NASA seeks some spacey ideas

NASA Special Notice: Request for Information: Request for Flagship and Keystone Challenges (SpaceRef.com)

External organizations are sought to support Centennial Challenges within the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

It is expected that this effort will consist of one or more traditional, competitively bid contract(s).

This Request for Information (RFI) is intended to identify the field of possible supporting organizations based on the responses received and to obtain information that will help guide the development of future procurements.

Please respond to any or all of the RFI elements provided below.

"Repeatable contests" for:

• Advances in materials, especially nanotube tethers;
• Advances in lightweight power transmission, especially beamed power;
• Advances in deployable telescope technology, especially those that could be applicable to space-based observatories;
• Advances in general aviation technologies, especially those applicable to other modes of air transport;
• A precision landing system;
• An advanced tele-robotic construction system;
• Highly mobile and cooperative autonomous robots;and
• A human lunar all-terrain vehicle. More here

Update: NASA's request is getting the Slashdot treatment.

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