 15.
Robots go head to head, 250 miles above Earth - Third annual Zero Robotics competition pits robots against each other on the International Space Station. - MIT News
The Race to Build a Real Star Trek Tricorder - Popular Mechanics
The 19th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race will be held April 13-14. Registration ends on February 10.
World’s largest rocket contest helps aspiring STEM leaders take off - Aerospace Industries Association
Scientific visions that take the prize - Cosmic Log
Space Frontier Foundation and NASA Announce $110,000 in NewSpace Business Plan Competition Prizes - Space Frontier Foundation
List of Competitors
Sponsorship Opportunity from Clearpath Robotics
Proposal Review Complete - all 3 from Sample Return Robot Challenge
Candidate Gingrich Promises Space Coast Voters the Moon - Space News
Gingrich offers new goals but same philosophy in space speech - Space Politics - Prizes are featured prominently in Gingrich's proposal to overhaul NASA and encourage a thriving LEO economy, fast propulsion to Mars, and a lunar base. Gingrich would also take a close look at alternatives to some of NASA's larger programs, such as the SLS, MPCV, and JWST.
2012 IEEE GRSS Data Fusion Contest - IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society:
This year, participants will download three different sets of images (optical, SAR, and LIDAR) over the downtown of San Francisco and each participant will get to choose their own research topic to work with. Participants will receive a collection of images provided by DigitalGlobe, AstriumServices, and USGS that includes very-high spatial resolution QuickBird, WorldView-2, TerraSAR-X, and LIDAR data.
ERDAS IMAGINE-DigitalGlobe 2012 Geospatial Challenge - DigitalGlobe - This contest uses DigitalGlobe WorldView-2 satellite imagery and ERDAS IMAGINE image processing software. Winners are to be announced on February 15.
Robots go head to head, 250 miles above Earth - Third annual Zero Robotics competition pits robots against each other on the International Space Station. - MIT News
The Race to Build a Real Star Trek Tricorder - Popular Mechanics
The 19th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race will be held April 13-14. Registration ends on February 10.
World’s largest rocket contest helps aspiring STEM leaders take off - Aerospace Industries Association
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Prize Roundup - FIRST Robotics, LaserMotive FAQ, Panthera Plane Paint, NSS RAH Award, More
ROBERT A. HEINLEIN MEMORIAL AWARD — 2012 - National Space Society
Paint Me – Win 1,000 Euros - CAFE Foundation Blog on a competition run by Pipistrel
Contest for livery design of the first Panthera - Pipistrel
FIRST Robotics Competition Kicks Off - NASAHackSpace
Have questions about laser power beaming? Let us know for our new FAQs page! - LaserMotive
Fifty-seven student teams in NASA's rocketry initiatives - Space for All
To the moon with a hop - Lehigh University
XCOR Flight Prize is a First - Mojave Desert News
InnoCentive and Booz Allen Hamilton Form Strategic Alliance - BusinessWire
12/31/2011: Tethered Excitement - SpeedUp
Drawings & Pictures Updated - Sample Return Challenge
Challenge Registrations, Proposals, and Reporting - Sample Return Challenge
Paint Me – Win 1,000 Euros - CAFE Foundation Blog on a competition run by Pipistrel
Contest for livery design of the first Panthera - Pipistrel
FIRST Robotics Competition Kicks Off - NASAHackSpace
Have questions about laser power beaming? Let us know for our new FAQs page! - LaserMotive
Fifty-seven student teams in NASA's rocketry initiatives - Space for All
To the moon with a hop - Lehigh University
XCOR Flight Prize is a First - Mojave Desert News
InnoCentive and Booz Allen Hamilton Form Strategic Alliance - BusinessWire
12/31/2011: Tethered Excitement - SpeedUp
Drawings & Pictures Updated - Sample Return Challenge
Challenge Registrations, Proposals, and Reporting - Sample Return Challenge
Friday, December 02, 2011
Sample Return and University Rover Rules, NEA Search, SunSat Art, Space Generation Prizes, Nanosat Launch Seminar, More
Proposal Information Updated - Sample Return Robot Challenge
***
URC 2012 Rules are Live! - University Rover Challenge
***
NASA Human Exploration Community Workshop on the Global Exploration Workshop (PPT) - FISO - This includes "NEA Next" and "Moon Next" scenarios. The "NEA Next" scenario covers the need to add to our list of reachable potential asteroid destinations. Earth-based detection of these is mentioned:
A prize based approach may also provide incentives to include more public participation.
