Winners Will Be Chosen At This Month's X Prize Cup

Representatives with the X Prize Foundation tell ANN the 10 finalists for the inaugural Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Award will have their ideas on display at the 2007 X Prize Cup, to be held October 26-28 in Alamogordo, NM.

Teams of high school students from all over the United States proposed ideas that could accelerate the personal spaceflight industry. The first place team will receive a $5,000 grant, followed by $2,500 for second place and $1,500 for third.

The ten finalists, and their student captains, are:

• Team Tangent, Perkasie, PA: Led by Joe Bussenger, Team Tangent's concept would reduce the shock vibration of rockets.
• Aerospace Concepts, Eustace, TX: Led by Alex Schlebach, Aerospace Concepts has imagined a personalized spacesuit that provides flexibility and comfort to anyone.
• PenguinED, Friendswood, TX: Led by Ellice Tan, PenguinED suggests creating a company to work with private and public schools to provide a high level of space education.
• Michael & Talia, Los Angeles, CA: Led by Michael Hakimi, Michael & Talia have conceptualized sunglasses that monitor bodily functions to make sure people remain healthy in space.
• GADastro, Northbrook, IL: Led by Samantha Hopkins, GADastro's concept is a self-healing material that would rapidly fix any punctures, maintaining safety in space.
• Las Cruces CAP Cadets, Las Cruces, NM: Led by Caleb Rawson, the CAP Cadets have an idea for a belt that would allow people to play sports in micro-gravity.
• SEDS-UCF, Orlando, FL: Led by Michael Green, SEDS-UCF has conceptualized a permanent space settlement to support all other space missions, through manufacturing and research.
• SUDDS, Lubbock, TX: Led by Elliot Rosen, SUDDS has imagined a washing machine that can maintain a level of hygiene in space.
• The Royals, Nashville, TN: Led by Chancellor Dickens, The Royals suggest a method to harvest the heat energy lost during reentry into the atmosphere.
• Three Tekna Theos Girls, Orange Park, FL: Led by Garima Gupta, the Three Girls have created designs for a device to accurately chronicle the journey of a space traveler.

Winners will be chosen by popular vote and announced at the closing ceremonies on Sunday, October 28, at noon.

FMI: www.xprizecup.com