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?
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Prize Roundup: JPL National Science Bowl, Beamed Energy Propulsion, Xoie Art, Glove Project, More
Unreasonable update - RLV News
Move Over, Rover: Next Giant Leap Gets $1 Million Grant To Build Hopping Moon Landers - TechCrunch
National Science Bowl ® - Jet Propulsion Laboratory - JPL is hosting the Southern California regional competition on Saturday, January 22.
Beamed energy propulsion update - RLV News - Jordin Kare from LaserMotive is featured in the article.
@pomerantz: You say you want a revolution? Well, you know, we'd sure love to give a prize. Some updates to the prize groups at http://www.xprize.org/
If you check out the Exploration Prize Group, you'll see that one of the proposed prize concepts is
Beamed Power Propulsion
Nearly all launches to date have relied on chemical propulsion, carried on board the vehicle, and thereby sharply reducing payload mass fraction. Beamed power offers a radically alternative launch strategy. Payload launch costs to orbit will drop by a factor of 50 or more. The goal is to launch a 10 Kg payload to a 30Km altitude, deriving 100% of its energy from a ground-based beamed power system. The system must also be reusable and repeatable within 24 hours.
The full set of concepts, covering aviation, space and ocean exploration, includes
The winner of the Space Life competition will be the first team that can create a single or multi-cellular edible organism that can grow under standard Martian surface conditions.
@flyingjenny: My latest creation: a needle felted Xoie by Masten Space Systems, Lunar Lander Challenge winner http://post.ly/1W6VN
See, here's the @Xprize X on Xoie: http://post.ly/1W6jz
From the winner of the Astronaut Glove Challenge:
@pkhomer: Heading home from HOU. Just kicked off a new glove project for @NASA.
@InnoCentiveCEO: Cool! Our new book is on Amazon for pre order even know won't be out for months! http://amzn.to/hn1o4k
@Prize4Life: Support Prize4Life! Contribute to Mark and Lionel’s fundraising effort for the Grand Traverse ski race! http://fb.me/O1oRkrXt
Move Over, Rover: Next Giant Leap Gets $1 Million Grant To Build Hopping Moon Landers - TechCrunch
National Science Bowl ® - Jet Propulsion Laboratory - JPL is hosting the Southern California regional competition on Saturday, January 22.
Beamed energy propulsion update - RLV News - Jordin Kare from LaserMotive is featured in the article.
@pomerantz: You say you want a revolution? Well, you know, we'd sure love to give a prize. Some updates to the prize groups at http://www.xprize.org/
If you check out the Exploration Prize Group, you'll see that one of the proposed prize concepts is
Beamed Power Propulsion
Nearly all launches to date have relied on chemical propulsion, carried on board the vehicle, and thereby sharply reducing payload mass fraction. Beamed power offers a radically alternative launch strategy. Payload launch costs to orbit will drop by a factor of 50 or more. The goal is to launch a 10 Kg payload to a 30Km altitude, deriving 100% of its energy from a ground-based beamed power system. The system must also be reusable and repeatable within 24 hours.
The full set of concepts, covering aviation, space and ocean exploration, includes
- Asteroid Deflection
- Beamed Power Propulsion
- Crater Exploration
- Deep Human Submersible
- Electric Aviation
- Lunar Lander
- Ocean Explorer Platform
- Ocean Floor Mapping
- Ocean pH Sensor
- Orbital Debris Removal
- Personal Electric Autonomous Air Transporter
- Reaction Engine
- Suborbital
- Wolfram Physics
The winner of the Space Life competition will be the first team that can create a single or multi-cellular edible organism that can grow under standard Martian surface conditions.
@flyingjenny: My latest creation: a needle felted Xoie by Masten Space Systems, Lunar Lander Challenge winner http://post.ly/1W6VN
See, here's the @Xprize X on Xoie: http://post.ly/1W6jz
From the winner of the Astronaut Glove Challenge:
@pkhomer: Heading home from HOU. Just kicked off a new glove project for @NASA.
