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
Showing posts with label SpeedUp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SpeedUp. Show all posts
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
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
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
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
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.
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, June 25, 2011
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.
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.
Saturday, April 09, 2011
Space Access '11: SpeedUp - Bob Steinke
Bob does his work at the Frontier Astronautics silo. Frontier Astronautics had a presentation right before this one, so you can find more information about them by checking other sites covering this conference. He's working on hybrid engine, the Laramie Rose Lunar Lander Challenge vehicle, and a new product.
The hybrid engine is intended to be a simple, highly reliable upper stage engine. He did static fires, design of a subscale motor, and some design work on full scale motor. Bob talked about a test where a hydrogen peroxide failure happened.
Next Bob discussed the Laramie Rose, which was for the Lunar Lander Challenge. That competition is over, but Bob still wants to fly the Laramie Rose. Lots of the hardware work is done. On March 27, he did a plugs-out static fire. He thinks the hardware could fly, but the software isn't ready. He expects to do tether testing this summer. He got an FAA/AST class 2 amateur flight authorization last week. The neighbor at Frontier has an airport which complicates the process. He's now familiar with the FAA process, so later rounds should go smoother. He's looking at doing a ~10 second hover.
He's working with Osa Fitch of Luna City Enterprises and Joe Lee of Open Source Launch Vehicle. Both are presenting at the conference. See other sites covering the conference for more details on them.
Bob gave a detailed presentation on a new product, a "Non-Pyro Valve Actuator".
The hybrid engine is intended to be a simple, highly reliable upper stage engine. He did static fires, design of a subscale motor, and some design work on full scale motor. Bob talked about a test where a hydrogen peroxide failure happened.
Next Bob discussed the Laramie Rose, which was for the Lunar Lander Challenge. That competition is over, but Bob still wants to fly the Laramie Rose. Lots of the hardware work is done. On March 27, he did a plugs-out static fire. He thinks the hardware could fly, but the software isn't ready. He expects to do tether testing this summer. He got an FAA/AST class 2 amateur flight authorization last week. The neighbor at Frontier has an airport which complicates the process. He's now familiar with the FAA process, so later rounds should go smoother. He's looking at doing a ~10 second hover.
He's working with Osa Fitch of Luna City Enterprises and Joe Lee of Open Source Launch Vehicle. Both are presenting at the conference. See other sites covering the conference for more details on them.
Bob gave a detailed presentation on a new product, a "Non-Pyro Valve Actuator".
Saturday, January 29, 2011
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:
@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?
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:
@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?
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Space Prize Roundup: SpeedUp Update, Spacesuit Flair, Phoenicia Video, more
07/16/2010: Another Hard Start - SpeedUp
A Bit of Goofiness - Team Phoenicia
New Private Spacesuit Unveiled With New York Flair - Space.com:
Two private spacesuit designers unveiled their first steps toward serious attire for future space travelers Friday night in front of a young, hip crowd of artists and tech geeks in Manhattan. ... Moiseev and Southern first combined their talents as former competitors to win a $100,000 second place prize in NASA's 2009 astronaut glove challenge. Now they have expanded their partnership under the name of Final Frontier Design to go from glove to full-fledged spacesuit designed to be worn inside a spacecraft during launch and re-entry.
Here's the Eyebeam Art and Technology Center notice for the event. There's more information and links about the gloves and spacesuit at that site, and at Spacesuit Gloves. For example, check out Lasercut Glove Patterns.
LaserMotive Video – Who We Are, and What Is Power Beaming - LaserMotive
“Vision of the Future” and “Best Presentation of Space” Winners Announced - Space Frontier Foundation
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #26 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
The Lurio Report - July 17, 2010 - RLV News - This includes some information about the Google Lunar X PRIZE.
A Bit of Goofiness - Team Phoenicia
New Private Spacesuit Unveiled With New York Flair - Space.com:
Two private spacesuit designers unveiled their first steps toward serious attire for future space travelers Friday night in front of a young, hip crowd of artists and tech geeks in Manhattan. ... Moiseev and Southern first combined their talents as former competitors to win a $100,000 second place prize in NASA's 2009 astronaut glove challenge. Now they have expanded their partnership under the name of Final Frontier Design to go from glove to full-fledged spacesuit designed to be worn inside a spacecraft during launch and re-entry.
Here's the Eyebeam Art and Technology Center notice for the event. There's more information and links about the gloves and spacesuit at that site, and at Spacesuit Gloves. For example, check out Lasercut Glove Patterns.
LaserMotive Video – Who We Are, and What Is Power Beaming - LaserMotive
“Vision of the Future” and “Best Presentation of Space” Winners Announced - Space Frontier Foundation
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #26 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
The Lurio Report - July 17, 2010 - RLV News - This includes some information about the Google Lunar X PRIZE.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Prize Roundup: Mojave Move, MICI Newsletter, Centennial Challenges RFI, More
@NASAPrize: NASA RFI posted asking for potential sponsors to support current and future Centennial Challenges Allied Orgs at http://tiny.cc/q2fpd
I was wondering what was happening after reading the following tweet:
I was wondering what was happening after reading the following tweet:
@wikkit: I'm moving away from Cali. Should I have an Escape From Mojave party this week, or just slink off into the night like the vagabond I am?
