A report on this year's Rice University Business Plan Competition, which includes NASA sponsored prizes for space related business plans: NASA "Game Changer" Commercial Space Innovation Prize at Rice University Business Plan Competition - Space Prizes.

Robert Downey, Jr. has signed up to star in a 3D space film called Gravity about two astronauts stranded in space:
/-- Downey Jr. May Defy 'Gravity' in 3D Space Drama - Inside Movies - Mar.12.10
/-- Robert Downey Jr Orbits Cuaron’s 3D – Deadline.com - Mar.12.10

Gravity, the 3D space film directed by Alfonso Cuaron. Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures will co-finance. Cuaron wrote the script with his son, Jonas. Downey will play the leader of a team posted at a remote space station. While he and a female colleague are traveling outside the space station, the other team members are decimated by debris from an exploded satellite.

IMAX has begun to premier the new Hubble 3D film, though it won't reach broad distribution till August: Hubble 3D a thrilling Imax ride into space - Reuters - Mar.14.10.

The film follows the final Shuttle mission to the Hubble telescope, showing the repairs in action and then displays some of the latest astronomical shots from the orbital observatory.

The Space Show this week:

1. Monday, March 15, 2010: 2-3:30 PM PDT We welcome Henry Vanderbilt to update us about the coming Space Access conference. For details, visit www.space-access.org.

2. Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 7-8:30 PM PDT: We welcome Michael Heartsong of Promethean Enterprises regarding mining on the Moon and in space. Check out www.miningthesky.com/brochure.html.

3. Wednesday, March 17, 2010: This is the last of the archived recorded Responsive Space 8 interviews. Here we feature Col. (RES), Yoram Ilan-Lipovsky from Israel. He started the Israeli space program in the Israeli Air Force. This is an unusual but important interview as it addresses space from both a national security as well as commercial perspective. While it specifically addresses Israel, it is also applicable to the U.S. and other nations. When you see the program on the website, its ready for play and podcasting.

4. Friday, March 19, 2010: 9:30-11:30 AM PDT: We welcome Peter K. Homer to the show. He is the developer of pressure capable gloves and suits for private spaceflight, industrial and medical uses) Peter is an aerospace engineer with degrees from Stanford University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His company is Flagsuit LLC.

5. Sunday, March 21, 2010. 12-1:30 PM PDT: We welcome back Dr. Paul Spudis to discuss the Administration's proposed space policy.

Go to AMSAT News for the latest headlines about developments in amateur and student satellites and for updates about amateur radio on the ISS :

* ARISS to Receive A.I.R Boselli Award
* Thule Greenland Activation on Satellites Beginning March 23
* Viet Nam 3W6C DXpedition Plans Include Satellite Operation
* FUNcube Pictures Released
* RSGB Response to OFCOM WRC-12 Consultation Includes Satellite Bands
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
* GcmWin Software By SM3GSJ Global Grid Square Visualization Tool
* Update on Arecibo EME Activation
* First Reminder for 2010 AMSAT Field Day Competition

An announcement from the Lindbergh Prize organization:

Erik Lindbergh to Unveil Lindbergh Prize and STEM Education Program

Event: On the 80th anniversary of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s historic glider flights, grandson Erik Lindbergh returns to La Jolla’s Torrey Pines Gliderport to announce a new prize for the next giant LEAP in green aviation technology. The prize will serve as the focal point for an exciting new project-based science, technology, engineering and math education program. Creative Solutions Alliance, the nonprofit that Lindbergh founded, is developing the prize and education program, in partnership with Aviation High School in Seattle, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), The Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation, and others.

Lindbergh will unveil LEAP and the education program at the launch event on the soaring cliffs at Torrey Pines. The Torrey Pines Gliderport will host a two day open house with food, music and activities on March 19-20 to celebrate the launch.

When: Friday, March 19, 2010; Press Conference: 1:00 p.m. (PT)

Participants include:

/-- Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and Founder of Creative Solutions Alliance
/-- Yolanka Wulff, Executive Director, Creative Solutions Alliance
/-- Scott McComb, Assistant Director / STEM Leadership, Aviation High School
/-- John Bolthouse, Executive Director, La Jolla Historical Society
/-- Robin Marien, Manager, Torrey Pines Gliderport

Where: Torrey Pines Gliderport, La Jolla, CA (www.flytorrey.com); 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037

For more information: visit: www.lindberghprize.org

A documentary about Richard Garriott and his trip to the ISS will soon make its debut:
/-- ManOnaMissionMovie.com
/-- World Premiere of "Richard Garriott: Man on a Mission" at the Austin, Texas Film Festival, March 14 and 18 - Media-Newswire.com - Mar.11.01

The "alt-fusion" power company General Fusion receives some private investment in addition to its Canadian government funding that it got last year: Fusion Power in the Next Five Years! - Finance Business Articles - Mar.10.10.

More discussion about the prospects for private in alt-fusion concepts:
/-- Power and Control: Venture Capital Likes Fusion - Mar.12.10
/-- Advanced And Delayed - Power and Control - Mar.11.10

I should note that the Tri Alpha company in California raised $40M in 2007 from Paul Allen and others for its colliding beam fusion power project: Tri Alpha Energy raises $40 million in Venture capital for nuclear fusion - Next Big Future. They have been very secretive but there are rumors that they will announce some results this year.

