The Google
Lunar X PRIZE and the Northrop
Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge contests
are two of the most exciting public space
and rocket development programs.
Students and faculty at Carnige Mellon involved
in the
Astrobotic
lunar rover entry in the Google
Lunar X PRIZE.
See the list
of other GLXP teams.
A picture of the Armadillo
Aerospace Mod vehicle in flight
during the 2007 Northrop
Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge event.
See compilation
video.
However, there are many other contests
and projects related to the Moon in which
students and volunteer enthusiasts of all
ages and backgrounds can participate. Here
are some examples:
** Send
your name to the Moon on the Lunar
Reconnaissance Orbiter. Deadline is
June 27th.
** The 8th
Continent Project at the Colorado
School of Mines sponsors the 2009
Business Plan Competition for university
students:
the competition focuses on developing
viable business plans using space-related
technologies that have real-world potential.
The 8th Continent Business Plan Competition
challenges students in business, engineering
and science to collaborate in creating
business ventures related to space, but
with immediate commercial application
on Earth. Teams should consist primarily
of graduate students, although undergraduate
participation is welcome. Prizes for the
winner include up to $50,000 in cash and
in-kind services.
** Join the Moon
Society and get involved in helping
to make lunar settlement a reality.
** NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center sponsors
an annual Moonbuggy
competition.
** NASA and the California Space Authority
are sponsoring these two other Moon related
Challenges:
- 2008
Regolith Excavation Challenge - "compete
to build the autonomous and mobile excavator
that can extract the most simulated lunar
regolith within power, mass, and time
constraints."
- MoonROx
Challenge - "Efficient production
of breathable oxygen from in-situ lunar
resources"
** Explore the Moon vicariously with Google
Moon. Check out other on and off line
lunar related software such as Apollo
simulations and lunar
landers.
** The National Space Society and Hadley
Rille Books just sponsored the Return
to Luna Science Fiction Contest. The
winners will be announced later this summer.
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