***
SGAC Announces the Barcelona Zero-G Aerobatics Challenge Winners - Space Generation Advisory Council
SGAC-EIC Space Entrepreneurship Paper Competition - Space Generation Advisory Council
***
Rocket firm presentations at Team Phoenicia Nanosat Launcher Seminar - RLV News
***
A lot is happening with the Google Lunar X PRIZE. For example:
Moon Express announces alliance with Autodesk - RLV News
Did Moon Express just take the lead in the POINT of the Google Lunar X PRIZE? - Evadot
Astrobotic Wins NASA Contract for Robot Teams to Explore Martian and Lunar Caves - Astrobotic
On NASA’s Lunar Heritage Guidelines - Will Pomerantz on his personal site, InstaPom
***
Two NASA Goddard Engineers Receive Prestigious Awards - SpaceRef
***
International SunSat Design Competition - National Space Society blog
***
Space Lab student competition on YouTube attracts 5500 teams - ESA
***
Here are a couple of interesting non-space prizes:
NASA Tournament Lab/Patent Office Challenge - NASAHackSpace
DSTA launches TechX Challenge 2013 - Singapore's Defence Science & Technology Agency starts the 2nd robotic TechX challenge; the first was held in 2008. The winning team gets S$1 million, which a currency converter tells me is a nice prize.
***
URC 2012 Rules are Live! - University Rover Challenge
***
NASA Human Exploration Community Workshop on the Global Exploration Workshop (PPT) - FISO - This includes "NEA Next" and "Moon Next" scenarios. The "NEA Next" scenario covers the need to add to our list of reachable potential asteroid destinations. Earth-based detection of these is mentioned:
A prize based approach may also provide incentives to include more public participation.
***
SGAC Announces the Barcelona Zero-G Aerobatics Challenge Winners - Space Generation Advisory Council
SGAC-EIC Space Entrepreneurship Paper Competition - Space Generation Advisory Council
***
Rocket firm presentations at Team Phoenicia Nanosat Launcher Seminar - RLV News
***
A lot is happening with the Google Lunar X PRIZE. For example:
Moon Express announces alliance with Autodesk - RLV News
Did Moon Express just take the lead in the POINT of the Google Lunar X PRIZE? - Evadot
Astrobotic Wins NASA Contract for Robot Teams to Explore Martian and Lunar Caves - Astrobotic
On NASA’s Lunar Heritage Guidelines - Will Pomerantz on his personal site, InstaPom
***
Two NASA Goddard Engineers Receive Prestigious Awards - SpaceRef
***
International SunSat Design Competition - National Space Society blog
***
Space Lab student competition on YouTube attracts 5500 teams - ESA
***
Here are a couple of interesting non-space prizes:
NASA Tournament Lab/Patent Office Challenge - NASAHackSpace
DSTA launches TechX Challenge 2013 - Singapore's Defence Science & Technology Agency starts the 2nd robotic TechX challenge; the first was held in 2008. The winning team gets S$1 million, which a currency converter tells me is a nice prize.
Friday, November 11, 2011
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.
***
White House Selects NASA Idea for Savings - Lori Garver at NASA discusses the NASA finalist for the SAVE Award.
***
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.
***
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.
***
NASA 2011 OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Video Contest - SpaceRef notes that registration is now open for the 2011 version of this contest.
***
Teams selected for the 2012 CanSat competition - ESA on the high school finalists for the European CanSat competition
***
NASA prepares for moon tourism - USA Today
***
Rules have been updated - Sample Return Robot Challenge - WPI
***
WSJ Innovator of the Year in Tech award for Elon Musk - RLV News
***
Finding Commercial Applications for Laser Power Designed for Space - Space News
***
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.
***
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
***
White House Selects NASA Idea for Savings - Lori Garver at NASA discusses the NASA finalist for the SAVE Award.
***
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.
***
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.
***
NASA 2011 OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Video Contest - SpaceRef notes that registration is now open for the 2011 version of this contest.
***
Teams selected for the 2012 CanSat competition - ESA on the high school finalists for the European CanSat competition
***
NASA prepares for moon tourism - USA Today
***
Rules have been updated - Sample Return Robot Challenge - WPI
***
WSJ Innovator of the Year in Tech award for Elon Musk - RLV News
***
Finding Commercial Applications for Laser Power Designed for Space - Space News
***
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.
***
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
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Space Prize for DBAs, Copter Ropes, Sample Return Sponsors, Radical Benefit, Lots and Lots of Student Competions, More
Potential Sponsors for Competitors - Sample Return Robot Challenge
WPI Receives Accreditation for First-in-the-Nation Robotics Engineering Undergraduate Degree Program -Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI's management of the Sample Return Robot Challenge, the Regolith Excavation Challenge win, and FIRST Robotics competitions are all mentioned.
***
NASA Sponsors 2011 Western Region Robotics Competition - NASA Ames
***
Here's some recent information from the X PRIZE Foundation:
Welcome to the Blog - Archon Genomics X PRIZE:
... our team will be making a major announcement regarding this PRIZE on October 26, 2011 in New York City.
@PeterDiamandis: Great#xprize benefit, just recovering! Thanks to @wendySchmidt, @JamesCameron and @AliVelshi for amazing help. $2.7M raised to fund XPF!
***
Mars Education Challenge Webinar #3 will be held by David Black - Explore Mars - The webinar will be held on October 24. Also:
Over the next couple of months, Explore Mare plans to have all of the other MEC winners present their materials in special webinars to help guarantee that these materials are as widely distributed as possible. We hope that these education webinars will also build up excitement about the 2011-2012 Mars Education Challenge was launched in September 2011.
