Tether Challenge
The Tether Challenge one of NASA's Centennial Challenges. The challenge is adminstered by the Spaceward Foundation. The challenge is to construct super-strong tethers. Tethers are foundation elements to space system efforts such as space elevators and rotovators. [1]
2005 Tether Challenge
The award for the first contest in 2005 would have been US$50,000, if the challenge was met. The requirements of the challenge was that the wining team would construct the strongest tether. The key to the challenge was that the tether would have to beat the house tether. This house tether could out-weigh the challenging teams tether by 50%. In 2005 no team was able to beat the baseline house tether.
2006 Tether Challenge
In 2006 the challenge requirement is that the winner outperform that of the previous years winning tether by 50%, and beats the other challengers. The prize for 2006 Tether Challenge was increased to $200,000. [2]
2007 Tether Challenge
This challenge will be held at the X Prize games in New Mexico in October 2007.