Winners will be chosen during the X PRIZE Cup, October 26-28, Holloman Air Force Base, Alamogordo, NM

The ten finalists for the inaugural Pete Conrad* Spirit of Innovation* Award will have their ideas on display at the 2007 X PRIZE Cup. Teams of high school students from all over the United States proposed ideas that could accelerate the personal spaceflight industry. Winners will be chosen by popular vote and announced at the closing ceremonies on Sunday, October 28, at noon. The first place team will receive a $5,000 grant, followed by $2,500 for second place and $1,500 for third.

The ten finalists, and their student captains, are:

• "Team Tangent", Perkasie, PA: Led by Joe Bussenger, Team Tangent's concept would reduce the shock vibration of rockets.
• "Aerospace Concepts", Eustace, TX: Led by Alex Schlebach, Aerospace Concepts has imagined a personalized spacesuit that provides flexibility and comfort to anyone.
• "PenguinED", Friendswood, TX: Led by Ellice Tan, PenguinED suggests creating a company to work with private and public schools to provide a high level of space education.
• "Michael & Talia", Los Angeles, CA: Led by Michael Hakimi, Michael & Talia have conceptualized sunglasses that monitor bodily functions to make sure people remain healthy in space.
• "GADastro", Northbrook, IL: Led by Samantha Hopkins, GADastro's concept is a self-healing material that would rapidly fix any punctures, maintaining safety in space.
• "Las Cruces CAP Cadets", Las Cruces, NM: Led by Caleb Rawson, the CAP Cadets have an idea for a belt that would allow people to play sports in micro-gravity.
• "SEDS-UCF", Orlando, FL: Led by Michael Green, SEDS-UCF has conceptualized a permanent space settlement to support all other space missions, through manufacturing and research.
• "SUDDS, "Lubbock, TX: Led by Elliot Rosen, SUDDS has imagined a washing machine that can maintain a level of hygiene in space.
• "The Royals", Nashville, TN: Led by Chancellor Dickens, The Royals suggest a method to harvest the heat energy lost during reentry into the atmosphere.
• "Three Tekna Theos Girls", Orange Park, FL: Led by Garima Gupta, the Three Girls have created designs for a device to accurately chronicle the journey of a space traveler.

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*ABOUT THE X PRIZE CUP AND HOLLOMAN AIR AND SPACE EXPO*

The X PRIZE Cup is the result of a partnership between the X PRIZE Foundation and the State of New Mexico to build the world's first true rocket festival. For 2007, the X PRIZE Cup and Holloman Air Force Base have teamed up to produce an action-packed Air & Space Expo. For more information or sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.xprizecup.com or call (310) 576-3473. ###