***
Gingrich calls for privatizing human spaceflight - Space Politics - Prizes are featured in Gingrich's proposal.
Newt Gingrich calls Space Launch System “disgraceful” pork - Space Frontier Foundation
***
Student Rocketeers Wanted for World’s Largest Rocket Contest - The Aerospace Industries Association announces that the Team America Rocketry Challenge is open for registration.
***
The following are all from Space for All:
NASA announces two microgravity contests for students - This is for the latest DIME and WING competitions.
IAA student art competition results
Jim Baen memorial contest for manned space sci-fi short stories
Reach for the Stars National Rocket Competition results
***
SpaceVision 2011 - includes student biz plan competition - RLV News
***
Military dangles prize for helicopter fast-rope solution - MSNBC:
Problem-solvers must create a device — added to or replacing a glove — that has enough grip on a "FAST" rope for a controlled descent by someone weighing 300 to 400 pounds with gear. It must also somehow dissipate the heat that builds up from the friction between glove and rope, and allow Special Forces operators, soldiers or Marines to fire their weapon as soon as they touch the ground.
***
Database Admins! Red Gate Wants To Send One Of You INTO SPACE - TechCrunch
***
E. Coli Testing Technology From Yale Engineers Could Save Thousands Of Lives - Huffington Post:
Weber told The Huffington Post that a prototype is still a year or so off, but the team's design was promising enough to take top honors at this year's NASA Tech Brief Engineering competition. It beat out 900 other designs from 50 countries for a $20,000 prize.
***
NASA, NIA Announce 2012 Student Rover Contest - SpaceRef on the RASC-AL (Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts Academic Linkage) Exploration Robo-Ops Student Challenge
***
10/15/2011: More Tether Testing - SpeedUp
... our team will be making a major announcement regarding this PRIZE on October 26, 2011 in New York City.
WPI Receives Accreditation for First-in-the-Nation Robotics Engineering Undergraduate Degree Program -Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI's management of the Sample Return Robot Challenge, the Regolith Excavation Challenge win, and FIRST Robotics competitions are all mentioned.
***
NASA Sponsors 2011 Western Region Robotics Competition - NASA Ames
***
Here's some recent information from the X PRIZE Foundation:
Welcome to the Blog - Archon Genomics X PRIZE:
... our team will be making a major announcement regarding this PRIZE on October 26, 2011 in New York City.
@PeterDiamandis: Great
***
Mars Education Challenge Webinar #3 will be held by David Black - Explore Mars - The webinar will be held on October 24. Also:
Over the next couple of months, Explore Mare plans to have all of the other MEC winners present their materials in special webinars to help guarantee that these materials are as widely distributed as possible. We hope that these education webinars will also build up excitement about the 2011-2012 Mars Education Challenge was launched in September 2011.
***
Gingrich calls for privatizing human spaceflight - Space Politics - Prizes are featured in Gingrich's proposal.
Newt Gingrich calls Space Launch System “disgraceful” pork - Space Frontier Foundation
***
Student Rocketeers Wanted for World’s Largest Rocket Contest - The Aerospace Industries Association announces that the Team America Rocketry Challenge is open for registration.
***
The following are all from Space for All:
NASA announces two microgravity contests for students - This is for the latest DIME and WING competitions.
IAA student art competition results
Jim Baen memorial contest for manned space sci-fi short stories
Reach for the Stars National Rocket Competition results
***
SpaceVision 2011 - includes student biz plan competition - RLV News
***
Military dangles prize for helicopter fast-rope solution - MSNBC:
Problem-solvers must create a device — added to or replacing a glove — that has enough grip on a "FAST" rope for a controlled descent by someone weighing 300 to 400 pounds with gear. It must also somehow dissipate the heat that builds up from the friction between glove and rope, and allow Special Forces operators, soldiers or Marines to fire their weapon as soon as they touch the ground.
***
Database Admins! Red Gate Wants To Send One Of You INTO SPACE - TechCrunch
***
E. Coli Testing Technology From Yale Engineers Could Save Thousands Of Lives - Huffington Post:
Weber told The Huffington Post that a prototype is still a year or so off, but the team's design was promising enough to take top honors at this year's NASA Tech Brief Engineering competition. It beat out 900 other designs from 50 countries for a $20,000 prize.
***
NASA, NIA Announce 2012 Student Rover Contest - SpaceRef on the RASC-AL (Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts Academic Linkage) Exploration Robo-Ops Student Challenge
***
10/15/2011: More Tether Testing - SpeedUp
... our team will be making a major announcement regarding this PRIZE on October 26, 2011 in New York City.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Another Centennial Challenges Update: Night Rover Allied Org, Green Flight Challenge Next Week, Radical Benefit, LaserMotive Week, More
NASA has picked the Cleantech Open as the Allied Organization to run the $1.5M Night Rover Centennial Challenge to collect solar energy and store it long enough to do productive work during the lunar night.