Here's the answer:
Brockert moving to Armadillo Aerospace - RLV News
@TeamPrometheus: I posted 13 photos on Facebook in the album "LDRS #29" http://bit.ly/d35hYr
@fineri: New logo http://twitpic.com/1vgfr3
@nextgiantleap: NGL Team member, MIT, wins graduate level RASC-AL competition using hopper concepts on Mars! http://bit.ly/bpg0yc
@airshipz: Have been working hard with traditional sources for 1.5 years without success even though individuals agree with project it doesn't fit mold
@glxp: Calling all creative minds: MOON CAPITAL competition by SHIFTboston. Cash prize + more for winner! http://bit.ly/b9JWcm
Sci-Fi short film contest - Space for All
June NASA MICI Newsletter - NASA MICI
SpeedUp hybrid test - RLV News
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Lunar Lander Challengers
The Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge was won quite a while ago now, but the former teams keep making news. Here are a few recent updates:
Team Phoenicia - This links to the team's newly designed web site. From that site:
Team Phoenicia is undertaking a herculean venture of gloriously confounding proportions: we are entering the Google Lunar X Prize.
Here are some recent blog posts:
How to Get to Purty (part 5)
How to Get to Purty (part 4)
How to Get to Purty (part 3)
In The News
How to Get to Purty (part 2)
How to Get to Purty
Purty
05/02/2010: More Test Firings - SpeedUp
Briefs: XCOR/Masten Space combo; BonNovA test - RLV News
XCOR and Masten collaborate for NASA landers business - RLV News
Masten Space Re-Lights Rocket Engine in Flight - Masten Space Systems
At least one other view of this flight was shown at ISDC 2010. I think it was this heart-stopping one:
Xombie in-air relight view from the ground. - Masten Space Systems on YouTube
SPACE ADVENTURES ANNOUNCES EXCLUSIVE MARKETING AGREEMENT WITH ARMADILLO AEROSPACE - Armadillo Aerospace
Eric Anderson and John Carmack gave more details about this agreement at one of the ISDC 2010 talks:
ISDC 2010 - Anderson/Carmack, Diamandis, Homans - RLV News
The previous link also includes some comments from the Peter Diamandis talk at the ISDC. In addition to the potential prizes listed there, Diamandis also described a few other ideas (all presumably pending funding and additional development). The one I'll mention here is "Lunar Lander Challenge Level 3". I don't have my notes handy (I haven't unpacked from the conference yet), but as I recall the idea was to have a Lunar Lander Challenge that is similar to the one we know, but with no refueling allowed. Staging would be allowed.
Team Phoenicia - This links to the team's newly designed web site. From that site:
Team Phoenicia is undertaking a herculean venture of gloriously confounding proportions: we are entering the Google Lunar X Prize.
Here are some recent blog posts:
How to Get to Purty (part 5)
How to Get to Purty (part 4)
How to Get to Purty (part 3)
In The News
How to Get to Purty (part 2)
How to Get to Purty
Purty
05/02/2010: More Test Firings - SpeedUp
Briefs: XCOR/Masten Space combo; BonNovA test - RLV News
XCOR and Masten collaborate for NASA landers business - RLV News
Masten Space Re-Lights Rocket Engine in Flight - Masten Space Systems
At least one other view of this flight was shown at ISDC 2010. I think it was this heart-stopping one:
Xombie in-air relight view from the ground. - Masten Space Systems on YouTube
SPACE ADVENTURES ANNOUNCES EXCLUSIVE MARKETING AGREEMENT WITH ARMADILLO AEROSPACE - Armadillo Aerospace
Eric Anderson and John Carmack gave more details about this agreement at one of the ISDC 2010 talks:
ISDC 2010 - Anderson/Carmack, Diamandis, Homans - RLV News
The previous link also includes some comments from the Peter Diamandis talk at the ISDC. In addition to the potential prizes listed there, Diamandis also described a few other ideas (all presumably pending funding and additional development). The one I'll mention here is "Lunar Lander Challenge Level 3". I don't have my notes handy (I haven't unpacked from the conference yet), but as I recall the idea was to have a Lunar Lander Challenge that is similar to the one we know, but with no refueling allowed. Staging would be allowed.
Friday, March 12, 2010
OMB Prize Guidance, National Academies on Suborbital, SXSW, X PRIZE Benefit, More
Guidance on the Use of Challenges and Prizes to Promote Open Government (PDF) - WhiteHouse.gov (OMB):
To support agencies in the execution of prizes that further the policy objectives of the Federal Government, the Administration will make available a web-based platform for prizes and challenges within 120 days. This platform will provide a forum for agencies to post problems and invite communities of problem solvers to suggest, collaborate on, and deliver solutions. Over the longer term, the General Services Administration (GSA) will also provide government-wide services to share best practices and assist agencies in developing guidelines for issuing challenges. Additionally, GSA will develop, as expeditiously as possible, a contract vehicle to provide agency access to relevant products and services, including technical assistance in structuring and conducting contests to take maximum benefit of the marketplace as they identify and pursue contest initiatives to further the policy objectives of the Federal Government.
Revitalizing NASA's Suborbital Program: Advancing Science, Driving Innovation, and Developing Workforce - National Academies Press - This includes a chapter on commercial vehicles, as well as a lot of material on traditional suborbital access methods like balloons, sounding rockets, and planes.