@InnoCentiveCEO: Cool! Our new book is on Amazon for pre order even know won't be out for months! http://amzn.to/hn1o4k
@Prize4Life: Support Prize4Life! Contribute to Mark and Lionel’s fundraising effort for the Grand Traverse ski race! http://fb.me/O1oRkrXt
Friday, January 21, 2011
JSC Ideas, Phobos and Deimos Conference, University Rover Date, Hoppers, More
A Look Inside JSC's New Ideas - NASA Watch
Cross Cutting Themes at JSC - NASA Watch - Click through to take a look at the slide presentations for both of these articles. You may see some imagery that evokes the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge here and there. For example, the "Promote Rapid Prototype Engineering" slide (slide 16 in the Cross Cutting Themes presentation) reminds me of Robonaut - Project M History and Driving Philosophy:
We had also been working with Armadillo Aerospace for a few years. ... We did “hardware store engineering” like a scaled propellant slosh test made of light globes, colored water, nuts and bolts, and lumber from the hardware store. That test allowed us to confirm fundamental slosh modes, anchor our simulation, develop a better full scale slosh test, and give engineers an intuitive feel for the physics. We didn’t sit and debate it, we didn’t analyze and re-analyze, we simply built and learned.
@wikkit: Cryogenic snow falls in Caddo Mills as Phil's 4k methane engine starts running. http://twitpic.com/3r9c98
Preparations for NASA Power Beaming Competition 2011 - LaserMotive
Power up: Laser beams can now deliver energy to machines through thin air - The Economist (link from @NASA_Green_Ames)
Still here - Vog Rockets has a brief note.
A student interested in the N Prize gets a lecture from a former Centennial Challenges manager:
@fineri: Had a lecture by Ken Davidian from the FAA/AST office today, very interesting, pity it was only an hour..
@ConradAwards: Technological innovation, entrepreneurship alive among U.S. HS students, more than 480 students in 2011 competition http://ow.ly/3HiGk
@NextGiantLeap: Planetary rovers: Space hopping | The Economist http://t.co/hgCwg0g via @theeconomist
@Eurospaceward: Registration for the University Rover Challenge June 2 - 4, 2011 extended to Feb 15, 2011, see https://sites.google.com/marssociety.org/urc/
The above Mars Society link (and the site in general) is having some trouble as of this posting, but you can get more details at this University Rover Challenge site.
Second International Conference on the Exploration of Phobos and Deimos - SETI Institute - The conference will be held at NASA Ames on March 14-16. It includes the
Mars Institute “Asaph Hall Best Student Paper Award” ceremony during which the Mars Institute will present an award certificate and a USD$500 prize to the student who will have first-authored the most noteworthy research abstract or poster relating to the exploration of Phobos and/or Deimos, as judged by the Conveners of the conference.
Cross Cutting Themes at JSC - NASA Watch - Click through to take a look at the slide presentations for both of these articles. You may see some imagery that evokes the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge here and there. For example, the "Promote Rapid Prototype Engineering" slide (slide 16 in the Cross Cutting Themes presentation) reminds me of Robonaut - Project M History and Driving Philosophy:
We had also been working with Armadillo Aerospace for a few years. ... We did “hardware store engineering” like a scaled propellant slosh test made of light globes, colored water, nuts and bolts, and lumber from the hardware store. That test allowed us to confirm fundamental slosh modes, anchor our simulation, develop a better full scale slosh test, and give engineers an intuitive feel for the physics. We didn’t sit and debate it, we didn’t analyze and re-analyze, we simply built and learned.
@wikkit: Cryogenic snow falls in Caddo Mills as Phil's 4k methane engine starts running. http://twitpic.com/3r9c98
Preparations for NASA Power Beaming Competition 2011 - LaserMotive
Power up: Laser beams can now deliver energy to machines through thin air - The Economist (link from @NASA_Green_Ames)
Still here - Vog Rockets has a brief note.
A student interested in the N Prize gets a lecture from a former Centennial Challenges manager:
@fineri: Had a lecture by Ken Davidian from the FAA/AST office today, very interesting, pity it was only an hour..
@ConradAwards: Technological innovation, entrepreneurship alive among U.S. HS students, more than 480 students in 2011 competition http://ow.ly/3HiGk
@NextGiantLeap: Planetary rovers: Space hopping | The Economist http://t.co/hgCwg0g via @theeconomist
@Eurospaceward: Registration for the University Rover Challenge June 2 - 4, 2011 extended to Feb 15, 2011, see https://sites.google.com/marssociety.org/urc/
The above Mars Society link (and the site in general) is having some trouble as of this posting, but you can get more details at this University Rover Challenge site.
Second International Conference on the Exploration of Phobos and Deimos - SETI Institute - The conference will be held at NASA Ames on March 14-16. It includes the
Mars Institute “Asaph Hall Best Student Paper Award” ceremony during which the Mars Institute will present an award certificate and a USD$500 prize to the student who will have first-authored the most noteworthy research abstract or poster relating to the exploration of Phobos and/or Deimos, as judged by the Conveners of the conference.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Prize Roundup: LLC Teams, Balloon Contest, Karts and Wheels, SpaceWiki, More
RLV News had lots of news this week on former Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge teams:
Successful static firing of Masten Space's Xaero rocket
Video of test firing of Masten's "Brutus"
Masten static test of Brutus engine
Masten Space update...
