Hasta La Gadget!

We already told you about the CASIS and MassChallenge startup accelerator partnership aiming to find the next great research project to send into space, and give that project over $100,000 to help bring it to fruition. Now, Engadget wants to help make it easier for you, dear reader, to get your idea into orbit by offering the chance to trim $100 off the $199 application fee.

The process is simple: you click the source link below and fill out a short form outlining your idea and providing your contact info. Then, should CASIS like what it sees, it’ll send out promo codes to ten of you to be used when submitting the full application on the MassChallenge website. Sound good? Well, hop to it folks, because CASIS is looking to deliver the promo codes by April 1st. Not that you should need much incentive to jump on the opportunity… we’re talking about sending your pet project into space, after all.

Filed under: Science

Comments

Source: Research proposal form

As a federal agency, NASA can’t run commercials — a problem both for rallying broader public support and fostering the next generation of astronauts. The Aerospace Industries Association has both cultural and very practical reasons for improving that public awareness, so it’s taking the unusual step of crowdfunding an ad purchase to get the American space program in front of as many eyes as possible. The project would cut a 30-second version of NASA’s We Are the Explorers promo (after the break), minus the administration’s official endorsement, and run it in at least 50 major movie theaters for eight weeks following the launch of Star Trek Into Darkness on May 17th. The crowdfunding is ostensibly to demonstrate our collective love of space, and would directly translate any money raised beyond the $33,000 goal into ads for more theaters. A cynical industry move? Maybe — but we won’t build starships without a public that’s interested in seeing them beyond movie screens, which makes the ad a noble enough cause in our minds.

Filed under: Transportation, Science, Alt

Comments

Via: SlashGear

Source: Indiegogo

There’s a serious financial crunch in Washington DC and all around the United States. The federal government is reducing the money it is spending on a number of programs around the country including budget cuts at NASA. The problem with budget cuts at NASA is that any funding lost at the space agency means less exploration and research can be conducted.

A campaign has turned up on Indiegogo seeking the funds required to place a short commercial highlighting NASA and space exploration in front of the blockbuster movie Star Trek Into Darkness. The campaign is backed by the Aerospace Industries Association and the commercial is called We Are The Explorers. The 30 second commercial will be cut down from a video NASA produced that is narrated by Peter Cullen.

Cullen voiced Optimus Prime in the Transformers movie franchise. The problem for NASA is that as a federal agency its barred from purchasing ad space for commercials leaving it up to other people to drum up interest in the space program. The goal of the campaign is to raise the money to edit NASA’s movie down to 30 seconds and purchase ad space needed to run the commercial in 50 movie theaters around the country.

The people behind the campaign want to start running commercial during the premiere of Star Trek Into Darkness. The campaign is seeking $33,000 and has 37 days left to go. So far it has only raised $725. A pledge of $10 will get you a digital copy of the trailer estimated delivery in June of 2013. A pledge $100 will get the backer an authentic space shuttle mission patch. A pledge $1000 will get each of four backers one replica space program model.

[via Indiegogo]

Indiegogo campaign wants to place a commercial for NASA in front of Star Trek film is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days.

If you are a fan of absolutes, then you are in the right place. We have a first, a fastest and a biggest in this week’s round-up of all things sci-tech. We’ll try to add one more to that — a quickest. The quickest intro for this feature ever. Did we manage it? This is alt-week.

Filed under: Science, Alt

Comments

Earlier this month, SpaceX launched its Dragon resupply ship to the international space station. Early on, the mission encountered some problems with solar power that threaten to leave the cargo ship stranded. However, those problems were fixed and the resupply ship continued on to the ISS.

Crewmembers aboard the ISS were able to grab hold of the supply ship using the space station’s robotic arm and dock the ship without further incident. The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship was expected to be attached to the space station for approximately a month while cargo was unloaded and other items were placed inside the capsule.

NASA has now announced that the Dragon spacecraft is set to depart the ISS and return to Earth on Monday. The space station is also set to receive three new crewmembers early next week. The Dragon module is currently attached to the international space Station Harmony module, where it has been docked the last three weeks.

The Dragon spacecraft will begin its release from the ISS at 5 AM Eastern on Monday. The Dragon capsule is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California around 1:20 PM Eastern time. The Dragon capsule carried 1268 pounds of supplies to the crew and will return with about 2668 pounds of cargo. Among the cargo, are the results of experiments that tested how life and microgravity would affect the growth of plant seedlings and changes to the human body.

[via PC Mag]

SpaceX Dragon to depart ISS next week is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.