Moon 2.0: The Outer Limits of Lunar Exploration - SXSW, Saturday, March 13 at 03:30 PM
02/16/2010: Hybrid Motor Holds Together - SpeedUp
Here are a few tweets I picked from many related in one way or another to prizes over the last few days:
@SpaceFellowship: REXUS 7 and 8 student research rockets launched successfully http://ping.fm/W11RC
@makerfaire: RobotFest/Mid-Atlantic 2010 Mini Maker Faire, April 24th: Gary Mauler and the folks who put on the RobotFest ... http://bit.ly/be9vD2
@LaserMotive: We are getting interest in a product we hadn't considered making. It's a prime example of listening to customers for ideas.
@PeterDiamandis: Just announcing major X PRIZE "Benefit" on May 15th -- http://www.xprize.org/email/benefitforhumanity Cameron, Page, Brin as co-Chairs. Come join!
Here are some of the event details:
Through our live auction, bid to win a trip to space on Virgin Galactic, a 2010 Tesla Roadster, have your personal genome sequenced, lunch with our VIPs and more.
Date: Saturday, May 15, 2010
Location: Lucasfilm, Letterman Arts Center, The Presidio of San Francisco
This gives some more information about what's happening at the X PRIZE Foundation:
X Prize group sets sights on next challenges (Q&A) - CNet News
@TeamPrometheus: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5414479&l=aeecc47771&id=213171526223
@ValkyrieFed: We'll do a fundraising event, in Montreal! Maybe in April or May.
@jeff_foust: Garver: NASA very supportive of prizes, talking about potential collab on Google Lunar X Prize, such as making a data purchase.
@bonnova: New high-performance injector in development. First prototype in house today.
To support agencies in the execution of prizes that further the policy objectives of the Federal Government, the Administration will make available a web-based platform for prizes and challenges within 120 days. This platform will provide a forum for agencies to post problems and invite communities of problem solvers to suggest, collaborate on, and deliver solutions. Over the longer term, the General Services Administration (GSA) will also provide government-wide services to share best practices and assist agencies in developing guidelines for issuing challenges. Additionally, GSA will develop, as expeditiously as possible, a contract vehicle to provide agency access to relevant products and services, including technical assistance in structuring and conducting contests to take maximum benefit of the marketplace as they identify and pursue contest initiatives to further the policy objectives of the Federal Government.
Revitalizing NASA's Suborbital Program: Advancing Science, Driving Innovation, and Developing Workforce - National Academies Press - This includes a chapter on commercial vehicles, as well as a lot of material on traditional suborbital access methods like balloons, sounding rockets, and planes.
Moon 2.0: The Outer Limits of Lunar Exploration - SXSW, Saturday, March 13 at 03:30 PM
02/16/2010: Hybrid Motor Holds Together - SpeedUp
Here are a few tweets I picked from many related in one way or another to prizes over the last few days:
@SpaceFellowship: REXUS 7 and 8 student research rockets launched successfully http://ping.fm/W11RC
@makerfaire: RobotFest/Mid-Atlantic 2010 Mini Maker Faire, April 24th: Gary Mauler and the folks who put on the RobotFest ... http://bit.ly/be9vD2
@LaserMotive: We are getting interest in a product we hadn't considered making. It's a prime example of listening to customers for ideas.
@PeterDiamandis: Just announcing major X PRIZE "Benefit" on May 15th -- http://www.xprize.org/email/benefitforhumanity Cameron, Page, Brin as co-Chairs. Come join!
Here are some of the event details:
Through our live auction, bid to win a trip to space on Virgin Galactic, a 2010 Tesla Roadster, have your personal genome sequenced, lunch with our VIPs and more.
Date: Saturday, May 15, 2010
Location: Lucasfilm, Letterman Arts Center, The Presidio of San Francisco
This gives some more information about what's happening at the X PRIZE Foundation:
X Prize group sets sights on next challenges (Q&A) - CNet News
@TeamPrometheus: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5414479&l=aeecc47771&id=213171526223
@ValkyrieFed: We'll do a fundraising event, in Montreal! Maybe in April or May.
@jeff_foust: Garver: NASA very supportive of prizes, talking about potential collab on Google Lunar X Prize, such as making a data purchase.
@bonnova: New high-performance injector in development. First prototype in house today.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Prizes and the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference ( NSRC)
I just realized that the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference (NSRC) includes a student suborbital experiment contest with cash prizes for University of Colorado and some Space Grant Consortium students. Here's the flyer (PDF).
There are some student suborbital experiment proposal presentations (PDF) on the schedule for the conference. I assume these are competitors in the contest.
One of the talks on Friday from Nicole Jordan of the X PRIZE Foundation and Erika Wagner of the MIT XPRIZE Lab is Prizes as a Tool for Engaging Researchers and Students:
This paper will describe the ways that Incentive Prizes can be used to attract high quality payloads for suborbital research and education missions (REM).
Several Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge competitors are featured:
Improving Mission Flexibility with the Hippogriff Propulsion Module (PDF) - Bob Steinke of SpeedUp.
Science When Flight Rate and Turn Time Don't Matter (PDF) - Michael Mealing of Masten Space Systems
Armadillo Aerospace and Purdue University Student Experiment Program (PDF)
Here's an idea for another student competition: ZERORobotics: a Student Competition Aboard the International Space Station (PDF)
There are some student suborbital experiment proposal presentations (PDF) on the schedule for the conference. I assume these are competitors in the contest.
One of the talks on Friday from Nicole Jordan of the X PRIZE Foundation and Erika Wagner of the MIT XPRIZE Lab is Prizes as a Tool for Engaging Researchers and Students:
This paper will describe the ways that Incentive Prizes can be used to attract high quality payloads for suborbital research and education missions (REM).