NASA and The Cleantech Open Partner in Robotics Challenge - NASA
Here's their Night Rover Challenge website. You will see there that Joshua Neubert, who was the Executive Director of the Conrad Foundation, is on the management team.
Challenge.gov also has a Night Rover Challenge page.
***
Get ready for the NASA Green Flight Challenge run by the CAFE Foundation, and the subsequent Google Green Flight Challenge Expo at NASA Ames:
NASA is Painting the Skies Green Over Santa Rosa - NASA - It will be held at the Sonoma County Airport there.
NASA competition could lead to air taxis anyone can afford - Al.com
NASA, CAFE Foundation Host Google Green Flight Challenge Expo - NASA
Here's the Green Flight Challenge fact sheet. (PDF)
***
It isn't strictly a Centennial Challenge, but I think of it as a product of the Regolith Excavation Challenge:
NASA 2012 Lunabotics Competition Open For Registration - NASA - The Lunabotics Mining Competition will be held May 21-26 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
NASA's Digital Learning Network will hold a webcast about the Lunabotics competition on September 27, 4:00 ET.
***
The X PRIZE Foundation, which ran the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, will hold a Radical Benefit for Humanity on October 20.
Briefs: Speed Up update; Will Watson interview; Space regulation discussion panel - RLV News - SpeedUp was one of the Lunar Lander Challenge competitors. SpeedUp is now Ready for Tether Testing.
***
The first winner of the Beam Power Centennial Challenge, LaserMotive, is in the news a lot lately:
Space Angels Network Invests in Wireless Power Beaming Company: LaserMotive, Inc. (PDF) - Space Angels Network
Lasermotive is in NASA power beaming project - RLV News
Could laser propulsion open up space? - Next Big Future has an interview with LaserMotive's Jordin Kare.
***
It would be nice to get some discussion going at this NASASpaceflight.com forum post on the 2nd Nanosat Launcher Challenge Seminar.
NASA and The Cleantech Open Partner in Robotics Challenge - NASA
Here's their Night Rover Challenge website. You will see there that Joshua Neubert, who was the Executive Director of the Conrad Foundation, is on the management team.
Challenge.gov also has a Night Rover Challenge page.
***
Get ready for the NASA Green Flight Challenge run by the CAFE Foundation, and the subsequent Google Green Flight Challenge Expo at NASA Ames:
NASA is Painting the Skies Green Over Santa Rosa - NASA - It will be held at the Sonoma County Airport there.
NASA competition could lead to air taxis anyone can afford - Al.com
NASA, CAFE Foundation Host Google Green Flight Challenge Expo - NASA
Here's the Green Flight Challenge fact sheet. (PDF)
***
It isn't strictly a Centennial Challenge, but I think of it as a product of the Regolith Excavation Challenge:
NASA 2012 Lunabotics Competition Open For Registration - NASA - The Lunabotics Mining Competition will be held May 21-26 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
NASA's Digital Learning Network will hold a webcast about the Lunabotics competition on September 27, 4:00 ET.
***
The X PRIZE Foundation, which ran the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, will hold a Radical Benefit for Humanity on October 20.
Briefs: Speed Up update; Will Watson interview; Space regulation discussion panel - RLV News - SpeedUp was one of the Lunar Lander Challenge competitors. SpeedUp is now Ready for Tether Testing.
***
The first winner of the Beam Power Centennial Challenge, LaserMotive, is in the news a lot lately:
Space Angels Network Invests in Wireless Power Beaming Company: LaserMotive, Inc. (PDF) - Space Angels Network
Lasermotive is in NASA power beaming project - RLV News
Could laser propulsion open up space? - Next Big Future has an interview with LaserMotive's Jordin Kare.
***
It would be nice to get some discussion going at this NASASpaceflight.com forum post on the 2nd Nanosat Launcher Challenge Seminar.
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
Saturday, August 20, 2011
NASA Centennial Challenge Updates: Sample Return, Nanosat, Green Flight, Tether, More
A lot has been happening related to NASA Centennial Challenges in the last few weeks, so here's an update that focuses mainly on them.
Some teams are anxious to learn more about the rules and team agreement for the Sample Return Robot Challenge:
Update on Challenge
Status Update - Sample Return Robot Challenge
As you can see, starting a major prize competition can be quite a challenge in itself.
Team Phoenicia to hold 2nd Nanosat launcher seminar - RLV News - From the Team Phoenicia post:
This will be upgraded to a two day event based on the feedback that we have received. Food and drink will be provided. There will be speakers in the vein of last time, but additionally all potential teams that wish to present will be able to do so on a first come, first serve basis until the slots are filled. Potential suppliers for the teams will also be given time to present as well.
Tech Could Beam Power to Drones - Lasers could power drones in flight and remove the need for gas deliveries to army bases. - Discovery News covers LaserMotive, the winner of the most recent Beam Power Centennial Challenge.
