Like to Tinker? NASA's Looking for You

New York Times ^ | April 5, 2006 | NOAH SHACHTMAN

[anymouse]

(snip)

Until recently, the chances that a college senior like Mr. Jones would contribute to the NASA space program were remote. Contracts belonged mostly to the Boeings of the world. Tinkerers and students were kept at the far edge of the periphery. But with budgets tightening and the obstacles to human space exploration looking more daunting, NASA is enlisting the expertise of outsiders.

For example, the agency is offering 13 contests, which it calls Centennial Challenges, that anyone can enter. The prizes range from $200,000 to more than $5 million, for building gear as diverse as solar sails, lunar excavators and the tiny elevators.

But more important than the cash prizes, contestants and administrators say, is the opportunity to sidestep the traditional ways NASA has done business and bring some fresh faces to its ranks.

(snip)

The competitions offer economic benefits to NASA as well. The contestants, not the space agency, pay for the development. The winner of a big technology prize usually spends three times the purse value, said Carl E. Walz, a former astronaut who works in NASA's exploration systems mission directorate.

"Typically in R. & D., you pay as you go," Mr. Walz said, referring to NASA's outlays for research and development. "You pay for failures and you pay for successes. Here, you don't pay until someone wins."

(snip)

NASA officials say that some of their contractors are worried that the contests could undermine their work for the space agency.

(snip)

"One of the biggest reasons to do this is to bring in people outside the existing ecosystem," he said.

[anymouse]

Here, you don't pay until someone wins."

What no pork?!! /sarcasm

[anymouse]

Space prizes ping.

[Critical Bill]

Where do I sign up?

[P-40]

Smart move on the part of NASA.

[Malsua]

Cool idea.

it's too bad they don't ask for "generic" specifics. Contradiction, I know, but there must be small engineering challenges that need solved and are solvable, but it would be costly for a gigantic bureaucracy to solve cheaply. A guy in his machine shop with a knowledge of electronics, machining, a creative spirit can solve on the cheap. Someone, like, eh, me!. heh.

Like, we need something that can capture a 9 cubic MM soil sample of semi packed arid soil in a 90% co2 atmosphere at 7 millibars at 245 degrees Kelvin with a cycle rate of 2 per minute, a stroke of 50 centimeters, a MTBF of 20k hours and uses less than 100 milliamps.(just tossings out a dumb example off the top of my head). THAT is something I could sink my teeth into and solve.

Anyway, I think this is a great idea from NASA.