Unreasonable Rocket/Scorpius SLC to develop H2O2 composite tanks
Armadillo Aerospace's tube rocket
That's not all, either:
NASA contest for student teams to send experiments to Near Space - RLV News
Team Phoenicia on Autoline Detroit - Team Phoenicia
Florida composer submits song in NASA's Space Rock contest - Space for All
Get published in MAKE! Enter the Karts and Wheels contest. - Makezine - Are there any Moonbuggies out there?
Ted Southern - Gitana Rosa Gallery
The ISS X Prize - Space KSC
Interview with Neda G. Ansari - Evadot
LaserMotive: Looking Forward in 2011 - LaserMotive
@SPIEtweets: @LaserMotive will be at SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, will you? http://bit.ly/ifzQ3f #SPIE #DSS11
@sedsusa: Don't forget that there are only 18 days left to participate in the SpaceWiki contest to benefit your SEDS-USA chapter! http://bit.ly/guG0hc
Successful static firing of Masten Space's Xaero rocket
Video of test firing of Masten's "Brutus"
Masten static test of Brutus engine
Masten Space update...
Unreasonable Rocket/Scorpius SLC to develop H2O2 composite tanks
Armadillo Aerospace's tube rocket
That's not all, either:
NASA contest for student teams to send experiments to Near Space - RLV News
Team Phoenicia on Autoline Detroit - Team Phoenicia
Florida composer submits song in NASA's Space Rock contest - Space for All
Get published in MAKE! Enter the Karts and Wheels contest. - Makezine - Are there any Moonbuggies out there?
Ted Southern - Gitana Rosa Gallery
The ISS X Prize - Space KSC
Interview with Neda G. Ansari - Evadot
LaserMotive: Looking Forward in 2011 - LaserMotive
@SPIEtweets: @LaserMotive will be at SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, will you? http://bit.ly/ifzQ3f #SPIE #DSS11
@sedsusa: Don't forget that there are only 18 days left to participate in the SpaceWiki contest to benefit your SEDS-USA chapter! http://bit.ly/guG0hc
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Prize Roundup: Space Accesses, Debug Unreasonable Hardware, FIRST 2011, More
Briefs: Space Access Paris; Space Access Phoenix; RRL update - RLV News - The Phoenix Space Access conference usually has numerous presentations about space prizes and by space prize teams. It will be interesting to see if the Nanosatellite Launch Centennial Challenge is represented this year.
Diesel frustration... - Unreasonable Rocket
Fly me to the moon: the Google Lunar X PRIZE, three years in - Ars Technica
Andrews Space Part of Team Selected by NASA to Provide Moon Mission Data - Space Fellowship
NASA JSC Solicitation: Open Innovation Support Services for Internal Collaboration Support Platform and Intermediary - Commercial Space Watch
NASA Kicks Off 2011 Nationwide First Robotics Competition - NASA
Diesel frustration... - Unreasonable Rocket
Fly me to the moon: the Google Lunar X PRIZE, three years in - Ars Technica
Andrews Space Part of Team Selected by NASA to Provide Moon Mission Data - Space Fellowship
NASA JSC Solicitation: Open Innovation Support Services for Internal Collaboration Support Platform and Intermediary - Commercial Space Watch
NASA Kicks Off 2011 Nationwide First Robotics Competition - NASA
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Roundup: Lunar Prize Site Map, COMPETES Signed, Space Art, Masten Mud, More
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #39 - Luna C/I
Google Lunar X PRIZE Proposed Landing Sites - EvaDot
LaserMotive: 2010 Year In Review - LaserMotive
COMPETES Passage Keeps America's Leadership on Target - The President signed the America COMPETES Act yesterday, so the Office of Science and Technology Policy reposted comments by John Holdren made when it passed Congress. Here's an excerpt:
And in a great boost for the cause of generating novel solutions to tough national problems, COMPETES gives every department and agency the authority to conduct prize competitions. Prizes and challenges have an excellent track record of accelerating problem-solving by tapping America’s top talent and best expertise wherever it may lie. The Administration has supported this approach as part of its all-hands-on-deck approach to stimulating innovation, and under COMPETES we can expect a further blossoming of new ideas from citizen solvers across the land.