Also check out the recent tweets from @LaserMotive at the Unmanned Systems North America 2011 conference. The conference had some other prize events, including a student competition pavilion, a photo contest, awards, and the following X PRIZE hint:
@AUVSI: Diamandis: will announce $10M purse James Cook X Prize next month for AUV that can circumnavigate the globe collecting certain data.
Move Over DARPA: X Prize is Here - National Defense Magazine - This covers the Peter Diamandis talk at the conference. It includes a bit more information about potential prizes, including the James Cook X Challenge for a long-range autonomous underwater vehicle with a sensor suite and an Autonomous Auto X PRIZE that would pick up where the DARPA Challenges left off.
Getting back to the Centennial Challenges, here's some news about the Green Flight Challenge:
Google to Sponsor Green Flight Challenge - CAFE Foundation Blog:
CAFE (Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency) will conduct the event from September 25 through October 2, 2011 at Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport. ... All competing aircraft will be shown to the public at the Google Green Flight Challenge Exposition hosted by NASA at Moffett Field–NASA Ames Research Center, from 9 AM to 4 PM on October 3, 2011. ... In addition to the main prizes for highest scores, the competition includes a bio-fuel prize and plans for a special Lindbergh Prize for Quietest aircraft, to be presented by Erik Lindbergh, grandson of the renowned winner of aviation’s Orteig Prize, Charles Lindbergh.
In addition to the Centennial Challenge news, the CAFE Foundation also has an announcement from Oshkosh 2011: PC-Aero Wins Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Vision Award
The Tether Strength Competition was held at the Space Elevator Conference a few days ago:
Space Elevator: Going Down? - Seattle Weekly
The 2011 Strong Tether Competition - The Space Elevator Blog
Many competitors in past Centennial Challenges continue their contributions. The Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge is a great example of this:
Thoughts on small sat and cube sat market size. - Unreasonable Rocket
Team Prometheus on Carmack 100kft Micro Prize - Team Prometheus:
Team Prometheus officially entered the Carmak Micro Challenge today. Our launch date is set for March 10th 2012. That's the date for our Space Shot. Going to be crazy here for a while!
Masten Space Systems Wins NASA Suborbital Flight Contract
Masten Space Systems Announces Management Additions - Masten Space Systems
'Sticky Boom' made for space dockings - Boulder County Business Report on the 2011 Heinlein NewSpace Business Plan Competition win by Altius Space Machines
Biz Plan Pitch Video - Altius Space Machines
Some teams are anxious to learn more about the rules and team agreement for the Sample Return Robot Challenge:
Update on Challenge
Status Update - Sample Return Robot Challenge
As you can see, starting a major prize competition can be quite a challenge in itself.
Team Phoenicia to hold 2nd Nanosat launcher seminar - RLV News - From the Team Phoenicia post:
This will be upgraded to a two day event based on the feedback that we have received. Food and drink will be provided. There will be speakers in the vein of last time, but additionally all potential teams that wish to present will be able to do so on a first come, first serve basis until the slots are filled. Potential suppliers for the teams will also be given time to present as well.
Tech Could Beam Power to Drones - Lasers could power drones in flight and remove the need for gas deliveries to army bases. - Discovery News covers LaserMotive, the winner of the most recent Beam Power Centennial Challenge.
Also check out the recent tweets from @LaserMotive at the Unmanned Systems North America 2011 conference. The conference had some other prize events, including a student competition pavilion, a photo contest, awards, and the following X PRIZE hint:
@AUVSI: Diamandis: will announce $10M purse James Cook X Prize next month for AUV that can circumnavigate the globe collecting certain data.
Move Over DARPA: X Prize is Here - National Defense Magazine - This covers the Peter Diamandis talk at the conference. It includes a bit more information about potential prizes, including the James Cook X Challenge for a long-range autonomous underwater vehicle with a sensor suite and an Autonomous Auto X PRIZE that would pick up where the DARPA Challenges left off.
Google to Sponsor Green Flight Challenge - CAFE Foundation Blog:
CAFE (Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency) will conduct the event from September 25 through October 2, 2011 at Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport. ... All competing aircraft will be shown to the public at the Google Green Flight Challenge Exposition hosted by NASA at Moffett Field–NASA Ames Research Center, from 9 AM to 4 PM on October 3, 2011. ... In addition to the main prizes for highest scores, the competition includes a bio-fuel prize and plans for a special Lindbergh Prize for Quietest aircraft, to be presented by Erik Lindbergh, grandson of the renowned winner of aviation’s Orteig Prize, Charles Lindbergh.
In addition to the Centennial Challenge news, the CAFE Foundation also has an announcement from Oshkosh 2011: PC-Aero Wins Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Vision Award
The Tether Strength Competition was held at the Space Elevator Conference a few days ago:
Space Elevator: Going Down? - Seattle Weekly
The 2011 Strong Tether Competition - The Space Elevator Blog
Many competitors in past Centennial Challenges continue their contributions. The Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge is a great example of this:
Thoughts on small sat and cube sat market size. - Unreasonable Rocket
Team Prometheus on Carmack 100kft Micro Prize - Team Prometheus:
Team Prometheus officially entered the Carmak Micro Challenge today. Our launch date is set for March 10th 2012. That's the date for our Space Shot. Going to be crazy here for a while!
