1.N-Prize
Prize: $15,000
Challenge: Launch a satellite weighing between 9.99 and 19.99 grams into Earth orbit, and to track it for a minimum of nine orbits. But most importantly the launch budget must be within £999.99 (about $1500)
This is at the number 10 spot not because of the difficulty of the challenge but because of the rather cheap prize money. The N-Prize (N stands for Nanosatellite or Negligible Resources) was launched in 2008 by Cambridge biologist Paul H. Dear to stimulate innovation directed towards obtaining inexpensive access to space. In order to be eligible for the award, the winning team must complete the challenge before 19:19:09 (GMT) on 19 September 2011. The winning team will receive £9,999.99. (about $15,000)
Interesting Fact: Many believe the biggest challenge facing the participants of this challenge is once a satellite reaches space, it needs to decelerate and be nudged into orbit. This typically requires expensive guidance systems and multiple rocket stages. So far 18 competitors have signed up for N prize Challenge. To learn more about the N prize or you want to be the 19th competitor you can go here.
2.Marathon Kremer Prize
Prize: $95,000
Challenge: Fly an aircraft by human power 26 miles around two turning points in less than 1 hour.
The Kremer prizes were established in 1959 by industrialist Henry Kremer, and are given to pioneers of human-powered flight. The first two Kremer prizes were won by Dr. Paul MacCready. He won the first in 1977 when his Gossamer Condor piloted by Bryan Allen was the first human-powered aircraft to fly a figure eight around two markers one half mile apart. The second was won in 1979 when his Gossamer Albatross also piloted by Bryan Allen flew from England to France. For the marathon challenge the aircraft must start from rest and fly in a continuous flight for 26 miles in less than 60 minutes and must make a landing satisfactory to the observers. For more details and regulations for this prize challenge you can read about them here.
Interesting Fact: Another human powered flight prize still up for grabs is the Sikorsky Prize in honor of Igor Sikorsky who was highly influential in the development of helicopters. The prize challenge was established back in 1980 and will pay $20,000 to the first person who can stay aloft for 60 seconds in a human-powered helicopter and reach a height of ten feet. If you are more of a helicopter person rather than the fixed- wing type you can get your entry form here.
3.Prize4Life
Prize: $1 Million
Challenge: Reliably and effectively extend the life of ALS mice by 25%.
Prize4Life is non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating the discovery of treatments and a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Prize4Life has launched two major prizes of $1 million each that aim to find solutions to some of the most critical milestones on the way to developing treatments and a cure for ALS. The first prize challenge was for the discovery of a biomarker that can reduce the time and cost of ALS clinical trials. The latest challenge is for the discovery of a therapy that can extend life in the mouse model of ALS. Both prize competitions are open to all, and anyone with an interest is encouraged to compete.
Interesting Fact: To date Prize4Life has awarded $175,000 in smaller prizes for theoretical solutions and progress made thus far in the Biomarker Prize Challenge. To learn more about Prize 4 life you can go here.
4.Vitro Meat Challenge
Prize: $1 Million
Challenge: Produce an in vitro chicken-meat product that has a taste and texture indistinguishable from real chicken flesh to non-meat-eaters and meat-eaters alike.
Manufacture the approved product in large enough quantities to be sold commercially and successfully sell it at a competitive price in at least 10 states by June 30, 2012.
In vitro meat (also known as cultured meat) is the manufacturing of meat products through tissue-engineering technology. The idea is to produce animal meat without killing an animal. PETA is offering the $1 million prize and claims that cultured meat could also have financial, health, environmental advantages over traditional meat. Judging of taste and texture will be performed by a panel of 10 PETA judges who will sample the in vitro chicken prepared using a fried chicken recipe from VegCooking.com. The in vitro chicken must get a score of at least 80 when evaluated in order to win the prize. I guess it goes without saying that the judges must also declare: “tastes like chicken”.
Interesting Fact: Researchers started working with in vitro proteins in the late 1990s as a way to create food for astronauts on long space missions. Animal-free in vitro meat may also present a partial solution to world hunger. You can read the official contest rules.
5.Green Flight Challenge
Prize: $1.5 Million
Challenge: Create an aircraft that can average at least 100 mph on a 200-mile flight while achieving greater than 200 passenger miles-per-gallon.
NASA is providing the prize money for this challenge and is aimed to bring about the development and convergence of new technologies and innovations that can improve the community acceptance, affordability and safety of future air vehicles. Other requirements include a short take off, quiet operation, and the ability to drive around on the ground. The aircraft will need to meet stringent safety requirements as well as reasonable speed and range. Competitors may not receive government funding for their entries in this challenge.
Interesting Fact: This challenge it is expected that electric, bio-fueled and hybrid-powered aircraft will compete. The competition will not be held until the summer of 2011, so that teams have time to develop and test their aircraft. You get more details on the rules and regulations for this competition here.
