NASA And Space Florida Small Satellite Research Center Partner In Space Launch Challenge

[NASA News <hqnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nov. 01, 2011

Sonja Alexander 
Headquarters, Washington                                         
202-358-1761 
sonja.r.alexander@xxxxxxxx 

Tina Lange, APR 
Space Florida Communications, Cape Canaveral 
321-223-1013 
tlange@xxxxxxxxxx 


RELEASE: 11-370

NASA AND SPACE FLORIDA SMALL SATELLITE RESEARCH CENTER PARTNER IN SPACE LAUNCH CHALLENGE

WASHINGTON -- NASA has signed an agreement with the Space Florida 
Small Satellite Research Center of Cape Canaveral, Florida, to manage 
the Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge, one of the agency's new 
Centennial Challenges prize competitions. 

The Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge is to launch satellites with a 
mass of at least 2.2 pounds (1 kg) into Earth orbit, twice within the 
span of one week. The new challenge has a NASA-provided prize purse 
of $2 million. 

The objective of the competition is to encourage innovations in 
propulsion and other technologies, as well as operations and 
management relevant to safe, low-cost, small payload delivery system 
for frequent access to Earth orbit. Innovations stemming from this 
challenge will be beneficial to broader applications in future launch 
systems. They may enhance commercial capability for dedicated 
launches of small satellites at a cost comparable to secondary 
payload launches -- a potential new market with government, 
commercial, and academic customers. 

"Monday's agreement between NASA and Space Florida for use of 
facilities at the Kennedy Space Center even better positions the 
organization for managing this new Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge," 
said Michael Gazarik, director for NASA's Space Technology Program at 
NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Space Florida has extensive 
experience working with NASA, the FAA, the Air Force, commercial 
spaceflight companies and universities to advance their plans for 
spaceflight operations. We look forward to having the Space Florida 
Small Satellite Research Center overseeing the competition and 
bringing together innovative teams with creative problem-solving 
ideas." 

Space Florida submitted a proposal last spring in response to a NASA 
solicitation for this partnership opportunity. They will now begin 
detailed preparations for the challenge, publishing rules and then 
registering competitors. The first competition launch attempt is 
expected to take place in the summer of 2012. 

The Centennial Challenges seek unconventional solutions to problems of 
interest to NASA and the nation. Competitors have included private 
companies, student groups and independent inventors working outside 
the traditional aerospace industry. Unlike contracts or grants, 
prizes are awarded only after solutions are successfully 
demonstrated. 

NASA's Centennial Challenges program provides the prize purse for the 
technology and innovation competitions. The competitions are managed 
by non-profit organizations that cover the cost of operations through 
commercial or private sponsorships. 

In October, NASA awarded the largest prize in aviation history 
following Pipistrel-USA's win of the agency's CAFE Green Flight 
Challenge, sponsored by Google. NASA's $1.35 million first prize and 
a $120,000 second prize recognized competitors using electric 
airplanes to break all previous fuel efficiency records. The 
technology and innovation used in electric aircraft may end up in 
general aviation aircraft, spawning new jobs and new industries for 
the 21st century. 

There have been 22 Centennial Challenges competition events since 
2005. NASA has awarded nearly $6 million to 15 different 
challenge-winning teams. Centennial Challenges is one of the ten 
Space Technology programs, managed by NASA's Office of the Chief 
Technologist. For more information about the program and descriptions 
of each of the challenge competitions, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/challenges 

For more information about Space Florida and updates on the 
Nano-Satellite Launch Challenge, visit: 

www.spaceflorida.gov/r-d 

For more information about NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist, 
visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/oct 

	
-end-



To subscribe to the list, send a message to: 
hqnews-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To remove your address from the list, send a message to:
hqnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx