Will the prize be won?

The previous poll is interesting, but I thought I'd do it with slightly different options and more precise language. Possibility is one thing, but actually having it happen is another.

WILL it be won? Now that's a good question and what the N-Prize competition is all about. Of course, we (LMR) certainly intend to win it.

~Sage
http://littlemonsterrocket.webnode.com/

Good Poll Ben!

Will it is certainly very different to can it!

I don't think it'll happen unless the window is extended. 2013, I'd say yes definitely.

Just wanted to bump this up and get a few more votes. It looks like it's pretty well divided now, with no middle ground.

Ben
Just wanted you to know. Prometheus is going to make an attempt! I'm so with you on the square Cube issue. Our attempt will be a high altitude platform launch with a 2 stage solid rocket and a gas gun for the final stage. We have honed this approach to a fine edge now. Look for some real numbers comming soon to our website teamprometheus.org. We did an interview with a llocal news team today and we have some sponsers now so expect to see some real N-Prize Hardware.

Monroe
Team Prometheus

"Something is going into orbit"

I'm glad to hear it, Monroe. Please post an update when you have more details available, I'm interested.

I'm planning to do a balloon flight this year as a hobby project, when not doing rockets at work. Probably not a rockoon, though.

Ben,
Thanks! It wont air until the 29th so we proably wont get it before then. We still have plans for a Near Space Expedition. Get some photo's from the balloon launch will ya I'd like to see that.

Monroe

I think both prizes will be won, but maybe not with the current rules. I'd do one minor rule change: removing the upper size limit. If a team manages to put 1kg, or even 100g, into orbit, it would be downright stupid to disqualify them based on the upper size limit.

Especially as they would have just beaten NASA

Either way if a team is able to put 100g or 1kg into orbit within the specified budget, but not win the prize, you are still going to reap the rewards of having done it.

Iain

But, if they put a 100g satellite into Orbit, they'll still have demonstrated the capability to put a 19.9g sat into orbit.

I see where your coming from.
There are also no rules against deploying multiple satellites so you could theoritically launch 5 and hope one achieves 9 orbits.

You could launch a smaller satellite from a larger one and stay in close couple with it even use bluetooth and use the larger satellite to broadcast the signal from the smaller one. One might could even Recapture the smaller sat. and prove a way to remove space debri.

Monroe

No. It says in the rules that the Satellite must broadcast to earth without the help of another satellite.

It's not just the capability that they want demonstrating, it's the ability to make a small sat. But even if you can't make a Sat that small, the organisers may choose to award it to you for getting the furthest.

Terraformer
You are correct that the larger satellite cannot be used to relay for the smaller one. However it can still be launched from it and even recovered by it and then return to earth to claim the (N-Prize plus) Thanks for making me look.

Monroe