Several Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge competitors are featured:
Improving Mission Flexibility with the Hippogriff Propulsion Module (PDF) - Bob Steinke of SpeedUp.
Science When Flight Rate and Turn Time Don't Matter (PDF) - Michael Mealing of Masten Space Systems
Armadillo Aerospace and Purdue University Student Experiment Program (PDF)
Here's an idea for another student competition: ZERORobotics: a Student Competition Aboard the International Space Station (PDF)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Prize Roundup: 2009 Lunar Lander Challenge and Space Elevator Games Even Closer, GLXP Variety, X PRIZE Meeting, Regolith Reviews, New Mexico News
Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge
@nasaprize - on the way to california for the final lunar lander attempts of 2009
@dmasten - We have been testing so much our Pad A looks worse than the lunar pad. http://twitpic.com/n5mjn
I think we are ready for #ngllc level 2. All tests are done. Last was a nice stable hover of 195sec in 30+ knot winds.
@mojaverocketguy - In at the shop, bright and surly. At least not 4:50am like last Tuesday.
Bad news: Missed seeing the flight because I someone had to stay for the UPS delivery. Good news: Xoie's fine and I heard it from the shop.
Doing concrete work in 50mph wind gusts--not fun. Good thing I got myself a college edjumacation so I wouldn't have to do jobs like that...
@ngllc09 - #NGLLC news update on The Launch Pad: http://bit.ly/lLWxm
NGLLC 2009: And Here They Come Down the Final Stretch! New post on The Launch Pad: http://bit.ly/I3QSI #ngllc
Tune in tmrw for webcast of Masten Lvl 2 #NGLLC attempt starting at 9am PST/16:00 UTC: http://bit.ly/ngllc09
Unreasonable update - RLV News
BonNova recap - RLV News
Briefs: Speed Up hybrid test; Source of rocket grade H2O2 - RLV News
I'm posting these Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge updates on Wednesday morning:
Unreasonable ups and downs - RLV News
Masten Space Level II attempt - Oct..28.09 - viewing info - RLV News - Using the #ngllc twitter search on this page, you can already see a lot of tweets on the event as people get ready to go, like these:
alias_amanda: Only for a rocket launch could I be up at 4am and be somewhat happy about it #ngllc
ikluft: I'll be tweeting from Mojave today for the @mastenspace flight in Level 2 of the Lunar Lander Challenge #ngllc
Pomerantz: Made it to Mojave (& gave #NGLLC team SpeedUp's Bob Steinke a ride on the way up). Excited for tmrw's @mastenspace flights! Godspeed, Xoie
Space Elevator Games: Power Beaming/Tether Climber
@lasermotive - The designing, building and testing is finally done. Today the packing begins. We are ready.
@segames - Very good - just organized a commentary team for the live cast. (Live video has a lot of boring moments, and while we have some B-roll+ ... material, there's nothing like play-by-play descriptions.)
NASA Centennial Power Beaming Challenge to Feature Three Teams - The Space Elevator Reference
Games updates - The Space Elevator Blog
Briefs: Power Beaming Challenge; Regolith scraper - RLV News
Regolith Excavation Challenge
@doug_comstock - Check out cool Gigapan images (a nasa spinoff http://tinyurl.com/bm3pl6) from the Regolith Excavation Challenge: http://tinyurl.com/yk45lmf
@paulsrobotics - WPI Reception for the team is currently scheduled for Wednesday at 2PM in HL005 (we think). Feel free to stop by... http://bit.ly/1Y75C
Also see the RLV News link in the previous section for another Regolith Excavation Challenge article.
Google Lunar X PRIZE
@team_selenokhod - The first Selenokhod mockup rollout: http://selenokhod.com/en/node/44
The first Russian private-built-rover at Mission Control Center: http://selenokhod.com/en/node/45 That was amazing!
@nextgiantleap - Nice day for a drive to Louisville, CO, but looks like snow for the way home. ... Looking forward to meetings at SNC tomorrow!
@omegaenvoy - With our rover naming contest coming to an end, will you be the one to break the tie? http://bit.ly/POiyi #GLXP
Notice the new name (with an underscore) on the twitter address for this next one:
@Odyssey_Moon - Odyssey Moon Chief Scientist Dr. Paul Spudis on lunar lava tubes: http://bit.ly/19GDbc
@arcaspace - Octomber 23, 2009 - CONSTANTA The first launch attempt of Helen vehicle will take place starting with October 29... http://bit.ly/2NEU5n
Other Prizes
Economy, rule change ground X Prize plans - Las Cruces Sun: Landeene said the X Prize Cup does spur interest in aerospace among students.
"Ultimately, what I'd like to do is have X Prize-like events at the spaceport and surrounding community," he said.
Spaceport Visitor Center Approved - - KRWG TV: The Board of Directors of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) has voted to establish a welcome center for Spaceport America in downtown Truth or Consequences... A welcome center is also planned for the village of Hatch which is on the southern approach to Spaceport America.
@fineri (N-Prize team) - http://twitpic.com/mzn62 - Plumbing all done, cone needs finishing, electronics and engine need integrating.
@peterdiamandis - Great X Prize Trustees dinner at Elon Musk's home... great crowd, Sergey Brin, Ansari Family, Beyster's, Mike Boustridge, Jim Gianopulos... great to also host Esther Dyson, Peter Bloom, Rob McEwen, Erik Lindbergh and Peter Ferrel
i am searching for a strong Director/Chief of Staff to work with me as CEO of X Prize, MBA desired. LA base @ XPF HQ
@nasaprize - on the way to california for the final lunar lander attempts of 2009
@dmasten - We have been testing so much our Pad A looks worse than the lunar pad. http://twitpic.com/n5mjn
I think we are ready for #ngllc level 2. All tests are done. Last was a nice stable hover of 195sec in 30+ knot winds.
