[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56819-56820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23506]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice (11-079)]


Centennial Challenges 2012 Sample Return Robot Challenge

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice is issued in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 
2451(314)(d). The 2012 Sample Return Robot Challenge is scheduled and 
teams that wish to compete may register. Centennial Challenges is a 
program of prize competitions to stimulate innovation in technologies 
of interest and value to NASA and the nation. The 2012 Sample Return 
Robot Challenge is a prize competition designed to encourage 
development of new technologies or application of existing technologies 
in unique ways to create robots that can autonomously seek out samples 
and return to a designated point in a set time period. Worcester 
Polytechnic Institute (WPI) of Worcester, Massachusetts administers the 
Challenge for NASA. NASA is providing the prize purse.

DATES: 2012 Sample Return Robot Challenge will be held June 15-18, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: 2012 Sample Return Robot Challenge will be conducted at 
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To register for or get additional 
information regarding the 2012 Sample Return Robot Challenge, please 
visit: http://wp.wpi.edu/challenge/.
    For general information on the NASA Centennial Challenges Program 
please visit: http://www.nasa.gov/challenges. General questions and 
comments regarding the program should be addressed to Dr. Larry Cooper, 
Centennial Challenges Program, NASA Headquarters 300 E Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20546-0001. E-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary

    Autonomous robot rovers will seek out samples and return them to a 
designated point in a set time period. Samples will be randomly placed 
throughout the roving area. They may be placed close to obstacles, both 
movable and immovable. Robots will be required to navigate over unknown 
terrain, around obstacles, and in varied lighting conditions to 
identify, retrieve, and return these samples. Winners will be 
determined based on the number of samples returned to the designated 
collection point as well as the value assigned to the samples.

I. Prize Amounts

    The total Sample Return Robot Challenge purse is $1,500,000 (one 
million five hundred thousand U.S. dollars). Prizes will be offered for 
entries that meet specific requirements detailed in the Rules.

II. Eligibility

    To be eligible to win a prize competitors must (1) register and 
comply with all requirements in the

[[Page 56820]]

rules and team agreement; (2) in the case of a private entity, shall be 
incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United 
States, and in the case of an individual, whether participating singly 
or in a group, shall be a citizen or permanent resident of the United 
States; and (3) shall not be a Federal entity or Federal employee 
acting within the scope of their employment.

III. Rules

    The complete rules and team agreement for the 2012 Sample Return 
Robot Challenge can be found at: http://wp.wpi.edu/challenge/.

    Dated: August 8, 2011.
Joseph Parrish,
Deputy Chief Technologist, National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-23506 Filed 9-13-11; 8:45 am]
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