ZERO-G will offer parabolic "weightless" flights for those living in the DC area on April 3rd. A ticket goes for $4,950 per seat plus tax.
/-- Zero gravity flights from Washington Dulles Airport
/-- Zero Gravity Corporation Brings Sky High Adventure to the Capital City with Exclusive Weightless Flight, April 3: ZERO-G to Fly from Dulles International Airport Inviting Fliers to New Heights - PRNewswire/ZERO-G - Mar.12.10

NASA Announces Systems Engineering Student Competition - NASA:

NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate is inviting teams of undergraduate and graduate students throughout the country to participate in the fourth annual Systems Engineering Paper Competition. Participants in the competition will submit a paper on an Exploration Systems mission topic.

The deadline to register for the competition is April 16. Papers are due April 23. The winning teams will be announced in May. Awards include up to $3,500 in cash scholarships and VIP invitations to attend a future space shuttle or rocket launch at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The competition is designed to engage students in the science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, disciplines critical to NASA's missions.

More information is available at Systems Engineering Paper Competition.

A comet dives towards the Sun: Video: Cold, Little Comet Is No Match for Big, Hot Sun - Wired - Mar.12.10.

The Conrad Foundation sent me the following update on upcoming activities:

The Conrad Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing learning and success through science, innovation, and entrepreneurship. By providing students with the tools, resources, and opportunities to innovate in science and technology, we connect the most creative students with real-world entrepreneurial ventures. Our philosophy is built upon astronaut Charles “Pete” Conrad’s history of innovation and entrepreneurship. Each year we invite high school students to participate in the Spirit of Innovation Awards program where they are challenged to create tangible products and concepts in the fields of Renewable Energy, Aerospace Exploration and Space Nutrition. We are very excited to host our 2nd annual Spirit of Innovation Summit this upcoming April.

This year’s summit will feature several exceptional projects in the ever expanding field of Aerospace Exploration. We are especially excited for these Aerospace projects because of the legacy that Pete Conrad left behind. These students will truly be following in the footsteps of one of the great American astronauts. This year’s teams have submitted outstanding projects that correct methods for exploring extraterrestrial bodies, explore electromagnetic space gear, and investigate microgravity construction among many others. Our finalist teams come from all other the world combining creativity with concern for the future. The projects in this year's competition show amazing potential in the real world indicating promising futures for our young competitors.

Our 2010 Spirit of Innovation Summit will be held from Thursday April 8th to Saturday April 10th at the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA. This year we will be hosting our competition alongside the annual space celebration, Yuri’s Night, which commemorates mankind's first venture into space, by Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Ganarin on April 12, 1961, and the launch of the first Space Shuttle by NASA exactly twenty years later. Over 15,000 people will join astronauts, artists, musicians, scientists and engineers for two days of learning, celebrating and connecting with space. We will also be initiating our People’s Choice Award on March 29th in which you will have an opportunity to get engaged in our program. By voting for your favorite team you will assist in selecting the winners of this years competition as well as providing sponsorship benefits for our affiliates. We hope you will help us design the future by getting involved with our program. Please visit www.conradawards.org for more information.

A message from the WeWantOurFuture.org educational initiative:

WeWantOurFuture.org Releases Educational Program Materials

The newly created We Want Our Future initiative announces the release of free education materials to school teachers and community leaders around the globe. The materials include a letter from former astronaut Joe Tanner, activity instructions for students, a blank postcard template, and an inspirational video created by 2-time Emmy award winning producer George Schellenger.

The materials can be found on the outreach initiative's website, http://WeWantOurFuture.org. When asked about the video and working with an award winning producer, initiative Director Bradley Cheetham said “This video is the first step to inspire our future engineers and scientists. We’re very excited to get this out to students across the planet!” .

With the release of these materials, anyone can get involved to help give a voice to our nation's youth in determining their future in space exploration. Educators from across the country are already excited by the release "Now is the time to get those kids involved." said Bellflower, California elementary school teacher Pam Leestma. "Their [Student's] excitement and future commitment to space exploration has the ability to carry them for a lifetime. We all love investing our efforts in this next generation! It is so fun to see the sparkle in their eyes when they discover new ideas." By collecting over 100,000 postcards from youth across the USA and around the world, volunteers can impact the emerging generations who will shape our future. At WeWantOurFuture.org, the goal is to change the future through inspirational and fun activities for students of all ages.

About WeWantOurFuture.org
WeWantOurFuture.org is a grassroots educational initiative that aims to get elementary through high school age students inspired and energized about their studies using space exploration. The program plans to collect 100,000+ postcards from students across the country, in which each student draws his or her hope for the future of space. The ultimate goal is to present these postcards publicly, representing a unified voice of our youth and their thoughts on the future of exploration. In completing this project, we will inspire youth to dream big, ask for help, and never give up. The initiative is a non-profit organization based in Colorado, USA. For more information feel free to check out the website, or through the contact information below.

NASA has posted an interactive demonstration that shows how the ground and space based facilities of the agency's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) system interact with the agency's assets in space: NASA Launches Interactive Simulation of Satellite Communications - NASA - Mar.9.10.

The program is available for free download for both Windows and Mac platforms.

Check out this trove of pictures of the Soviet Union's gigantic ground-effects Ekranoplan vehicle as it sits decaying in dry-dock: Ekranoplan "Lun" project 903 - igor113 - Nov.30.09 (via via The Original Rocket Dungeon).

More web resources for Ekranoplan and other ground effect vehicles can be found here.