NASA Planning Six More Centennial Challenges

FleaPlus writes "NASA has announced plans for six more Centennial Challenges for space-related technological achievements. The X Prize-inspired competitions will have cash prizes of up to $5 million. The challenges are for an orbital fuel depot, a lunar-capable all-terrain vehicle, a pressure suit, a long-term rechargeable power system, a micro reentry vehicle, and a maneuverable solar sail. NASA is currently requesting feedback comments on its current draft of the contest rules."

Comments

Is this the future of space research ?

[Gopal.V]

There was a time when the military invested heavily into the space research program. These days with the cost cutting and budget crunches forced upon Nasa - they seem to have outsourced their research to private enterprenuer and pioneers with such challenges.

Maybe it is a better way to utilize government money - but the research might end up being owned by a commercial entity rather than just being merely used by such an entity. Lockheed and Boeing have been workhorses for such research in the past (think about how the Jeep evolved).

Does the future of space research lie with private efforts ?
Or is it headed eastwards (or further westwards) towards China ?

Re:Is this the future of space research ?

[SchwarzeReiter]

I think China could do interesting things, but it is still too far behind. They need the next ten years to develop, what NASA already has. I wish China would team up with the Russians or ESA, because together they could make NASA run for their money. But I don't think this will ever happen.

Nasa is now acting like a typical corporate entity

[Anonymous Coward]

Only $500,000 for a spacesuit?! $5 Million for an Orbital Fuel Depot !? These prices are absurdly low in terms of 2006 dollars and cents. I bet you could easily spend 10 - 20 times that amount researching and developing real functioning hardware.

By creating these lowball prizes, instead of creating new jobs in-house, which are good government jobs, which pay high salaries and have good benefits, NASA wants to outsource its labor. If they hired engineers in this country to work for NASA, they would have to pay healthcare benefits and maternity leave and all those other expensive things that go along with a well-developed modern society with high cost-of-living. I guarantee you that some recipients of this money will just be a front company with an office and a telephone, and all the engineering work will happen in Bangalore or Bejing. No jury duty time off, minimal vacation time, minimal health care costs, minimal sick leave. So much for American ingenuity and innovation... even our OWN GOVERNMENT is selling us out to the lowest bidder.

I say, stop inventing these stupid prizes, and do it they way we've done it in the past: with a FULLY FUNDED Nasa Budget and well-staffed in-house engineering talent. Outsourcing will just result in an empty shell of an agency. "Ooooh we got a nice spacesuit for only $500,000! I wonder how it works... Oops, we don't have any engineers or astronauts on staff who can actually operate it. I guess we'll just have to hire a Chinese astronaut to fly it for us! LOL"

LOL

Challange Price $5, Nasa Price $500m

[cheekyboy]

Shouldnt nasa have a damn clue and expertises, minus the useless managers, to do this
stuff cheaply, why ask private to do for $5m, what nasa with its 9-5 people * 3 oversight
and redtape - for $500million. When there is no profit margin to 'match' to, you dont
care iof it costs 100x

Re:Hey NASA,

[Dr. Eggman]

Few nations are impressed by robotic missions. I mean, how many people here know that the Soviets made robotic missions on the moon? Now that you people know, how many care?

Nations are only impressed by extravegant explorative programs. It was the same with the race to the north pole, who cares if you flew over it in a plane? You need to walk there, make a speech, and plant your nation's flag, proclaiming it for all the world!

Difficult at best

[db32]

I think some of these projects are an order of magnatude easier to accomplish. Pressure suit, moon vehicle, rechargable power source (someone should really just send them a pack of duracells and claim the 5 mil)...all of these seem like they would be pretty simple to research, build, and prove here on earth. Orbiting fuel depot? I think the ammount of time, energy, and money involved in making that one work isn't anywhere near the same challenge level. How do you prove that one? You would have to spend an enormous ammount just getting the thing up there to see if it will work, and god help you if you have to make any changes to your design.

How about a Human Reentry Vehicle?

[digitaldc]

Instead of a micro-reentry vehicle that safely sends back chicken eggs, how about a plan for developing an 'Escape Pod?'

If something goes wrong during orbit, take off, or reentry at least this would provide a means to safely get back to earth if your space vehicle is damaged or malfunctioning.