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NASA Prize Program Releases Workshop Report
colonist writes "NASA's prize competitions program, Centennial Challenges, held its first workshop June 15-16, 2004 to brainstorm ideas, define rules and set prize amounts. The post-workshop report (PDF) is available. New ideas for challenges should be sent to <ccideas@hq.nasa.gov>. The Centennial Challenges program is supported by the X Prize Foundation, the Aldridge Commission and some members of Congress, but not all."
According to the summary
The Centennial Challenges program is supported by the X Prize Foundation, the Aldridge Commission and some members of Congress, but not all.
And when the "not all" link is clicked on, here is one blurb
However, in a June 17 letter to NASA, Reps. James Walsh (R-NY) and Alan Mollohan (D-WV), the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the House Appropriations Committee subcommittee that oversees NASA, denied that request as well as another request to move $24.2 million from two space science missions. It doesn't appear that the two Congressmen have anything against the Centennial Challenges program itself; instead, they are concerned NASA is moving too far ahead on the overall exploration program without Congressional approval.
This does not say that these Congressman are against the idea, it's possible that they just think NASA is jumping the gun.
Rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds.There upon the rainbow is the answer to a neverending story
The X-Prize is obviously the model for the Centennial Challenge--in fact an X-Prize administrator participated in the Challenge. Clearly the X-Prize was the right idea at the right time. If NASA and Congress actually follow through, we might see some useful things come out of this.
Personally, I liked the idea of a reusable first and second stage heavy-lift vehicle. I always wondered why they couldn't be reusable.
....... kris
"I thought I could organize freedom. How Scandinavian of me."
Didn't we have this talk over on NuclearSpace.com? I think we were discussing a Sea Wolf class shell.
Honestly, there's nothing all that hard about getting a big space craft up there. There's just the problem of convincing someone to do it. The US Government hasn't wanted big launches (think hundreds to thousands of metric tones) since the Apollo missions, and even went as far as to dismantle the Saturn V program. The Sea Dragon program showed that it could build a Sea Wold-like shell as a super cheap rocket, but no one was willing to exchange massive payload for the cost reductions. Thus the Sea Dragon didn't get the time of day.
And now Energia is sitting on a factory that could start producing the Energia Vulcan for the small cost of an 11 million dollar renovation, but the US wouldn't possibly even think of paying the Russians for a final anything. The Proton rocket only launches because Lockheed Martin (IIRC) bought it out.
Let's talk about this topic again when someone with money is serious about putting real tonnage into orbit.
Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
I'm totally onboard for NERVA, but keep in mind that NERVA wasn't done, per se, when the program folded. There were some significant problems relating to hydrogen eroding the graphite engine cores that still remained to be solved.
I think what would be great would be a (relatively) protest-proof method of transporting nuclear materials into space. There are always going to be leftists who oppose it on religious grounds, but if we can satisfy the reasonable people with objections, then the road to space will stretch out in front of us.
If your bitterest enemies are people who hack the heads off civilians, then I would say you're doing something right.
I'm totally onboard for NERVA, but keep in mind that NERVA wasn't done, per se, when the program folded. There were some significant problems relating to hydrogen eroding the graphite engine cores that still remained to be solved.
No argument here, but the project did produce real technology that works today. The graphite problem was not a show-stopper, and the Phoebes engine DID burn at maximum power for 10 minutes. That alone is sufficient power to send a rocket on a Mars bound trajectory. (Especially if multiple engines are used.) Not to mention that 40 years of material sciences should help cure that specific problem.
We *could* just wait around for Gas Core engines to reach maturity, but then we might be waiting a few decades. It's much better to use today's tech now, and let the knowledge gained through that use trickle into creating next-gen engines faster.
Oh, and I'm still waiting for someone to fund a prototype of Zubrin's Nuclear Salt Water Rocket. 7,000-10,000 sec ISP! We'd be cruising the solar system like it was our back yard!
I think what would be great would be a (relatively) protest-proof method of transporting nuclear materials into space. There are always going to be leftists who oppose it on religious grounds, but if we can satisfy the reasonable people with objections, then the road to space will stretch out in front of us.
Interestingly enough, opposition to nuclear tech is waning. A recent study by Bisconti Research for the Nuclear Energy Institute found that 64% of respondents are in favor of nuclear power. That's a huge jump from 49% back in 1983. I think it's because a new generation has grown up without the fear of the Cold War, and the old timers are starting to forget what that was like. Without the fear of nuclear weapons, they have far fewer qualms about nuclear tech.
Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
NERVA is a great concept, and they did manage to largely get around the vibration problems in the core that were ejecting fuel. However, they never did fix the corrosion problem, and I'm not so sure modern materials techs can.
:) The worst you can do is damage your combustion chamber and nozzle.
Nonetheless, for interplanetary-space use, is erosion of radioactive core materials really that serious of a problem? I doubt any of the ejected mass would ever come anywhere close to intersecting earth, and would probably end up escaping the solar system or intersecting the sun. The big risk, it seems, would be from cracking and core disassembly, which are mostly vibration issues, but if present could pose significant safety issues to the ship.
I love Zubrin's salt water rocket, though. A very clever concept for interplanetary-space use that might prove a whole lot easier. I mean, heck - you've got your moderator and fuel conveniently mixed together, and neither of them are going to erode unpredictably or crack!
Very well; let this abomination unto the Lord begin!
I'm gonna guess that it means building an RTG (radioisotope thermoelectric generator) using 1/4 the plutonium used in current designs.
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Mod me down, you fucking twits. Go ahead. I dare you.
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