N-Prize

{{short description|International inducement prize for innovation toward space access}} {{multiple issues| {{Update|inaccurate=y|date=December 2010}} {{More citations needed|date=May 2008}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}

The '''N-Prize''' (the "N" stands for "Nanosatellite" or "Negligible Resources".<ref name='NewSci'>{{cite web|url=https://www.newscientist.com/blog/space/2008/04/n-prize-to-spur-ultra-cheap-space.html|title=Whimsical 'N-prize' to spur ultra-cheap space launches|date=2008-04-21|accessdate=2014-03-21|publisher=New Scientist}}</ref>) is an inducement prize contest intended to "encourage creativity, originality and inventiveness in the face of severe odds and impossible financial restrictions"<ref name='rule§1quote'>{{cite web|url=http://www.n-prize.com/rules_in_full.html|title=Rules in full|at=§1. The Spirit of the N-Prize Challenge|quote=intended to encourage creativity, originality and inventiveness in the face of severe odds and impossible financial restrictions.|accessdate=2014-03-21|publisher=N-Prize}}</ref> and thus stimulate innovation directed towards obtaining cheap access to space. The competition was launched in 2008<ref name='Halfbakery'>{{cite web|url=http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/N-Prize#1203710516|title=Halfbakery: N-Prize|date=2008-02-13|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref> by Cambridge biologist Paul H. Dear,<ref name='PHD aerospace'>{{cite web|url=http://www.paulhdear.org/AEROSPACE.html|title=Paul H. Dear - Aerospace|accessdate=2014-03-21|publisher=Paul H. Dear}}</ref> and is intended specifically to spur amateur involvement in spaceflight as it is "aimed at amateurs, enthusiasts, would-be boffins and foolhardy optimists."<ref name='ITWire'>{{cite web|url=http://www.itwire.com/science-news/space/18033-nines-have-it-for-nanosatellite-space-race-the-n-prize/18033-nines-have-it-for-nanosatellite-space-race-the-n-prize?limitstart=0|title="Nines" have it for Nanosatellite space race: The N-Prize|date=2008-05-03|accessdate=2014-03-21|publisher=ITWire}}</ref>

Dr. Dear died on 11 March 2020, and the prize was subsequently closed.

The challenge posed by the N-Prize is to launch a satellite weighing between 9.99 and 19.99 grammes into Earth orbit, and to track it for a minimum of nine orbits. Most importantly the launch budget must be under £999.99 including the launch vehicle, all of the required non-reusable launch equipment hardware, and propellant.<ref name='ITWire' />

In order to be eligible for the awards the challenge initially had to be completed before 19:19:09 (GMT) on 19 September 2013, however later it was decided that the prize will remain open until won.<ref name='N-Prize announcement'>{{cite web|url=http://www.n-prize.com/reopened.html|title=N-Prize reopened|accessdate=2014-03-21|publisher=N-Prize}}</ref> Doing so will earn the winning team a prize of £9,999.99.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spacefellowship.com/News/?p=5715|title=N-Prize Founder, Dr. Paul Dear Talks to the Space Fellowship about Starting up a Space Prize (with a Bottle of Pinot Grigio)|date=2008-06-16|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref>