@mojaverocketguy - In at the shop, bright and surly. At least not 4:50am like last Tuesday.
Bad news: Missed seeing the flight because I someone had to stay for the UPS delivery. Good news: Xoie's fine and I heard it from the shop.
Doing concrete work in 50mph wind gusts--not fun. Good thing I got myself a college edjumacation so I wouldn't have to do jobs like that...
@ngllc09 - #NGLLC news update on The Launch Pad: http://bit.ly/lLWxm
NGLLC 2009: And Here They Come Down the Final Stretch! New post on The Launch Pad: http://bit.ly/I3QSI #ngllc
Tune in tmrw for webcast of Masten Lvl 2 #NGLLC attempt starting at 9am PST/16:00 UTC: http://bit.ly/ngllc09
Unreasonable update - RLV News
BonNova recap - RLV News
Briefs: Speed Up hybrid test; Source of rocket grade H2O2 - RLV News
I'm posting these Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge updates on Wednesday morning:
Unreasonable ups and downs - RLV News
Masten Space Level II attempt - Oct..28.09 - viewing info - RLV News - Using the #ngllc twitter search on this page, you can already see a lot of tweets on the event as people get ready to go, like these:
alias_amanda: Only for a rocket launch could I be up at 4am and be somewhat happy about it #ngllc
ikluft: I'll be tweeting from Mojave today for the @mastenspace flight in Level 2 of the Lunar Lander Challenge #ngllc
Pomerantz: Made it to Mojave (& gave #NGLLC team SpeedUp's Bob Steinke a ride on the way up). Excited for tmrw's @mastenspace flights! Godspeed, Xoie
Space Elevator Games: Power Beaming/Tether Climber
@lasermotive - The designing, building and testing is finally done. Today the packing begins. We are ready.
@segames - Very good - just organized a commentary team for the live cast. (Live video has a lot of boring moments, and while we have some B-roll+ ... material, there's nothing like play-by-play descriptions.)
NASA Centennial Power Beaming Challenge to Feature Three Teams - The Space Elevator Reference
Games updates - The Space Elevator Blog
Briefs: Power Beaming Challenge; Regolith scraper - RLV News
Regolith Excavation Challenge
@doug_comstock - Check out cool Gigapan images (a nasa spinoff http://tinyurl.com/bm3pl6) from the Regolith Excavation Challenge: http://tinyurl.com/yk45lmf
@paulsrobotics - WPI Reception for the team is currently scheduled for Wednesday at 2PM in HL005 (we think). Feel free to stop by... http://bit.ly/1Y75C
Also see the RLV News link in the previous section for another Regolith Excavation Challenge article.
Google Lunar X PRIZE
@team_selenokhod - The first Selenokhod mockup rollout: http://selenokhod.com/en/node/44
The first Russian private-built-rover at Mission Control Center: http://selenokhod.com/en/node/45 That was amazing!
@nextgiantleap - Nice day for a drive to Louisville, CO, but looks like snow for the way home. ... Looking forward to meetings at SNC tomorrow!
@omegaenvoy - With our rover naming contest coming to an end, will you be the one to break the tie? http://bit.ly/POiyi #GLXP
Notice the new name (with an underscore) on the twitter address for this next one:
@Odyssey_Moon - Odyssey Moon Chief Scientist Dr. Paul Spudis on lunar lava tubes: http://bit.ly/19GDbc
@arcaspace - Octomber 23, 2009 - CONSTANTA The first launch attempt of Helen vehicle will take place starting with October 29... http://bit.ly/2NEU5n
Other Prizes
Economy, rule change ground X Prize plans - Las Cruces Sun: Landeene said the X Prize Cup does spur interest in aerospace among students.
"Ultimately, what I'd like to do is have X Prize-like events at the spaceport and surrounding community," he said.
Spaceport Visitor Center Approved - - KRWG TV: The Board of Directors of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) has voted to establish a welcome center for Spaceport America in downtown Truth or Consequences... A welcome center is also planned for the village of Hatch which is on the southern approach to Spaceport America.
@fineri (N-Prize team) - http://twitpic.com/mzn62 - Plumbing all done, cone needs finishing, electronics and engine need integrating.
@peterdiamandis - Great X Prize Trustees dinner at Elon Musk's home... great crowd, Sergey Brin, Ansari Family, Beyster's, Mike Boustridge, Jim Gianopulos... great to also host Esther Dyson, Peter Bloom, Rob McEwen, Erik Lindbergh and Peter Ferrel
i am searching for a strong Director/Chief of Staff to work with me as CEO of X Prize, MBA desired. LA base @ XPF HQ
Thursday, October 01, 2009
SketchUp Building Contest, Innocentive and Yet2.com JSC contract, RASC-AL and Astronaut Glove open, space lit research contest
Links: Building Design Competition, Google Wave - Google Earth Blog - From the blog: Hasbro, the company behind Monopoly City Streets, has just announced a competition to let users design buildings that might appear in the game. Between now and October 6, design your building using Google SketchUp and then upload it to the Google 3D Warehouse. ...
