PF and Google X Prize: Win Big and Make a Difference

[╔(σ_σ)╝]

Anyone heard of it ?

With all the intelligent minds here on PF I bet we could win it and make some serious $$$$$$$$$$$$.

The lunar X competition doesn't seem that complicated.

 

[D H]

 

[╔(σ_σ)╝]

Sir, I don't understand your satire

I am an engineer [URL]http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff286/nfforums/NF%20smilies/2z7exox.png[/URL]

 

[rootX]

Sir, I don't understand your satire

I am an engineer [PLAIN]http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff286/nfforums/NF%20smilies/2z7exox.png[/QUOTE]

This X prize indicates that the sponsors believe they can get anyone to build a robot that can fly to Mars which I find bit ridiculous.

In the end there's always some randomness and the purpose of this project is to generate interest among young people.

 

[╔(σ_σ)╝]

This X prize indicates that sponsors believe they can get anyone to build a robot that can fly to Mars which I find bit ridiculous.

In the end there's always some randomness and the purpose of this project is to generate interest among young people.

Ohhhh, I get it now but you'll be amazed at what you can get of ebay (i.e hydrogen tanks ) and google.

But it really is an interesting project for the right people.

A friend of mine has a team involved in the project.

I just wanted to find out of PF has a team.

 

[rootX]

Ohhhh, I get it now but you'll be amazed at what you can get of ebay (i.e hydrogen tanks ) and google.

But it really is an interesting project for the right people.

A friend of mine has a team involved in the project.

I just wanted to find out of PF has a team.

I know someone was involved in X prize something and asked a question about making rockets last year in PF GD. However, I don't believe PF has a team as of now.

 

[╔(σ_σ)╝]

I know someone was involved in X prize something and asked a question about making rockets last year in PF GD. However, I don't believe PF has a team as of now.

That's too bad. I will personally be willing to sponsor a of PF team.

I may try to participate in the next competition just for fun.

 

[MacLaddy]

I'm in... Although I have no money, no degree, and no real-knowledge of spaceflight.

But I'll have plenty of participatory spirit, and I can order the pizza.

 

[DBTS]

Privately funded team... How are we supposed to build without any finances?

 

[D H]

Sir, I don't understand your satire

I am an engineer

Obviously not an aerospace or mechanical engineer. Apparently that xkcd comic applies not only to physicists but also to electrical engineers. You are not going to design, fabricate, launch, land, and operate a Moon rover for a mere $30 million. The serious contenders have well over $30 million from serious investors. Winning the Lunar X Prize will be a partial payback of that investment. Winning almost certainly will garner even more investors, and may garner some real contracts.

Let's suppose PF could find some investors to fund the project. Very few people at PF have the technical knowhow to work on such a project. Even fewer (none?) have the technical management knowhow to manage such a project. Of those who do have the requisite technical or managerial skills, almost all would be risking their jobs by participating in such a project because we had to sign some kind of non-compete agreement on accepting those jobs.Whether PF could find the investors and the skill base is more than a bit moot. The entrance deadline for the Lunar X Prize was December 21, 2010. The list of contenders is now frozen.

 

[JaredJames]

Obviously not an aerospace or mechanical engineer.

I'm sure an electrical engineer could come in handy somewhere... a kick a*s sound system perhaps?

EDIT: Sound in space, how dare I! Looks like you're on plug wiring duty ╔(σ_σ)╝.

 

[Mech_Engineer]

The lunar X competition doesn't seem that complicated.

First, make a rocket that can orbit the Earth a few times (a much easier task compared to leaving Earth, orbiting the Moon, and landing on it). Get back to us, let us know how "uncomplicated" it was.

 

[╔(σ_σ)╝]

Obviously not an aerospace or mechanical engineer. Apparently that xkcd comic applies not only to physicists but also to electrical engineers. You are not going to design, fabricate, launch, land, and operate a Moon rover for a mere $30 million. The serious contenders have well over $30 million from serious investors. Winning the Lunar X Prize will be a partial payback of that investment. Winning almost certainly will garner even more investors, and may garner some real contracts.

