NASA Offers A Prize For Novel Mission Ideas

Dec. 9, 2004
NASA has issued the first official details about its new Centennial Challenges program, a prize competition that the Agency says "seeks novel solutions to NASA's mission challenges from nontraditional sources of innovation in academia, industry, and the public."

NASA offers a prize for novel mission ideas

Listed among the missions the program hopes to advance are general aviation technology, a soft robotic lunar landing, a micro reentry vehicle and a stationkeeping solar sail.

Two Requests for Information solicit input from potential support contractors, and one Announcement of Partnership Opportunity seeks organizations wishing to contribute cash or services to Centennial Challenges activities. "Centennial Challenges will use prizes to help make the nation's Vision for Space Exploration a reality," said Craig Steidle, NASA associate administrator for exploration systems, in a news release. "We hope to receive ideas from potential support contractors and identify prospective partners who will make this program as successful as possible," said Centennial Challenges manager Brant Sponberg.

For more information, go to exploration.nasa.gov/centennialchallenge/cc_index.html

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