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NASA Unveils Centennial Challenges

Posted by samzenpus on from the step-right-up dept.

wonderfesten writes "NASA has finally got its Centennial Challenges program off the ground. Like the X Prize, the Challenges award cash prizes to private inventors who come up with solutions to problems. The first challenges are to design a light-weight, ultra-strength tether and a means of transmitting power wirelessly. But with a prize of just $50,000, will anyone give it a shot?" Details also available on MSNBC and Space.com.

15 of 262 comments (clear)

  1. Wireless power by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 3, Funny

    Do not underestimate the power of a winnebago full of batteries.

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    liqbase :: faster than paper
  2. Ultra strength tether by imrec · · Score: 3, Funny

    Err... I got married a few months back. That 50 grand is mine soon as I tell NASA.

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    Note: This sig contains nine S's, nine I's and five O's which... means absolutely nothing.
    1. Re:Ultra strength tether by imrec · · Score: 5, Funny

      Oh... LIGHT weight...

      Damn...

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      Note: This sig contains nine S's, nine I's and five O's which... means absolutely nothing.
  3. Gasp! by aendeuryu · · Score: 5, Funny

    Good lord! They want to combine a light-weight, ultra-strength tether with a means of transmitting power wirelessly. Read that again. A light-weight, ultra-strength tether with a means of transmitting power wirelessly. My God! Do you know what this means? Do you?!?

    Yeah, neither do I.

    1. Re:Gasp! by George+Tirebuyer · · Score: 1, Funny

      Well if it's kind to hands and has all the taste of butter without the calories we may just have a winner!

  4. I win.... by wpiman · · Score: 2, Funny
    "a means of transmitting power wirelessly."

    I submitted a one page white paper on using the Sun. I can't wait to get my $50,000?

  5. 50k is 50k by sjonke · · Score: 2, Funny

    And you know a wireless wall-power-level bunny vibe would have serious sales potential.

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    --- What?
  6. New prizes announced by DanielMarkham · · Score: 4, Funny

    With NASA trying to do too mnay things with too little money, I'd like to get in on the action as well.

    - $10 for first person to discover tenth planet
    - $15.75 for invention of anti-gravity device. Must include batteries
    - $17.50 for first person to deliver truckload of gold bullion to my house
    - $37.50 for proof of alien life

    I've got the money right here (pats wallet). Let's all not rush. Stand in line, please.

  7. Re:Theodore Sturgeon by dos_dude · · Score: 1, Funny

    Don't feel bad. You demonstrated your amazing knowledge of SiFi literature. And that's what slashdot is all about.

  8. Re:Give it to Tesla by Spad · · Score: 2, Funny

    I also remember reading in a Russian science and technology journal (Yiuniy Tehnik) in the early 90s, about a patent to have a huge solar array in space that would send the power to the ground as a microwave beam

    You're getting confused with Sim City 2000

  9. Re:Transmitting power wirelessly... by stormintx · · Score: 1, Funny

    I wouldn't spread that bit of knowledge too far! US power companies already don't like the competition from "Green" power on the generation side, they definitely will not like the competion on the transmission side. On the bright side I look forward to wireless Enron scandals!

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    ForeclosuresYes - Find home foreclosures near you!
  10. $50,000?! by Anita+Coney · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does NASA realise you can make that kind of money by simply working?!

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    If someone says he and his monkey have nothing to hide, they almost certainly do.
  11. Use the solar death ray by SirChris · · Score: 1, Funny

    point the solar death ray at the little robot. Sure his back will get a little warm buy hey heat is power. And if it doesn't work he'd be really well lit.

  12. Re:Space elevator? by gr8_phk · · Score: 4, Funny
    I have wondered why the space elevator people want to use transmitted power. Why not just have your tether be a loop with a pully on the satellite? Then you just clamp a payload on and turn a crank on the ground. You get bi-directional delivery at the same time. Now there are potential issues with the 2 strands and associated payloads running into each other, but that seems like it should be easier to solve than all the issues with robotic climbers with beamed power.

    Oops, I should have patented this variation of the Space Elevator before writing about it....

  13. Re:A good idea for wireless power would be lasers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Are you the guy that fills in the "" parts of Star Trek scripts?