Challenge.gov in long tradition of giving prizes for solutions to tough problems - The Washington Post
@LRO_NASA: Suuuper cute. Winners of space science art contest for grades 2-4. http://fb.me/CEDznEpZ
@genomics_xprize: Genomics X PRIZE Advisor, Leroy Hood wins $500k prize 4 "for automating DNA sequencing that revolutionized biomedicine" http://bit.ly/dROa4E
Crawley wins National Academy of Engineering’s Gordon Prize - MIT News
It looks like my college dorm's field after a Rugby game:
@MdlRcktScientst: Getting ready to attempt a hold-down test. In the mud. Awesome. http://twitpic.com/3n2w6q
@ConradAwards: Conrad Foundation and Constellation Energy Group give students a new chance to win http://pitch.pe/114727
Google Lunar X PRIZE Proposed Landing Sites - EvaDot
LaserMotive: 2010 Year In Review - LaserMotive
COMPETES Passage Keeps America's Leadership on Target - The President signed the America COMPETES Act yesterday, so the Office of Science and Technology Policy reposted comments by John Holdren made when it passed Congress. Here's an excerpt:
And in a great boost for the cause of generating novel solutions to tough national problems, COMPETES gives every department and agency the authority to conduct prize competitions. Prizes and challenges have an excellent track record of accelerating problem-solving by tapping America’s top talent and best expertise wherever it may lie. The Administration has supported this approach as part of its all-hands-on-deck approach to stimulating innovation, and under COMPETES we can expect a further blossoming of new ideas from citizen solvers across the land.
Challenge.gov in long tradition of giving prizes for solutions to tough problems - The Washington Post
@LRO_NASA: Suuuper cute. Winners of space science art contest for grades 2-4. http://fb.me/CEDznEpZ
@genomics_xprize: Genomics X PRIZE Advisor, Leroy Hood wins $500k prize 4 "for automating DNA sequencing that revolutionized biomedicine" http://bit.ly/dROa4E
Crawley wins National Academy of Engineering’s Gordon Prize - MIT News
It looks like my college dorm's field after a Rugby game:
@MdlRcktScientst: Getting ready to attempt a hold-down test. In the mud. Awesome. http://twitpic.com/3n2w6q
@ConradAwards: Conrad Foundation and Constellation Energy Group give students a new chance to win http://pitch.pe/114727
Friday, December 31, 2010
European Space Elevator Challenge, Masten Spotlight, Video Contest, More
I'm going to start a bit off-topic today. Part of yesterday's post involved propellant depots and satellite servicing. Here's some related news (via @spacevidcast):
NASA Awards Systems Engineering Contract For In-Space Servicing - NASA - The contract is for support of 2 Goddard Space Flight Center-led technology demonstrations at the ISS:
The first demonstration will use a customized payload task box, Dextre and specialized tools to robotically demonstrate refueling and repair tasks in orbit. Tasks will include locating, accessing and uncapping valves and transferring simulated liquid fuel. During the second demonstration, Dextre will test and evaluate a variety of tools, sensors and instruments to support autonomous rendezvous and capture capabilities for orbiting spacecraft systems.
And now back to the prizes and prize teams!
Suborbital Spotlight: Masten’s Xaero and Xogdor Vehicles - Parabolic Arc
Way out of the box presure system... - Unreasonable Rocket
PET third stage COTS tank - Unreasonable Rocket
The Leeward Space Foundation - The Space Elevator Blog
@SEGames: Europe will hold its first Space Elevator Challenge June 10-12, 2011. Details here: http://eusec.warr.de/
@JUXTOPIA_JURBAN: It gives me great pleasure to announce that the Space Act Agreement Between Juxtopia and NASA has been signed. Congratulations!!!!!!!!
@NASA: Students: Reminder - time is running out to submit videos in the OPTIMUS PRIME Video Contest about NASA Technology http://go.nasa.gov/fWfWfZ
NASA Awards Systems Engineering Contract For In-Space Servicing - NASA - The contract is for support of 2 Goddard Space Flight Center-led technology demonstrations at the ISS:
The first demonstration will use a customized payload task box, Dextre and specialized tools to robotically demonstrate refueling and repair tasks in orbit. Tasks will include locating, accessing and uncapping valves and transferring simulated liquid fuel. During the second demonstration, Dextre will test and evaluate a variety of tools, sensors and instruments to support autonomous rendezvous and capture capabilities for orbiting spacecraft systems.
And now back to the prizes and prize teams!
