30 March 2005
NASA Moving in some Positive Directions (at last!)
Looking Forward to Prize Fights
TCS has this great article from none other than the Glenn himself (give the devil his due!) describing NASA initiatives to leverage limited resources into breathrough technologies that will have REAL and very significant impact on the overall scheme of things as they are brought on line.
This is taking the form of cash incentive prizes modeled on the recent Ansari-X Prize for private spaceflight. The first two proposals are for the development of orbital tether technology (enabling space elevators - phew! What a concept!) and the development of satellite solar power beamed to earth.
The way some of the news is running lately, the Chief admits he felt the need for a lift, and this sure had provided one. This stuff can totally shatter the dependency on oil as our major energy source - all we need to do is keep the 'crats and the luddites out of the way!
Cool stuff Glenn, indeed!
TCS has this great article from none other than the Glenn himself (give the devil his due!) describing NASA initiatives to leverage limited resources into breathrough technologies that will have REAL and very significant impact on the overall scheme of things as they are brought on line.
This is taking the form of cash incentive prizes modeled on the recent Ansari-X Prize for private spaceflight. The first two proposals are for the development of orbital tether technology (enabling space elevators - phew! What a concept!) and the development of satellite solar power beamed to earth.
The way some of the news is running lately, the Chief admits he felt the need for a lift, and this sure had provided one. This stuff can totally shatter the dependency on oil as our major energy source - all we need to do is keep the 'crats and the luddites out of the way!
Cool stuff Glenn, indeed!