Masten Space Systems Wins NASA Suborbital Flight Contract
Masten Space Systems Announces Management Additions - Masten Space Systems
'Sticky Boom' made for space dockings - Boulder County Business Report on the 2011 Heinlein NewSpace Business Plan Competition win by Altius Space Machines
Biz Plan Pitch Video - Altius Space Machines
Thursday, July 14, 2011
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
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
Monday, June 06, 2011
Sample Return Review, Unreasonable Perspective, Rover Challenge Results, EuSEC Teams, Armadillo Test
NASA’s new robot challenge - The Space Review - Ben Brockert discusses the Sample Return Robot Challenge.
Armadillo SuperMod test at full-throttle - RLV News - Ben also shows what Armadillo Aerospace is doing. You can see more from Armadillo in other recent RLV News posts.
Unreasonable UAV aerial videography - RLV News - Continuing the coverage of former Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge teams, Unreasonable Rocket gives a view of a rocket launch that somehow reminded me of the trailer for the new X-Men movie.
Here are a few links for the 2011 University Rover Challenge:
The Results Are In!
2011 University Rover Challenge Concludes in Utah
Photos -> URC 2011
EuSEC announces competitors - The Space Elevator Blog
We-Are-Space video contest extended to June 14th - Space for All
Armadillo SuperMod test at full-throttle - RLV News - Ben also shows what Armadillo Aerospace is doing. You can see more from Armadillo in other recent RLV News posts.
Unreasonable UAV aerial videography - RLV News - Continuing the coverage of former Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge teams, Unreasonable Rocket gives a view of a rocket launch that somehow reminded me of the trailer for the new X-Men movie.
Here are a few links for the 2011 University Rover Challenge:
The Results Are In!
2011 University Rover Challenge Concludes in Utah
Photos -> URC 2011
EuSEC announces competitors - The Space Elevator Blog
We-Are-Space video contest extended to June 14th - Space for All
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Prize Roundup: Student Launch Initiative, Weightless Objects, Visioneering, More
Other than a burst of posts about Space Access '11 (see much more about that conference here), I haven't written much here at Space Prizes in the last few weeks. This is due to a combination of getting ready for a new addition to the family, lots of visitors, and other activities unrelated to blogging. I wouldn't be surprised if the posts here continue to happen at a slower rate than before. In the meantime, here's a roundup:
The Student Launch Initiative is taking place this weekend. The following tweet has a key hashtag and video link, but there's also lots more from SLI_1milehigh:
@SLI_1milehigh: 47 teams are competing today, including 17 middle/high schools and 30 college/univ ( #Watching_Rockets_Launch live at http://ustre.am/rrlz)
The deadline for the next tweet is now in the past, but there are still ways to get involved.
@gozerog: Last day to submit your entry into the 2011 Weightless Object Contest. Click here to enter http://bit.ly/fKSS6C
From the site:
Submit one photo of an object you would like to see weightless by April 15. ZERO-G will select the Top 5 entries and publish them on ZERO-G's Facebook page on April 18. Then it's up to ZERO-G fans to select the winning object. The winner will be announced on April 22 and the winning object will fly on an upcoming ZERO-G flight.
The next one is from April 15, so it's well under way now:
@peterdiamandis: Kicking off a three day X PRIZE board meeting. We have 100 CEOs and philanthropists gathering for a Visioneering brainstorm of future prizes
You can see more about this at the twitter hashtag #visioneering
@nss: New review of Ansari's biography by Cliff McMurray: http://www.nss.org/books. Use Amazon links to benefit NSS.
National Space Society Announces Space Pioneer Award for Business Entrepreneur to Be Awarded to SpaceX - National Space Society
@morpheuslander: @VAXHeadroom We are partnered with Armadillo Aerospace, one of the NGLLC winners. Having me at JSC allows rapid testing and iteration.
LaserMotive to Exhibit at SPIE - LaserMotive
Join our mailing list - Sample Return Robot Challenge
NASA Releases Status On Open Government Initiatives - SpaceRef - You can see the status of the initiatives at the NASA Open Gov Status Dashboard. Many of the items on the dashboard concern the NASA Centennial Challenges.