Suborbital Spotlight: Masten’s Xaero and Xogdor Vehicles - Parabolic Arc
Way out of the box presure system... - Unreasonable Rocket
PET third stage COTS tank - Unreasonable Rocket
The Leeward Space Foundation - The Space Elevator Blog
@SEGames: Europe will hold its first Space Elevator Challenge June 10-12, 2011. Details here: http://eusec.warr.de/
@JUXTOPIA_JURBAN: It gives me great pleasure to announce that the Space Act Agreement Between Juxtopia and NASA has been signed. Congratulations!!!!!!!!
@NASA: Students: Reminder - time is running out to submit videos in the OPTIMUS PRIME Video Contest about NASA Technology http://go.nasa.gov/fWfWfZ
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Roundup of 2010 Roundups; 2011 Predictions
It's the time of year for full-year roundups. Here are some featuring space prize teams in the mix:
13 Stories in 2010 that defined space exploration - Evadot
My 2010 Review - QuantumG's blog shows an evolving view of space possibilities.
A review of NewSpace developments in 2010 - RLV News
It's also the time of year for predictions about next year:
Predictions for 2011 - NASASpaceFlight.com - In the mix, Jon Goff follows up last year's accurate predictions with another set that features some predictions in the areas of prizes and prize teams. For example:
At least three new Centennial Challenges will be announced, with at least one of them regarding small payload return from ISS or propellant depots.
NASA has considered prizes in both areas (for an example from several years ago, see slide pages 18 and 20 here (PDF)), so that's certainly a possibility. Small, and hopefully frequent, ISS payload return could be a good (although potentially quite ambitious, depending on the rules) prize subject considering the expected increased activity and 2020+ lifetime for the ISS, potential commercial space growth in areas like space stations that may increase the market for things like small lab sample returns, and the need to go after affordable return capabilities to match affordable launch encouraged by efforts like the Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge. Propellant depot and similar technology is also important for many areas like satellite servicing, in-space ISRU markets, and ambitious exploration missions. Of course there are many other great subjects for space prizes, so we'll have to wait to see what NASA comes up with before we see how accurate those predictions are!
13 Stories in 2010 that defined space exploration - Evadot
My 2010 Review - QuantumG's blog shows an evolving view of space possibilities.
A review of NewSpace developments in 2010 - RLV News
It's also the time of year for predictions about next year:
Predictions for 2011 - NASASpaceFlight.com - In the mix, Jon Goff follows up last year's accurate predictions with another set that features some predictions in the areas of prizes and prize teams. For example:
At least three new Centennial Challenges will be announced, with at least one of them regarding small payload return from ISS or propellant depots.
NASA has considered prizes in both areas (for an example from several years ago, see slide pages 18 and 20 here (PDF)), so that's certainly a possibility. Small, and hopefully frequent, ISS payload return could be a good (although potentially quite ambitious, depending on the rules) prize subject considering the expected increased activity and 2020+ lifetime for the ISS, potential commercial space growth in areas like space stations that may increase the market for things like small lab sample returns, and the need to go after affordable return capabilities to match affordable launch encouraged by efforts like the Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge. Propellant depot and similar technology is also important for many areas like satellite servicing, in-space ISRU markets, and ambitious exploration missions. Of course there are many other great subjects for space prizes, so we'll have to wait to see what NASA comes up with before we see how accurate those predictions are!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Fed Prize Authority, GLXP News Galore, Goddard Film Fest Winners, More
@ISS_NatLab: Congrats to Team ZeroBotX for their win at the Zero Robotics Competition! http://fb.me/P921Zhla
@ChallengeGov: BIG NEWS! Congress grants broad prize authority to all federal agencies http://go.usa.gov/rOm #challengegov #gov20
@astrobotic: Astrobotic has joined Twitter! Expect on-the-go updates about all our activities.
NASA awards $500k to 3 firms in lunar demo data project - RLV News
Google Lunar X PRIZE gets last minute entries before deadline - RLV News
Space Frontier to hold third TEDxMidTownNY event - RLV News - Note that Ted Southern is one of the Astronaut Glove Challenge winners.
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [28] - Team Phoenicia
Winners Announced: 2010 Best of Goddard Film Festival - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Way out of the box... - Unreasonable Rocket
@ChallengeGov: BIG NEWS! Congress grants broad prize authority to all federal agencies http://go.usa.gov/rOm #challengegov #gov20
@astrobotic: Astrobotic has joined Twitter! Expect on-the-go updates about all our activities.
