“Robert A. Heinlein Flight Into The Future Project
Contest” To Reward Young International Students,
Researchers
The Trustees of the Robert A. and Virginia Heinlein Prize Trust
have announced the creation of the Robert A. Heinlein Flight into
the Future Project Contest. The contest is a competition to
encourage young international students and researchers in the field
of space exploration. The competition will identify, support, and
promote innovative projects by these researchers. Winning
researchers will receive a cash award, a prize diploma, and
international recognition of their work.
Created to honor the memory of renowned American author Robert
A. Heinlein, the contest was established to forward the shared
dream of a future of humankind expanding ever outward into space.
The contest is being conducted by the Heinlein Prize Trust and
assisted by the Russian Aviation and Space Scientific Innovation
Educational Complex (RASSIEC).
The competition is open to citizens from European, African, and
Middle Eastern nations. Also eligible to enter are students and
post-graduate students, regardless of nationality, attending any
European, African, or Middle Eastern school. All contest entrants
must be less than 30 years old on July 7, 2005. Entries may be
submitted by individual authors, or by teams of no more than three
authors. Academic advisors may be associated with the development
of the contest works.
Contest entries should include scientific, technical, and
economic substantiation (business plan) of the proposed project.
Entries must describe the peaceful use, and practical applications
of the work in the field of space exploration. Entries will be
judged by an international team of experts. The entered works will
be judged on a basis of the novelty and originality of the
proposal, the economic and social benefits, the technological
substantiation and profoundness of research, and the veracity and
investment attractiveness of project.
Entries must be sent by May 14, 2005. Authors of the top ten
entries will receive invitations giving them an opportunity to meet
directly with the judging committee to discuss and evaluate their
projects. Presentation of the top entries will take place on July
6, 2005. Awards will be presented on July 7, 2005, the anniversary
of the birth of Robert A. Heinlein.
The first place award has been set at US$3,500. Two second place
prize of $1,500, and three third place prizes of $1,000 each will
also be awarded. Academic advisors of the winning teams will also
receive a special award of $1,500, $500, and $300 respectively.
The awards for the “Robert A. Heinlein Flight into the
Future Project Contest” will be presented at a
yet-to-be-determined European center for space research and
industry.
The competition is part of the Heinlein Prize, a substantial
cash award created to encourage commercial activity in space. The
Heinlein Prize is focused on practical, private commercial
advancements that produce substantive results in the area of space
enterprise. Future Heinlein Prize Trust winners may, or may not, be
dealing directly with space flight advances.
The Heinlein Prize and the “Robert A. Heinlein Flight into
the Future Project Contest” honor the memory of Robert A.
Heinlein, best-selling American author regarded as one of the
founders of modern science fiction, and of his wife Virginia. Both
Robert and Virginia Heinlein were strong advocates of human
advancement into space through commercial endeavors. The purpose of
the Heinlein Prize is to encourage and reward progress in
commercial space activities that advances their dream of humanity's
future in space.
The Mission Statement of the Heinlein Prize Trust is:
“The legacy of Robert and Virginia Heinlein is the shared
dream of a future of humankind expanding ever outward into
space—to the Moon, to the planets, out and onward to the
stars.
“Space is not to be the realm of the select few. The
dream, and the future, belong to us all, of every race and every
nation. It is in a child in school today who understands the
positive vision of the future of Robert Heinlein. It is the dream
of all who see a future bright with possibilities.
“The day will come when we will mine the asteroids and
walk the sands of Mars. We'll live and work in space for the
benefit of all humanity. We'll have horizons so vast that no one
who dreams and strives need be left behind. All of these things we
can do, and we shall.
“This bright future will be created by those of you,
today, who strive to create advances in commercial space
activities.”
The Trust has three Trustees: Art Dula, Buckner Hightower and
James M. Vaughn.
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