Cheap Contest - John Hare at Selenian Boondocks issued a $100 orbital mechanics literature search contest. So far Bob Steinke of SpeedUp has sent in an attempt at winning the contest.
What Is Open Innovation at JSC? Update - NASA Watch - Here's an excerpt from an update to this post: JSC has made two contract awards: one to Innocentive, Inc. and the other to Yet2.com.
NIA and NASA Announce Student Engineering Competition - press release about RASC-AL on SpaceRef: Students can choose one of four themes for their project: a lunar outpost design that will help reduce risk for future human missions to Mars; technology -enabled human Mars mission; novel concepts to engage the general public in human exploration missions; and architecture approaches that provide cost-effective exploration with minimal infrastructure.
Centennial Challenges 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge - Justia.com Regulation Tracker: The 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge is now scheduled, and teams that wish to compete may now register. ... The 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge is being administered by Volanz Aerospace Inc. for NASA. ... The 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge will be held on November 18-19, 2009. Location: The 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge will be held at United States Astronaut Hall of Fame in Kennedy Space Center, Florida (near the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center).
Cheap Contest - John Hare at Selenian Boondocks issued a $100 orbital mechanics literature search contest. So far Bob Steinke of SpeedUp has sent in an attempt at winning the contest.
What Is Open Innovation at JSC? Update - NASA Watch - Here's an excerpt from an update to this post: JSC has made two contract awards: one to Innocentive, Inc. and the other to Yet2.com.
NIA and NASA Announce Student Engineering Competition - press release about RASC-AL on SpaceRef: Students can choose one of four themes for their project: a lunar outpost design that will help reduce risk for future human missions to Mars; technology -enabled human Mars mission; novel concepts to engage the general public in human exploration missions; and architecture approaches that provide cost-effective exploration with minimal infrastructure.
Centennial Challenges 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge - Justia.com Regulation Tracker: The 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge is now scheduled, and teams that wish to compete may now register. ... The 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge is being administered by Volanz Aerospace Inc. for NASA. ... The 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge will be held on November 18-19, 2009. Location: The 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge will be held at United States Astronaut Hall of Fame in Kennedy Space Center, Florida (near the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center).
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Prize Roundup: Phoenicia SpeedUp Armadillo and Masten, SF Awards, ISS use, Water, HSF Committee and Commercial Space, ROBOMO, Q2C, 1 Tether Challenger
Countdown - Team Phoenicia:
New Sponsor: TechShop! - Team Phoenicia
8/12/2009: Burst Test, 350 psi - SpeedUp:
http://twitpic.com/dtiwq - The new aluminum landing gear on XA-0.1B-750. Wider spread, and lighter weight.
Briefs: XCOR at Mojave Plane Crazy; Armadillo picts; WK2 log update - RLV News
Augustine meeting response - RLV News - There are a number of other posts there concerning the recent Augustine panel meeting, but I chose this one because it includes the following:
White House Review Committee Expresses Strong Support for Commercial Spaceflight - Commercial Spaceflight Federation (which includes the X PRIZE Foundation and several other organizations involved with prizes in one way or another)
Space Elevator Conference - First Morning - The Space Elevator Blog:
Propose an InnoCentive Challenge and Help Change the World - Perspectives on Innovation (Innocentive):
Here are a couple interesting tweats from that collection:
NASA doing what they can to provide easy, frequent, inexpensive, and return capabilities. ISS very flexible and can serve many clients.
Cost of transport needs to be supported, too. Down mass is another concern. Of 5 possible vehicles, most are 1-way tickets.
At one point, NASA Centennial Challenges was considering a Micro Reentry Vehicle Challenge (PDF) - see slide page 20. Perhaps a technology like this would help provide affordable and frequent return capabilities for space station work. The proposed Centennial Challenge took the rocket contest concept of safely landing and egg to the ultimate level: safely landing eggs from orbit. The rationale included:
I might add that it would also help chip away at the general problem of affordable and safe atmospheric reentry.
In the spirit of the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, how about a 2nd level MRV prize for being able to reenter the atmosphere and land safely twice with the same vehicle!?
The Quantum to Cosmos (Q2C) festival (October 15-25, Waterloo, Ontario) includes speakers with connections to the world of space prizes like Robert Richards of Odyssey Moon, Peter Diamandis, and Michael Belfiore. It also includes other space speakers like Mike Griffin, Chris McKay, and Donna Shirley. Neal Stephenson, an SF author I recommend, is also on the schedule. That's just a sample of the many speakers.
Hugo Award Winners - Science Fiction Awards Watch: WALL-E wins "Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form".
Logo Contest Winner - The Hugo Awards
We have been a little remiss is reporting our newest sponsors as of late. ... At any rate, new posts coming through!
New Sponsor: TechShop! - Team Phoenicia
8/12/2009: Burst Test, 350 psi - SpeedUp:
Two weekends ago we got out to do the burst test of the oxidizer tank. It burst on the side of the top dome section just above 350 psi, which is close to what we were expecting given the manufacturer’s original rating of 75psi operating pressure and 4x safety factor. ...@wikkit - http://twitpic.com/dsrq3 - New gear in progress on B, by Dread Pirate Vicegrip (@dmasten) and @drbobloblaw.
http://twitpic.com/dtiwq - The new aluminum landing gear on XA-0.1B-750. Wider spread, and lighter weight.