NASA awards $500k to 3 firms in lunar demo data project - RLV News
Google Lunar X PRIZE gets last minute entries before deadline - RLV News
Space Frontier to hold third TEDxMidTownNY event - RLV News - Note that Ted Southern is one of the Astronaut Glove Challenge winners.
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [28] - Team Phoenicia
Winners Announced: 2010 Best of Goddard Film Festival - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Way out of the box... - Unreasonable Rocket
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Lego Elevators, Pocket Airports, SGAC and Heinlein Trust, LPI T's, Spheres, More
LASER 2010 - The Space Elevator Blog covers the Lego bricks Activity and Space Elevator Race competitions.
Faster and Greener - Pocket Airports (PDF) - The CAFE Foundation - Here's an bit from the abstract:
The potential aeronautical, environmental and societal benefits of on-demand, distributed, Green air travel are examined along with the urgencies and opportunities that pertain. A proposal is presented to rapidly bring about these benefits by extending NASA’s Centennial Challenge for Aeronautics, the Green Flight Challenge (GFC), into a sequence of two additional flight competitions, GFC II and III.
LaserMotive Wins NW Startup Demo - LaserMotive has more details on a win I briefly mentioned in my last post.
List of significant parts.... - Unreasonable Rocket
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [25]
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [24]
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [23] - All from Team Phoenicia
And now for some tweets:
@ISS_Research: 12/16 watch ISS student zero robotics challenge: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/zero.html #NASA #ISS #education
@SGAC: SGAC Partners with the Heinlein Prize Trust to Support the 2011 Future Project Contest http://ow.ly/3qpNQ
@JUXTOPIA_JURBAN: 1st African American Owned Commercial Space Company Launched during Juxtopia Urban Learning Technology Conference @ Morgan State University
Phezu Space, LLC will design and build commercial space on-orbit service vehicles.
@dmasten: Launch vehicle erector trailer works. http://twitpic.com/3g8nmb
@MyMoonLPI: NEW! #MyMoonLPI contest: submit a MyMoon tshirt design: http://bit.ly/eax5oc?
@ConradAwards: In the Spirit of Innovation... - http://eepurl.com/bZgWP
Faster and Greener - Pocket Airports (PDF) - The CAFE Foundation - Here's an bit from the abstract:
The potential aeronautical, environmental and societal benefits of on-demand, distributed, Green air travel are examined along with the urgencies and opportunities that pertain. A proposal is presented to rapidly bring about these benefits by extending NASA’s Centennial Challenge for Aeronautics, the Green Flight Challenge (GFC), into a sequence of two additional flight competitions, GFC II and III.
LaserMotive Wins NW Startup Demo - LaserMotive has more details on a win I briefly mentioned in my last post.
List of significant parts.... - Unreasonable Rocket
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [25]
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [24]
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [23] - All from Team Phoenicia
And now for some tweets:
@ISS_Research: 12/16 watch ISS student zero robotics challenge: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/zero.html #NASA #ISS #education
@SGAC: SGAC Partners with the Heinlein Prize Trust to Support the 2011 Future Project Contest http://ow.ly/3qpNQ
@JUXTOPIA_JURBAN: 1st African American Owned Commercial Space Company Launched during Juxtopia Urban Learning Technology Conference @ Morgan State University
Phezu Space, LLC will design and build commercial space on-orbit service vehicles.
@dmasten: Launch vehicle erector trailer works. http://twitpic.com/3g8nmb
@MyMoonLPI: NEW! #MyMoonLPI contest: submit a MyMoon tshirt design: http://bit.ly/eax5oc?
@ConradAwards: In the Spirit of Innovation... - http://eepurl.com/bZgWP
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Prize Roundup: Phoenicia History, NW Startup Win, Rover Captions, SBIR, More
IEEE Presentation: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Launch Pad - Check out the presentation within this Team Phoenicia blog post. It has a lot of interesting information about the team.
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [21] - Team Phoenicia
@LaserMotive: LaserMotive won the NW Startup Demo, beating out some other very good demos.
@MarsRovers: Here are the winning entries from the Oppy caption contest. Drumroll, please: http://on.fb.me/g5WsT0
@jetlab: Students Bounce to the Top at JPL Competition: With rubber band contraptions, leaf blowers, balloons and o... http://bit.ly/hmy1TQ
Internacional Cansat Competition 2011 - coming soon ...
Briefs: Masten Space's SBIR; Rocket City Space Pioneers update - RLV News
Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [21] - Team Phoenicia
@LaserMotive: LaserMotive won the NW Startup Demo, beating out some other very good demos.