Prize: $15,000
Challenge: Launch a satellite weighing between 9.99 and 19.99 grams into Earth orbit, and to track it for a minimum of nine orbits. But most importantly the launch budget must be within £999.99 (about $1500)
This is at the number 10 spot not because of the difficulty of the challenge but because of the rather cheap prize money. The N-Prize (N stands for Nanosatellite or Negligible Resources) was launched in 2008 by Cambridge biologist Paul H. Dear to stimulate innovation directed towards obtaining inexpensive access to space. In order to be eligible for the award, the winning team must complete the challenge before 19:19:09 (GMT) on 19 September 2011. The winning team will receive £9,999.99. (about $15,000)
Interesting Fact: Many believe the biggest challenge facing the participants of this challenge is once a satellite reaches space, it needs to decelerate and be nudged into orbit. This typically requires expensive guidance systems and multiple rocket stages. So far 18 competitors have signed up for N prize Challenge. To learn more about the N prize or you want to be the 19th competitor you can go here.
2.Marathon Kremer Prize
Prize: $95,000
Challenge: Fly an aircraft by human power 26 miles around two turning points in less than 1 hour.
The Kremer prizes were established in 1959 by industrialist Henry Kremer, and are given to pioneers of human-powered flight. The first two Kremer prizes were won by Dr. Paul MacCready. He won the first in 1977 when his Gossamer Condor piloted by Bryan Allen was the first human-powered aircraft to fly a figure eight around two markers one half mile apart. The second was won in 1979 when his Gossamer Albatross also piloted by Bryan Allen flew from England to France. For the marathon challenge the aircraft must start from rest and fly in a continuous flight for 26 miles in less than 60 minutes and must make a landing satisfactory to the observers. For more details and regulations for this prize challenge you can read about them here.
Interesting Fact: Another human powered flight prize still up for grabs is the Sikorsky Prize in honor of Igor Sikorsky who was highly influential in the development of helicopters. The prize challenge was established back in 1980 and will pay $20,000 to the first person who can stay aloft for 60 seconds in a human-powered helicopter and reach a height of ten feet. If you are more of a helicopter person rather than the fixed- wing type you can get your entry form here.
3.Prize4Life
Prize: $1 Million
Challenge: Reliably and effectively extend the life of ALS mice by 25%.
Prize4Life is non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating the discovery of treatments and a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Prize4Life has launched two major prizes of $1 million each that aim to find solutions to some of the most critical milestones on the way to developing treatments and a cure for ALS. The first prize challenge was for the discovery of a biomarker that can reduce the time and cost of ALS clinical trials. The latest challenge is for the discovery of a therapy that can extend life in the mouse model of ALS. Both prize competitions are open to all, and anyone with an interest is encouraged to compete.
Interesting Fact: To date Prize4Life has awarded $175,000 in smaller prizes for theoretical solutions and progress made thus far in the Biomarker Prize Challenge. To learn more about Prize 4 life you can go here.
4.Vitro Meat Challenge
Prize: $1 Million
Challenge: Produce an in vitro chicken-meat product that has a taste and texture indistinguishable from real chicken flesh to non-meat-eaters and meat-eaters alike.
Manufacture the approved product in large enough quantities to be sold commercially and successfully sell it at a competitive price in at least 10 states by June 30, 2012.
In vitro meat (also known as cultured meat) is the manufacturing of meat products through tissue-engineering technology. The idea is to produce animal meat without killing an animal. PETA is offering the $1 million prize and claims that cultured meat could also have financial, health, environmental advantages over traditional meat. Judging of taste and texture will be performed by a panel of 10 PETA judges who will sample the in vitro chicken prepared using a fried chicken recipe from VegCooking.com. The in vitro chicken must get a score of at least 80 when evaluated in order to win the prize. I guess it goes without saying that the judges must also declare: “tastes like chicken”.
Interesting Fact: Researchers started working with in vitro proteins in the late 1990s as a way to create food for astronauts on long space missions. Animal-free in vitro meat may also present a partial solution to world hunger. You can read the official contest rules.
5.Green Flight Challenge
Prize: $1.5 Million
Challenge: Create an aircraft that can average at least 100 mph on a 200-mile flight while achieving greater than 200 passenger miles-per-gallon.
NASA is providing the prize money for this challenge and is aimed to bring about the development and convergence of new technologies and innovations that can improve the community acceptance, affordability and safety of future air vehicles. Other requirements include a short take off, quiet operation, and the ability to drive around on the ground. The aircraft will need to meet stringent safety requirements as well as reasonable speed and range. Competitors may not receive government funding for their entries in this challenge.
Interesting Fact: This challenge it is expected that electric, bio-fueled and hybrid-powered aircraft will compete. The competition will not be held until the summer of 2011, so that teams have time to develop and test their aircraft. You get more details on the rules and regulations for this competition here.
