Workers
put the finishing touches on the simulated lunar surface
used for Level Two of the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander
Challenge. Photo Credit: Brooke Owens
X PRIZE
Foundation Founder and CEO Peter Diamandis stands
with Team Armadillo the day before the 2006 Wirefly
X PRIZE Cup. Photo Credit: William Pomerantz
The entrance
to the 2006 Wirefly X PRIZE Cup. Photo Credit: Paiwei
Wei
The Judges
convene to discuss Team Armadillo’s attempt to win
the NG-LLC. Photo Credit: Jim Campbell, Aero-News.net
Pixel
blasts off for the first flight of the 2006 NG-LLC.
Photo Credit: Chris Nelson
On her
first flight in the 2006 NG-LLC, Pixel broke off her
landing gear—bringing Armadillo’s first attempt at
the prize money to a close. Photo Credit: William
Pomerantz
Team Armadillo
poses with Judges, safety personnel, and X PRIZE staff
after the first attempt to win the NG-LLC. Photo Credit:
Matthew Ross
The crowd
gathers as Armadillo prepares for their first attempt
of the second day of the 2006 Wirefly X PRIZE Cup.
Photo Credit: Paiwei Wei
Pixel dances
in air during her second attempt to win the Northrop
Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge. Photo Credit: Jim
Campbell, Aero-News.net
Pixel
settles down to land in her second attempt to win
the NG-LLC. She landed safely—but halfway off the
landing pad. Photo Credit: Jim Campbell, Aero-News.net
An enthusiast
crowd watches as Armadillo heads out for their third
and final attempt to win the NG-LLC at the 2006 Wirefly
X PRIZE Cup.
Team Armadillo,
racing against the clock, loads Pixel onto a trailer
to be transported out to the launch pad. Photo Credit:
Paiwei Wei
Team Armadillo
waives to the crowd as they head out for their third
and final attempt to win the NG-LLC at the 2006 Wirefly
X PRIZE Cup. Photo Credit: Paiwei Wei
Peter
blasts off for the first leg of her third and final
attempt to win the NG-LLC at the 2006 Wirefly X PRIZE
Cup. Photo Credit: Jim Campbell, Aero-News.net
Pixel
takes a tumble on the second leg of her third attempt
to win the NG-LLC at the 2006 Wirefly X PRIZE Cup.
Photo Credit: Jim Campbell, Aero-News.net
Armadillo’s
team leader, John Carmack, talks to reports after
falling just short of a victory in the Northrop Grumman
Lunar Lander Challenge. Photo Credit: Jim Campbell,
Aero-News.net
The heat
and pressure of Pixel’s rocket engine scorched the
concrete of the landing pads at the 2006 Wirefly X
PRIZE Cup. Photo Credit: Brooke Owens
Caption: John Carmack, Leader of Team Armadillo, investigates the original Apollo-era Lunar Module, finding inspiration in the work of the Grumman engineers. Photo Credit: Paiwei Wei.
Team Armadillo
and X PRIZE Foundation’s Director of Space Projects
pose in front of the NASA’s Lunar Module, designed
by the Grumman Corporation for mankind’s first trip
to the Moon. Photo Credit: Paiwei Wei
The sun
sets on the 2006 Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge
and the Wirefly X PRIZE Cup, leaving fans and teams
alike hungry for next year. Photo Credit: Paiwei Wei
