Space Generation Advisory Council announces “Move An Asteroid 2009” competition

The competition focuses on students and young professionals to develop unique and innovative concepts for how to deflect an asteroid or comet that could impact the Earth. The Move an Asteroid Team is looking for sponsors to support the winners.
The competition calls for individuals or team of minimum 3 individuals under the age of 33 to write and submit a 3-10 page original technical paper on their innovative concept for mitigation. The 1st place winner is awarded with a trip to present the winning paper at this year’s Space Generation Congress (SGC) and International Astronautical Congress (IAC) which will take place in Daejeon, South Korea from 9th October 2009 to 19th October 2009. Entries are due on 26th June 2009. The winners will be announced on 26th July 2009.


The contest calls for papers to describe in technical detail a concept to move an asteroid or comet that is at least 50 meters in diameter. The contestants should make their own reasonable assumptions on asteroid composition, density, and orbit. It is suggested that the authors apply their concept on reasonable asteroid/comet examples. This competition is intentionally broad. Concepts can be very applicable to a large variety of asteroid/comets or targeted for a specific asteroid/comet. Contestants should attempt to understand the overall challenge of asteroid/comet mitigation.

For more rules and submission information, individuals can visit:
http://www.spacegeneration.org/asteroid

"Asteroids are an ever-present threat and the growing awareness of this problem is something future generations will have to deal with", said Alex Karl, Ex-Co-Chairperson of the Space Generation Advisory Council. "We are pleased to give young people a chance again to think creatively about such an important issue, and to introduce these people to the world space community at the Space Generation Congress in Deajon, South Korea later this year."

The Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) is a non-government organization with observer status within UN COPUOS dedicated to representing the voice of today’s youth on tomorrow’s space issues. The SGAC was formed following the 1999 UNISPACE III conference in which 5 youth recommendations were included in the Vienna Declaration on Space and Human Development. SGAC has since dedicated itself to the pursuit of these recommendations and to encourage youth participation in space exploration and its applications on Earth. Space Generation Advisory Council projects rely entirely on volunteer contributions and support.

For more information about the Space Generation Advisory Council, please visit:
http://spacegeneration.org