2011 Conrad Spirit of Innovation Awards - NASA Watch
NASA Make Challenge Webcast - NASA Watch
I've posted a number of times on Google Earth prizes, on ocean prizes, and on Virgin Galactic's work to take the Ansari X PRIZE win to the next level. This next link isn't about prizes, but it does mix up those other 3 interests of mine in a new way, so I'll let this post take a quick step outside of the prize world for a second to link to a post about Virgin Oceanic:
Diving deep with Richard Branson - Google Earth Blog
Saturday Testing... - Unreasonable Rocket
Armadillo working on Mod vehicle
Briefs: Iridium Next on Falcons; Catch a Ride with Rocket City Space Pioneers
Briefs: PWR joins Rocket City Space Pioneers; Morpheus update
Briefs: Moon Express; Colorado rockets; Southern space gloves - all from RLV News
The Student Launch Initiative is taking place this weekend. The following tweet has a key hashtag and video link, but there's also lots more from SLI_1milehigh:
@SLI_1milehigh: 47 teams are competing today, including 17 middle/high schools and 30 college/univ ( #Watching_Rockets_Launch live at http://ustre.am/rrlz)
The deadline for the next tweet is now in the past, but there are still ways to get involved.
@gozerog: Last day to submit your entry into the 2011 Weightless Object Contest. Click here to enter http://bit.ly/fKSS6C
From the site:
Submit one photo of an object you would like to see weightless by April 15. ZERO-G will select the Top 5 entries and publish them on ZERO-G's Facebook page on April 18. Then it's up to ZERO-G fans to select the winning object. The winner will be announced on April 22 and the winning object will fly on an upcoming ZERO-G flight.
The next one is from April 15, so it's well under way now:
@peterdiamandis: Kicking off a three day X PRIZE board meeting. We have 100 CEOs and philanthropists gathering for a Visioneering brainstorm of future prizes
You can see more about this at the twitter hashtag #visioneering
@nss: New review of Ansari's biography by Cliff McMurray: http://www.nss.org/books. Use Amazon links to benefit NSS.
National Space Society Announces Space Pioneer Award for Business Entrepreneur to Be Awarded to SpaceX - National Space Society
@morpheuslander: @VAXHeadroom We are partnered with Armadillo Aerospace, one of the NGLLC winners. Having me at JSC allows rapid testing and iteration.
LaserMotive to Exhibit at SPIE - LaserMotive
Join our mailing list - Sample Return Robot Challenge
NASA Releases Status On Open Government Initiatives - SpaceRef - You can see the status of the initiatives at the NASA Open Gov Status Dashboard. Many of the items on the dashboard concern the NASA Centennial Challenges.
2011 Conrad Spirit of Innovation Awards - NASA Watch
NASA Make Challenge Webcast - NASA Watch
I've posted a number of times on Google Earth prizes, on ocean prizes, and on Virgin Galactic's work to take the Ansari X PRIZE win to the next level. This next link isn't about prizes, but it does mix up those other 3 interests of mine in a new way, so I'll let this post take a quick step outside of the prize world for a second to link to a post about Virgin Oceanic:
Diving deep with Richard Branson - Google Earth Blog
Saturday Testing... - Unreasonable Rocket
Armadillo working on Mod vehicle
Briefs: Iridium Next on Falcons; Catch a Ride with Rocket City Space Pioneers
Briefs: PWR joins Rocket City Space Pioneers; Morpheus update
Briefs: Moon Express; Colorado rockets; Southern space gloves - all from RLV News
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Prize Roundup: Sample Return Challenge Partner, Conrad Award Finalists, Prometheus Flight, Moonbuggy Teams, More
There's been a lot of prize activity since my last post on Friday. I can't give a full roundup of it all, but here's a good sample:
@MOONBUGGYRACE: 84 teams from 7 countries and 4 continents set to race! We welcome so many new competitors! List: http://moonbuggy.msfc.nasa.gov/email.html
@ConradAwards: #FINALISTS ANNOUNCED: http://bit.ly/ibTzP8
You can find a lot more links about the Astrobotic Falcon 9 contract at the SoldTheMoon (David Gump) and Astrobotic twitter accounts. I'm just giving 2 samples:
@SoldTheMoon: SpaceX sells first its ticket for a moon launch - Technology & science - msnbc.com http://t.co/96yYv00 via @msnbc
@astrobotic: Here we are in the Pittsburgh Tribune: http://bit.ly/dSfFsN
@YurisNight: We just launched the Yuri's Night 2011 Video Contest on @Spacevidcast! Check it out at http://t.co/iskxSvv
@TeamPrometheus: I uploaded a YouTube video -- Prometheus II Maden flight http://youtu.be/0B87yZfMNxU?a
@NASAPrize: NASA And Worcester Polytechnic Institute Are Challenge Partners for the Sample Return Robot
Here's the NASA press release on the Sample Return Robot Challenge partnership: NASA And Worcester Polytechnic Institute Are Challenge Partners. The competition date is currently anticipated around Spring 2012. Also note that Larry Cooper is program executive for the Centennial Challenges.
From WPI: Welcome to the Sample Return Robot Challenge!