Briefs: XCOR at Mojave Plane Crazy; Armadillo picts; WK2 log update - RLV News
Augustine meeting response - RLV News - There are a number of other posts there concerning the recent Augustine panel meeting, but I chose this one because it includes the following:
White House Review Committee Expresses Strong Support for Commercial Spaceflight - Commercial Spaceflight Federation (which includes the X PRIZE Foundation and several other organizations involved with prizes in one way or another)
Space Elevator Conference - First Morning - The Space Elevator Blog:
One note on the Strong Tether competition; there is only going to be one competitor this year, and yes, they have brought a carbon nanotube tether. It’s a new team, from Japan, from Shizuoka University. It will be very interesting to see what they have brought. Unfortunately (very unfortunately) the MIT/DeltaX team which competed in the last Tether competition will not be here this year. But we still will have a competition - the Japanese tether against the house tether.ROBOMO at 2009 Missouri State Fair - ROBOMO, The St. Louis Area Robotics Group
Propose an InnoCentive Challenge and Help Change the World - Perspectives on Innovation (Innocentive):
ISS discussions - RLV News:In your opinion, what is the most pressing water-related problem affecting the developing world? If a Seeker had resources to devote, and wanted to use them specifically to solve a water-related issue in the developing world, what issue should they tackle?
Today we posted a Challenge asking just that.
Ken Davidian is posting notes from the meeting at CSWiki (cswiki) on Twitter.
Here are a couple interesting tweats from that collection:
NASA doing what they can to provide easy, frequent, inexpensive, and return capabilities. ISS very flexible and can serve many clients.
Cost of transport needs to be supported, too. Down mass is another concern. Of 5 possible vehicles, most are 1-way tickets.
At one point, NASA Centennial Challenges was considering a Micro Reentry Vehicle Challenge (PDF) - see slide page 20. Perhaps a technology like this would help provide affordable and frequent return capabilities for space station work. The proposed Centennial Challenge took the rocket contest concept of safely landing and egg to the ultimate level: safely landing eggs from orbit. The rationale included:
•Routine ISS sample return despite constrained downmass
•Free-flying research platforms in between vomit comets and ISS
•Commercial biotech interest
I might add that it would also help chip away at the general problem of affordable and safe atmospheric reentry.
In the spirit of the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, how about a 2nd level MRV prize for being able to reenter the atmosphere and land safely twice with the same vehicle!?
The Quantum to Cosmos (Q2C) festival (October 15-25, Waterloo, Ontario) includes speakers with connections to the world of space prizes like Robert Richards of Odyssey Moon, Peter Diamandis, and Michael Belfiore. It also includes other space speakers like Mike Griffin, Chris McKay, and Donna Shirley. Neal Stephenson, an SF author I recommend, is also on the schedule. That's just a sample of the many speakers.
Hugo Award Winners - Science Fiction Awards Watch: WALL-E wins "Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form".
Logo Contest Winner - The Hugo Awards
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Prize Roundup - July 7-8, 2009 (Part 2): HSF Question, DIME and WING, SpeedUp and KC Pirate Updates, NewSpace Agenda, UTS Wins, FMARS
From @NASA_HSF: Here's a question on the HSF Committee website that deserves some thoughtful responses:
Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Committee - Current Topic For Public Comment - To what extent should NASA rely on the private sector for human space flight-related products and services? (Closes July 24th)
One commenter starts with: Keep makeing X-Prizes ...
@Pomerantz - Middle School & High School students in the US: Want to do experiments in microgravity? http://bit.ly/19sFF0 (Please spread the word)
The link from Will Pomerantz is on the NASA Drop Tower Competition for Student Teams at NASA Glenn Research Center. The 2 components are "DIME" and "WING": "Dropping In a Microgravity Environment" and "What If No Gravity".
DIME Program Announcement (PDF)
WING Program Announcement (PDF)
DIME & WING Educators Resource Guide (PDF)
Experiment Design Requirements (PDF)
KC Space Pirates status report - Space Elevator Blog
@jeff_foust - What happened to the space elevator track at NewSpace 2009 next Friday? Was on the agenda yesterday, but not today: http://is.gd/1r3QQ
There are more details on the NewSpace 2009 agenda than I saw the last time I checked. Here are a few involving people or events with prize connections - an updated look at something I posted about recently.
Saturday, July 18th
12:30-1:30pm VidVision Contest Lunch
2:15-2:55pm Orbital Fuel Depots: Fueling the Frontier - Jon Goff, Bernard Kutter, Dallas Bienhoff
3:15-4:00pm Suborbital Point-to-Point: Going Places or Taking Us for a Ride? - Paul Damphousse, Kelvin Coleman, A.C. Charania, Chuck Lauer, Randall Clauge
Sunday, July 19th
9:00-11:45am Business plan competition
11:45-12:00pm Isle of Man Presentation - Bob Richards
1:00-2:00pm NewSpace Policy: Accelerating development or picking winners? - Ken Davidian, Jim Muncy, Bruce Pittman, Doug Comstock
4:00-5:00pm NewSpace Case Studies- The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat - Ecliptic Enterprises, MirCorp, Masten Space System
Monday, July 20th
9:25-10:20am The Google Lunar X-Prize: A Look Into the Entrepreneurial Future - Nicole Jordan, Fred Bourgeois, Bob Richards, Kevin Myrick, Randa Milliron, Mike Joyce
Speedup "Hybrid Ignition Test" - RLV News
Briefs: Ribbon fuel contest results; Space prize roundup - RLV News
Tampa Space Program News Examiner - FMARS 2009 Crew Employing Google Lunar X-Prize Rover and Other Advanced Systems
Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Committee - Current Topic For Public Comment - To what extent should NASA rely on the private sector for human space flight-related products and services? (Closes July 24th)
One commenter starts with: Keep makeing X-Prizes ...