@MarsRovers: Here are the winning entries from the Oppy caption contest. Drumroll, please: http://on.fb.me/g5WsT0
@jetlab: Students Bounce to the Top at JPL Competition: With rubber band contraptions, leaf blowers, balloons and o... http://bit.ly/hmy1TQ
Internacional Cansat Competition 2011 - coming soon ...
Briefs: Masten Space's SBIR; Rocket City Space Pioneers update - RLV News
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
NASA SBIRs, TARC Survey, Moonbuggy Is On, ZeroG Photos, More
@wikkit: Congrats to new space! Altius, Firestar, Masten, MicroSpace, Microcosm, Ventions, and XCOR, Nasa SBIR phase 1 negotiation http://is.gd/iplGs
Here are some examples that caught my eye:
An ElectroAdhesive "Stick Boom" for Mars Sample Return Orbiting Sample Capture - Altius Space Machines, Inc.
Petal Brake Hypersonic Entry System - Andrews Space, Inc.
Cryogenic Composite Tank Fabrication for Reusable Launch Vehicles - XCOR Aerospace
Terrestrial Plume Impingement Testbed - Masten Space Systems, Inc.- Google Lunar X PRIZE team needs are described in the "Potential Non-NASA Commercial Applications" section.
@FLspacereport: Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) survey seeks your input for program improvement. http://bit.ly/euLL9B
@MOONBUGGYRACE: Registration is still open for 18th NASA Great Moonbuggy Race April 1-2, 2011! Sign up now! http://bit.ly/gRl97z
@SLI_1MILEHIGH: We're getting ready to fly! Student rocketeers nationwide set for 2010-11 NASA Student Launch Projects! http://bit.ly/gy06Bs
@ConradAwards: Get Your Genius On! http://ow.ly/3lRXB
@NASActo: 6th-12th graders: Submit your designs for a human colony in outer space by 3/15/11 for a chance to win $3k! http://bit.ly/dLlXlo #NASA
@GoZeroG: Top 10 Announcement for the 2010 Weightless Photo Competitio... http://conta.cc/hsLJj0 via #constantcontact
@unrocket: Ed LeBouthillier's pictures from FAR yesterday: http://www.flickr.com/photos/neutronium/sets/72157625409987503/ The tiny motor is ours.
@MoonbaseX: Yahoo! News has just featured MoonbaseX's "Fly Me to the Moon" SMS campaign! If you're in the UK, find out how to join... http://ow.ly/3mc24
Here are some examples that caught my eye:
An ElectroAdhesive "Stick Boom" for Mars Sample Return Orbiting Sample Capture - Altius Space Machines, Inc.
Petal Brake Hypersonic Entry System - Andrews Space, Inc.
Cryogenic Composite Tank Fabrication for Reusable Launch Vehicles - XCOR Aerospace
Terrestrial Plume Impingement Testbed - Masten Space Systems, Inc.- Google Lunar X PRIZE team needs are described in the "Potential Non-NASA Commercial Applications" section.
@FLspacereport: Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) survey seeks your input for program improvement. http://bit.ly/euLL9B
@MOONBUGGYRACE: Registration is still open for 18th NASA Great Moonbuggy Race April 1-2, 2011! Sign up now! http://bit.ly/gRl97z
@SLI_1MILEHIGH: We're getting ready to fly! Student rocketeers nationwide set for 2010-11 NASA Student Launch Projects! http://bit.ly/gy06Bs
@ConradAwards: Get Your Genius On! http://ow.ly/3lRXB
@NASActo: 6th-12th graders: Submit your designs for a human colony in outer space by 3/15/11 for a chance to win $3k! http://bit.ly/dLlXlo #NASA
@GoZeroG: Top 10 Announcement for the 2010 Weightless Photo Competitio... http://conta.cc/hsLJj0 via #constantcontact
@unrocket: Ed LeBouthillier's pictures from FAR yesterday: http://www.flickr.com/photos/neutronium/sets/72157625409987503/ The tiny motor is ours.
@MoonbaseX: Yahoo! News has just featured MoonbaseX's "Fly Me to the Moon" SMS campaign! If you're in the UK, find out how to join... http://ow.ly/3mc24
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Eurospaceward Conference, NanoSat Launch Biz, SSP Competition, RWIW Date, Moonraker@Mall
The Space Elevator Blog is covering the 2010 Eurospaceward Conference. I'll just give a few links with a lot of prize content; see the blog for more on the conference:
2010 EuroSpaceward Conference - Saturday morning (1) - This mentions the possibility of a European Strong Tether Challenge.