Let's suppose PF could find some investors to fund the project. Very few people at PF have the technical knowhow to work on such a project. Even fewer (none?) have the technical management knowhow to manage such a project. Of those who do have the requisite technical or managerial skills, almost all would be risking their jobs by participating in such a project because we had to sign some kind of non-compete agreement on accepting those jobs.Whether PF could find the investors and the skill base is more than a bit moot. The entrance deadline for the Lunar X Prize was December 21, 2010. The list of contenders is now frozen.

First, make a rocket that can orbit the Earth a few times (a much easier task compared to leaving Earth, orbiting the Moon, and landing on it). Get back to us, let us know how "uncomplicated" it was.

Aren't you guys exaggerating a tiny -whiny bit ?

My friend in a Senior Iphone developer and his brother is an Aerospace Engineer and they are participating in the project. I seriously doubt they have a $1million dollar budget.

They have already sent a test probe out into Earth first orbit and they were able to take some pictures of Earth from there. However, they lost the test probe something "happened" to it. The screen just went black and they lost communication with it. The main controller of the test probe was an iphone.[PLAIN]http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs20/f/2007/252/0/4/_ogarbageboogie__by_ftpaddict.gif

As an undergraduate this is definitely extremely complex for me but for specialist in the aerospace field I am inclined to think otherwise.

I'm sure an electrical engineer could come in handy somewhere... a kick a*s sound system perhaps?

EDIT: Sound in space, how dare I! Looks like you're on plug wiring duty ╔(σ_σ)╝.

[PLAIN]http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs20/f/2007/252/0/4/_ogarbageboogie__by_ftpaddict.gif I guess you are overlooking all the hardware-software interfacing needed to control parts of the system. [URL]http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff286/nfforums/NF%20smilies/2z7exox.png[/URL]

 

[JaredJames]

No exageration, there's a reason every tom, 'richard' and harry ain't sending things into orbit.

And regarding the 'wiring' part, I see no reason an aerospace engineer couldn't handle it. It is a part of the course after all. So no, EE's aren't really needed. I haven't overlooked anything. (I have a strong interest in this area and I'm Aerospace.)

 

[╔(σ_σ)╝]

No exageration, there's a reason every tom, 'richard' and harry ain't sending things into orbit.

And regarding the 'wiring' part, I see no reason an aerospace engineer couldn't handle it. It is a part of the course after all. So no, EE's aren't really needed. I haven't overlooked anything. (I have a strong interest in this area and I'm Aerospace.)

I am not talking about wiring. I am talking about embedded systems.

 

[JaredJames]

Hence the ' around wiring. I was generalising - referring to all electronics on board.

_{(If you haven't caught on yet, I'm simplifying the EE role of things just as you did with AE's.)}

 

[╔(σ_σ)╝]

_{(If you haven't caught on yet, I'm simplifying the EE role of things just as you did with AE's.)}

You got me!

[PLAIN]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/nfandom/yelrotflmao.gif[ATTACH=full]197019[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]197020[/ATTACH]
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[russ_watters]

That's too bad. I will personally be willing to sponsor a of PF team.

Excellent, I'm in! I can design the spacecraft 's cabin heating system. I'll need four million dollars and an unlimited supply of Combos and Cherry Coke. I'll PM you my address!

 

[russ_watters]

My friend in a Senior Iphone developer and his brother is an Aerospace Engineer and they are participating in the project. I seriously doubt they have a $1million dollar budget.

They have already sent a test probe out into Earth first orbit and they were able to take some pictures of Earth from there. However, they lost the test probe something "happened" to it.

Not sure exactly what an "earth first orbit" is, but I don't think it's anywhere close to possible to put an object in orbit on a budget of $1 million unless you get an astronaut to stow it away on the Space Shuttle. That's not something I'd believe without evidence.

AFAIK, the only completely non-government entity to put an object in orbit is SpaceX, which just did it last year, at a budget of at least $100 million: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX

 

[╔(σ_σ)╝]

Not sure exactly what an "earth first orbit" is, but I don't think it's anywhere close to possible to put an object in orbit on a budget of $1 million unless you get an astronaut to stow it away on the Space Shuttle. That's not something I'd believe without evidence.

AFAIK, the only completely non-government entity to put an object in orbit is SpaceX, which just did it last year, at a budget of at least $100 million: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX

I meant the first orbit around the earth. They said they had pictures of the Earth from their device which was received before the device disappeared.

I have never design one of these devices so I don't have any idea of how complex and expensive these things are.