@Pomerantz - Middle School & High School students in the US: Want to do experiments in microgravity? http://bit.ly/19sFF0 (Please spread the word)
The link from Will Pomerantz is on the NASA Drop Tower Competition for Student Teams at NASA Glenn Research Center. The 2 components are "DIME" and "WING": "Dropping In a Microgravity Environment" and "What If No Gravity".
DIME Program Announcement (PDF)
WING Program Announcement (PDF)
DIME & WING Educators Resource Guide (PDF)
Experiment Design Requirements (PDF)
KC Space Pirates status report - Space Elevator Blog
@jeff_foust - What happened to the space elevator track at NewSpace 2009 next Friday? Was on the agenda yesterday, but not today: http://is.gd/1r3QQ
There are more details on the NewSpace 2009 agenda than I saw the last time I checked. Here are a few involving people or events with prize connections - an updated look at something I posted about recently.
Saturday, July 18th
12:30-1:30pm VidVision Contest Lunch
2:15-2:55pm Orbital Fuel Depots: Fueling the Frontier - Jon Goff, Bernard Kutter, Dallas Bienhoff
3:15-4:00pm Suborbital Point-to-Point: Going Places or Taking Us for a Ride? - Paul Damphousse, Kelvin Coleman, A.C. Charania, Chuck Lauer, Randall Clauge
Sunday, July 19th
9:00-11:45am Business plan competition
11:45-12:00pm Isle of Man Presentation - Bob Richards
1:00-2:00pm NewSpace Policy: Accelerating development or picking winners? - Ken Davidian, Jim Muncy, Bruce Pittman, Doug Comstock
4:00-5:00pm NewSpace Case Studies- The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat - Ecliptic Enterprises, MirCorp, Masten Space System
Monday, July 20th
9:25-10:20am The Google Lunar X-Prize: A Look Into the Entrepreneurial Future - Nicole Jordan, Fred Bourgeois, Bob Richards, Kevin Myrick, Randa Milliron, Mike Joyce
Speedup "Hybrid Ignition Test" - RLV News
Briefs: Ribbon fuel contest results; Space prize roundup - RLV News
Tampa Space Program News Examiner - FMARS 2009 Crew Employing Google Lunar X-Prize Rover and Other Advanced Systems
Monday, June 08, 2009
Prize Roundup - June 8, 2009
The incentive2innovate (i2i) conference is underway.
From the i2i blog:
incentive2innovate Day 1 Photo Slideshow
Some reactions from the crowd: Edmond Bina
Don Tapscott, author of Grown Up Digital
Some Photos from Day 1, early
Greeting from Robert K. Weiss
Welcome to incentive2innovate
Also check here for updates: @i_2_i twitter and @PeterDiamandis twitter.
@Doug_Comstock from NASA Innovative Partnerships Program (home of the Centennial Challenge prizes) is at i2i.
Speed Up static fire test - RLV News
Liability problems stop up hydrogen peroxide supplies - RLV News on an Unreasonable Rocket post
Review: The New Moon Race - The Space Review - Jeff Foust
3D Lander CAD Model - Next Giant Leap at Google Lunar X PRIZE Teams page - In addition to the CAD model which will draw your eyes first, note:
Next Giant Leap will be unveiling a full size mockup of our lander next week during the "Giant Leaps" symposium at MIT.
Giant Leaps - MIT
SYNERGY MOON Robotics Group - SYNERGY MOON at Google Lunar X PRIZE Teams page
Prep Rocket Designers Get Boost from Mentor - The Official Homepage of the United States Army
From the i2i blog:
incentive2innovate Day 1 Photo Slideshow
Some reactions from the crowd: Edmond Bina
Don Tapscott, author of Grown Up Digital
Some Photos from Day 1, early
Greeting from Robert K. Weiss
Welcome to incentive2innovate
Also check here for updates: @i_2_i twitter and @PeterDiamandis twitter.
@Doug_Comstock from NASA Innovative Partnerships Program (home of the Centennial Challenge prizes) is at i2i.
Speed Up static fire test - RLV News
Liability problems stop up hydrogen peroxide supplies - RLV News on an Unreasonable Rocket post
Review: The New Moon Race - The Space Review - Jeff Foust
3D Lander CAD Model - Next Giant Leap at Google Lunar X PRIZE Teams page - In addition to the CAD model which will draw your eyes first, note:
Next Giant Leap will be unveiling a full size mockup of our lander next week during the "Giant Leaps" symposium at MIT.
Giant Leaps - MIT
SYNERGY MOON Robotics Group - SYNERGY MOON at Google Lunar X PRIZE Teams page
Prep Rocket Designers Get Boost from Mentor - The Official Homepage of the United States Army
Monday, April 27, 2009
Lunar Lander Challenge Update
Still a challenge - The Space Review - Jeff Foust gives an update on the Lunar Lander Challenge, including an overview of the teams that presented at Space Access '09 and prospects for this year's competition.
4/23/2009: Hybrid Catalyst Test - SpeedUp - This includes a video on the left that might be easy to overlook (as it's a text link).
Unreasonable update - RLV News
4/23/2009: Hybrid Catalyst Test - SpeedUp - This includes a video on the left that might be easy to overlook (as it's a text link).
Unreasonable update - RLV News
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