==List of competing teams== The official site of the N-Prize includes an animated page listing over fifty teams together with contact information and links to any team websites.<ref name='teams'>{{cite web|url=http://www.n-prize.com/teamsmap.html|title=N-Prize teams|accessdate=2014-03-21|publisher=N-Prize}}</ref> Examples of teams<ref name='team profiles'>{{cite web|url=http://nprize.blogspot.no/2009/10/team-profiles.html|title=N-Prize: Team profiles|date=2009-10-22|accessdate=2014-03-22|archive-date=4 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704104711/http://nprize.blogspot.no/2009/10/team-profiles.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> that have entered the competition at one time or another and who also have or had web pages include: * 30px Nebula<ref name='Nebula'>{{cite web|url=http://www.nebula-aerospace.com/doc/page/login.asp|title=Nebula Aerospace login page|accessdate=2014-03-21}}</ref><ref name=NebulaInterview>{{cite web|url=http://spacefellowship.com/news/art5919/uk-team-nebula-talk-to-the-space-fellowship-about-entering-the-n-prize.html|title=UK Team "Nebula" Talk to the Space Fellowship about Entering the N-Prize|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref> * 30px Epsilon Vee<ref name='Epsilon Vee'>{{cite web|url=http://epsilonvee.wordpress.com/|title=Epsilon Vee's weblog|date=2008-06-11|accessdate=2014-03-21}}</ref><ref name='EpsilonQA'>{{cite web|url=http://spacefellowship.com/news/art5835/a-q-amp-a-session-with-n-prize-contenders-epsilon-vee-.html|title=A Q&A session with N-Prize contenders "Epsilon Vee"|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref> * 30px Vulcan<ref name='Vulcan'>{{cite web|url=http://www.sarocketry.co.za/|title=South African Rocketry Association|accessdate=2014-03-21}}</ref><ref name='VulcanOld'>{{cite web|url=http://sarocketry.co.za/projects.asp |title=South African Rocketry Association Projects |accessdate=2014-03-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723073927/http://sarocketry.co.za/projects.asp |archivedate=23 July 2013 }}</ref> * 30px Microlaunchers<ref name='Microlaunchers'>{{cite web|url=http://www.microlaunchers.com/|title=Microlaunchers|accessdate=2014-03-21}}</ref><ref name='MicrolaunchersPresentation'>{{cite web|url=http://www.microlaunchers.com/7816/L3/sa09/sa09.html|title=Microlaunchers N-Prize Presentation|date=2009-04-02|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref> * 30px Cambridge University Spaceflight<ref name='CUS'>{{cite web|url=http://www.srcf.ucam.org/cuspaceflight/|title=Cambridge University Spaceflight - A student society aiming to get a rocket into space for less than £1000 per launch|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref><ref name='CUSGuardian'>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2006/sep/19/spaceexploration.uknews|title=To the edge of space for £1,000|work=the Guardian|date=2006-09-16|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref> * 30px Potent Voyager<ref name='PotentVoyager'>{{cite web|url=http://sites.google.com/site/potentvoyager/|title=Potent Voyager|date=2008-08-08|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref> * 30px Team Prometheus<ref name='TeamPrometheus'>{{cite web|url=http://www.teamprometheus.org/|title=Team Prometheus - Advocates of the New Space Frontier|accessdate=2014-03-22|archive-date=21 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021094631/https://teamprometheus.org/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name='TPinterview'>{{cite web|url=http://spacefellowship.com/news/art17880/team-prometheus-upcoming-tests-the-n-prize-and-the-glxp.html|title=Team Prometheus - Upcoming Tests, The N-Prize and the GLXP|date=2010-01-11|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref> * 30px Team 9.99<ref name='Team9.99'>{{cite web|url=http://team9.99.org.nz/#|title=Team 9.99 // N-Prize Competitors|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref> * 30px Kiwi 2 Space<ref name='Kiwi2Space'>{{cite web|url=http://www.kiwi2space.co.nz/ |title=Kiwi2Space - New Zealand Back yard space pioneers |accessdate=2014-03-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303172243/http://www.kiwi2space.co.nz/ |archivedate=3 March 2012 }}</ref> * 30px Qi Spacecraft<ref name='Qi'>{{cite web|url=https://draqonofwhitestars.blogspot.com/|title=Qi Spacecraft|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref><ref name='QiSpacecraft'>{{cite web|url=http://spacefellowship.com/news/art7512/new-n-prize-team-qi-spacecraft.html|title=New N-Prize Team - Qi Spacecraft|date=2008-11-24|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref> * 30px Aerosplice<ref name='Aerosplice'>{{cite web|url=http://aerosplice.com/index.html|title=Aerosplice|accessdate=2014-03-22|archive-date=20 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720134730/http://aerosplice.com/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name='AerospliceSF'>{{cite web|url=http://spacefellowship.com/news/art8232/new-n-prize-team-aerosplice.html|title=New N-Prize Team - Aerosplice|date=2009-02-18|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref> * 30px WikiSat<ref name='WikiSat'>{{cite web|url=http://www.wikisat.org/|title=Wikisat - Opening space to everyone|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref><ref name='WikiSatEM'>{{cite web|url=http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2012/10/31/ciencia/1351700636.html|title=Una lanzadera 'low cost' para satélites enanos|publisher=el Mundo|date=2012-11-01|accessdate=2014-03-22}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.n-prize.com N-Prize main website] * [http://n-prize.com/forum/ N-Prize official forum] * [http://spacefellowship.com/Forum/viewforum.php?f=52 Space Fellowship official N-Prize forum]

Category:Challenge awards Category:Space-related awards