@MOONBUGGYRACE: 84 teams from 7 countries and 4 continents set to race! We welcome so many new competitors! List: http://moonbuggy.msfc.nasa.gov/email.html
@ConradAwards: #FINALISTS ANNOUNCED: http://bit.ly/ibTzP8
You can find a lot more links about the Astrobotic Falcon 9 contract at the SoldTheMoon (David Gump) and Astrobotic twitter accounts. I'm just giving 2 samples:
@SoldTheMoon: SpaceX sells first its ticket for a moon launch - Technology & science - msnbc.com http://t.co/96yYv00 via @msnbc
@astrobotic: Here we are in the Pittsburgh Tribune: http://bit.ly/dSfFsN
@YurisNight: We just launched the Yuri's Night 2011 Video Contest on @Spacevidcast! Check it out at http://t.co/iskxSvv
@TeamPrometheus: I uploaded a YouTube video -- Prometheus II Maden flight http://youtu.be/0B87yZfMNxU?a
@NASAPrize: NASA And Worcester Polytechnic Institute Are Challenge Partners for the Sample Return Robot
Here's the NASA press release on the Sample Return Robot Challenge partnership: NASA And Worcester Polytechnic Institute Are Challenge Partners. The competition date is currently anticipated around Spring 2012. Also note that Larry Cooper is program executive for the Centennial Challenges.
From WPI: Welcome to the Sample Return Robot Challenge!
Sunday, August 01, 2010
More Details about 3 New Centennial Challenges
I recently posted about 3 new Centennial Challenges: the Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge, the Night Rover Challenge, and the Sample Return Robot Challenge. These links to the 3 challenges have some information that either I didn't catch and post about when these challenges were introduced, or that wasn't available then.
Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge
The current description of the objectives for the Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge is more detailed and nuanced than the one I originally saw:
The prize purse section mentions the possibility of additional prize money for a 2nd-place or a bonus prize. My interpretation is that NASA would like to have a 2nd-place prize and bonus prizes, but Centennial Challenges doesn't have the money to do that. Will someone else step up to the plate, or will Centennial Challenges fund these augmentations in a later year?
Night Rover Challenge
In my earlier post, I speculated about the length of the "night" in the Night Rover Challenge, given some hints about the Moon in the material on the challenge. I recall that some other observers on the Internet were wondering the same thing. The current description of the challenge's objectives makes it more likely that the Moon's day/night cycle will govern the length of the "night" in the challenge with the following point:
The Challenge would be to demonstrate a portable energy collection and storage system through several cycles of daylight and darkness. ... The winning system would be the one that moved the greatest distance during darkness in an allotted time period (over several day/night cycles) using only its own stored energy.
The competition could be held in a typical Earth environment, but
Competitors with successful and appropriate system designs might be invited to test their energy storage systems in NASA thermal-vacuum chambers to demonstrate applicability to the space and lunar environment.
Sample Return Robot Challenge
The description gives some ideas about what the sample return environment will be like:
The roving area should include rolling terrain, granular medium, soft soils, and a variety of rocks. A pre-cached sample and several other samples would be located in smaller sampling zones within the larger roving area.
There could be 2 levels of prizes in this competition:
Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge
The current description of the objectives for the Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge is more detailed and nuanced than the one I originally saw:
- Safe, low-cost, small payload delivery system for frequent access to Earth orbit.
- Innovations in propulsion and other technologies as well as operations and management for broader applications in future launch systems.
- A commercial capability for dedicated launches of small satellites at a cost comparable to secondary payload launches--a potential new market with Government, commercial, and academic customers.
The prize purse section mentions the possibility of additional prize money for a 2nd-place or a bonus prize. My interpretation is that NASA would like to have a 2nd-place prize and bonus prizes, but Centennial Challenges doesn't have the money to do that. Will someone else step up to the plate, or will Centennial Challenges fund these augmentations in a later year?
Night Rover Challenge
In my earlier post, I speculated about the length of the "night" in the Night Rover Challenge, given some hints about the Moon in the material on the challenge. I recall that some other observers on the Internet were wondering the same thing. The current description of the challenge's objectives makes it more likely that the Moon's day/night cycle will govern the length of the "night" in the challenge with the following point:
- Innovations in energy storage technology for space operations and, in particular, to meet the demands imposed by the daylight/darkness cycle on the Moon.
The Challenge would be to demonstrate a portable energy collection and storage system through several cycles of daylight and darkness. ... The winning system would be the one that moved the greatest distance during darkness in an allotted time period (over several day/night cycles) using only its own stored energy.
The competition could be held in a typical Earth environment, but
Competitors with successful and appropriate system designs might be invited to test their energy storage systems in NASA thermal-vacuum chambers to demonstrate applicability to the space and lunar environment.
Sample Return Robot Challenge
The description gives some ideas about what the sample return environment will be like:
The roving area should include rolling terrain, granular medium, soft soils, and a variety of rocks. A pre-cached sample and several other samples would be located in smaller sampling zones within the larger roving area.
There could be 2 levels of prizes in this competition:
In order to win a Level-1 prize, a robot must retrieve only the pre-cached sample. Robots should be autonomous, but periodic intervention with teleoperation would be permitted with penalties imposed for its use.
In order to win a Level-2 prize, a team must autonomously navigate at all times and must retrieve the pre-cached sample and several additional sample types that may include rock, regolith, gas, liquid, etc...
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