NASA Challenge

So NASA is jumping into the the space prize game.

Nasa Centenial Challenge Presentation

Unfortunately they are being very exculusionary. They specifically state that participation is limited to U.S. Citizens who are not federal employees. Well I work with a whole bunch of very imaginative engineers and scientists who would probably love to spend a fair share of their weekends and evenings trying to solve NASA's problems. Unfortunately because we choose to spend our work day being good engineers and scientists for the U.S. Navy we won't be allowed to help solve NASA's troubles.

I understand that as federal employees that we have to avoid any appearances of improprieties. I would expect to be able to show that all my research was done on my own time and with my own equipment. But I guess NASA is more interested policy than results.

I wonder if Dr. Bennett's SELENE project will be able to get involved in any of this?

Thanks to Glenn Reynolds the The Instapundit for the tip on a contest that I'm not allowed to enter.