Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1761
sonja.r.alexan...@nasa.gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-217

INVENTORS TO COMPETE FOR $400,000 IN NASA ASTRONAUT GLOVE CHALLENGE

WASHINGTON -- Reporters and the public are invited to attend the 2009
Astronaut Glove Challenge on Nov. 19 at the Astronaut Hall of Fame in
Titusville, Fla., near NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

The $400,000 prize challenge is a nationwide competition that focuses
on developing improved pressure suit gloves for astronauts to use
while working in the vacuum of space. The competition is scheduled to
begin at 10 a.m. EST on Nov. 19 and conclude with an award ceremony
at approximately 5 p.m.

Part of NASA's Centennial Challenges Program, the competition will
test gloves independent inventors designed and constructed. The tests
will measure the gloves' dexterity and strength during operation in a
glove box that simulates the vacuum of space. At least two
competitors are expected, including Peter Homer, the winner of the
competition held in 2007. This year's entrants must provide a glove
that includes an outer thermal protection layer, as well as the inner
pressure-containing layer. The result is a complete glove suitable
for space operations.

NASA's Centennial Challenges program will provide the prize. Volanz
Aerospace Inc. of Owings, Md., manages the competition for NASA.
Secor Strategies, LLC of Titusville, Fla., is a sponsor for the
event.

Centennial Challenges is NASA's program of technology prizes for the
citizen-inventor. Recent Centennial Challenge events included
Regolith Excavation, Lunar Lander and Power Beaming Challenges, in
which six different competitors won a total of $3.3 million in
prizes.

For more information about NASA's Centennial Challenges, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/offices/ipp/innovation_incubator/cc_home.html

For information about the Astronaut Glove Challenge and Volanz
Aerospace Inc., visit:

http://www.astronaut-glove.us

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