2010 EuroSpaceward Conference - Saturday morning (2) - One of the talks is by a Kansas City Space Pirates member.
2010 EuroSpaceward Conference - Sunday morning - This includes discussions of a number of international space elevator competitions.
I may update this list above as more details emerge.
Pricing a NanoSat launcher - RLV News - The linked post also refers to this older piece on NanoSat Launcher markets inspired by the NanoSat Launch Vehicle Challenge Seminar: Micro-Cargo Delivery & The Last Mile Problem - The Space Busine$$ Blog
Space Solar Power desgn competition - Space for All
@RWIWChallenge: Exciting News!!! The Advanced Registration Deadline has been extended to January 15, 2011!
@paulsrobotics: Come to the Solomon Pond Mall and check out #battlebots Brutality and Moonraker along with other #WPI robots! http://yfrog.com/2h74340880j
2010 EuroSpaceward Conference - Saturday morning (1) - This mentions the possibility of a European Strong Tether Challenge.
2010 EuroSpaceward Conference - Saturday morning (2) - One of the talks is by a Kansas City Space Pirates member.
2010 EuroSpaceward Conference - Sunday morning - This includes discussions of a number of international space elevator competitions.
I may update this list above as more details emerge.
Pricing a NanoSat launcher - RLV News - The linked post also refers to this older piece on NanoSat Launcher markets inspired by the NanoSat Launch Vehicle Challenge Seminar: Micro-Cargo Delivery & The Last Mile Problem - The Space Busine$$ Blog
Space Solar Power desgn competition - Space for All
@RWIWChallenge: Exciting News!!! The Advanced Registration Deadline has been extended to January 15, 2011!
@paulsrobotics: Come to the Solomon Pond Mall and check out #battlebots Brutality and Moonraker along with other #WPI robots! http://yfrog.com/2h74340880j
Prize Roundup: Free Trips, Launch or Fizzle?, Zephyr Aurora, LEGO ISS Challenge?, NASA Crowdsourcing
Win a Free Trip to Space - Discovery News
Space Tourism: Will it go far or fizzle out? - NewSpace Magazine - This is an overview that features several companies involved with space prizes in one way or another.
NASA Launches Innovative Approach to Solve Old Challenges - NASA Ames shows how NASA is using crowdsourcing and InnoCentive internally to solve 3 challenges:
"NASA InternSpace" ... NASA Ames is considering developing a customized social networking and new media communications platform for use by NASA interns, mentors, and managers. ...
"Low Impact Robotic Sensor Platform for Land Survey" ... This challenge is seeking brainstorms and "eureka moments" for alternative sensor platforms. ...
"Measuring Gas Concentrations in Microliter Samples" ... Suggestions are being sought for a new small device (<10 cm3) capable of measuring key gas concentrations in small volumes (10-500 microliters) of gaseous samples.
Team Phoenicia has some new photos:
Space Tourism: Will it go far or fizzle out? - NewSpace Magazine - This is an overview that features several companies involved with space prizes in one way or another.
NASA Launches Innovative Approach to Solve Old Challenges - NASA Ames shows how NASA is using crowdsourcing and InnoCentive internally to solve 3 challenges:
"NASA InternSpace" ... NASA Ames is considering developing a customized social networking and new media communications platform for use by NASA interns, mentors, and managers. ...
"Low Impact Robotic Sensor Platform for Land Survey" ... This challenge is seeking brainstorms and "eureka moments" for alternative sensor platforms. ...
"Measuring Gas Concentrations in Microliter Samples" ... Suggestions are being sought for a new small device (<10 cm3) capable of measuring key gas concentrations in small volumes (10-500 microliters) of gaseous samples.
Team Phoenicia has some new photos:
- Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [16]
- Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [15]
- Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [14]
- Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [13]
- Zephyr Aurora: Taking Shape [12]
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Space Snowflakes, Health/Biology Prizes, Many Masten Assignments, More
@NASAGoddard: RT @NASAblueshift: We're having a snowflake contest! Details: http://bit.ly/gWhJI9
@TheRealBuzz: Check out photo of Danny DeVito and me at his house for the XPrize party that he and Rhea hosted 2 wks ago http://tinyurl.com/38y32u4
@ PeterDiamandis: In DC, full day of mtgs w/ OSTP, FDA, DARPA, VA on AI Physician, Bionics + Genomics X PRIZEs. Excited about moving these XPs forward!
@dmasten: Today is trying to drink from a firehose. Reviewed a briefing, sketch for FAA, code for gear and transponder, range safety documents...
Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #38 - Luna C/I: Moon Colonization and Integration
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