No X Prize Cup this year

On Sunday, in the New Mexico desert, a design team from Armadillo Aerospace failed to win the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge.  More familiarly known as “the X Prize Cup”, it offers a $350,000 prize to whomever can complete a set task called, “Level 1”.  Designers must engineer a reusable rocket which can take off from one landing pad, hover at 150 feet for 90 seconds, then land precisely on a second pad about 330 feet away.  The feat then needs to be repeated, in reverse, with both tasks accomplished in a two and a half-hour window.  A much more difficult Level 2 competition requires the rocket to hover for twice as long before landing precisely on a simulated lunar surface. The Level 2 mission closely simulates the power that would be needed for a real trip to the moon, and the prize reflects the higher stakes.  Invent a rocket which can pass all the Level 2 tests, and you’ll be awarded two million dollars.

Armadillo Aerospace was the only team competing this year, but they were beset with engine problems and mechanical failure.  As if to say, “enough”, on the final day of competition their rocket caught fire.  Armadillo was also the only team competing last year, when they also lost.  Given that there’s still a two million dollar prize to be won, Armadillo Aerospace is planning to be back, better than ever, in 2008.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 10/28 at 02:27 AM

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