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New Prizes
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Space Walker ![]() ![]()
Joined: Fri Sep 10, 2004 5:35 am
Posts: 207 Location: New Zealand/Europe ![]() |
Nasa has just released a bunch more centennial challenge prizes.
The Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge: to place a small satellite into Earth orbit, twice in one week. The prize purse is $2 million. Night Rover Challenge: to demonstrate a solar-powered exploration vehicle that can operate in darkness using its own stored energy. The prize purse is $1.5 million. Sample Return Robot Challenge: to demonstrate a robot that can locate and retrieve geologic samples from a wide and varied terrain without human control. The prize purse is $1.5 million. http://www.nasa.gov/offices/ipp/innovat ... index.html Be interesting to see if any existing teams/companies take up any of these challenges and what new comers it will bring in ![]() Iain |
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Space Station Commander ![]() ![]()
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2004 8:47 am
Posts: 521 Location: Science Park, Cambridge, UK ![]() |
Now there's a coincidence. I was just thinking, after seeing an article http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/jonathanamos/2010/06/planning-for-mars-sample-retur.shtml on the BBC website about the 'skycrane' planned to drop the next rover on Mars, that a new prize could be launched to simulate the skycrane on earth.
I was thinking along the lines of a craft that can lift up a rover, carry it for a certain distance, then soft land it, then fly away to land itself safely at a distance. Really just a modifications of the Lunar lander challenge, but requiring multiple engine control, and some really quite accurate maneuvering ability. |
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Space Station Member ![]() ![]()
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:22 pm
Posts: 266 ![]() |
I actually wanted to do a skycrane as a stunt at MSS. It wouldn't be very hard, if you already have the vehicle. I still think it's a dumb plan for Mars, though.
I find the orbital competition interesting, as you might guess, but the prize is too small. It'll be won incidentally. |
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