2007 Results

The first Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Award was held in 2007 at the X PRIZE Cup held on Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. Teams from 9 states around the country participated. Industry experts narrowed the field to ten finalists who were invited to the X PRIZE Cup to present their concept to the 85,000 attendees of the event. Finalist teams also participate in special activities and workshops to connect with industry leaders, and help develop their skills as future aerospace entrepreneurs.

Finalist teams included:

- Aerospace Concepts, Eustace, Texas.
- GADastro, Northbrook, Illinois.
- Las Cruces CAP Cadets, Las Cruces, New Mexico.
- Michael & Talia, Los Angeles, California.
- PenguinED, Friendswood, Texas.
- SEDS-UCF, Orlando, Florida.
- SUDDS, Lubbock, Texas.
- Team Tangent, Perkasie, Pennsylvania.
- The Royals, Nashville, Tennessee.
- Three Tekna Theos Girls, Orange Park, Florida.

PenguinED was selected as the third place team for their design of a new educational program. Team GADastro was selected as the 2nd place team for their MRVE concept. Team “Michael & Talia” from Los Angeles, California was chosen as the 2007 competition winners. Led by Michael Hakimi and Talia Nour-Omid, the team designed a concept for space-traveler sunglasses that also monitored a body’s vital signs non-invasively.

The first, second, and third place teams were invited to NASA headquarters in Washington, DC to unveil the Spirit of Innovation trophy, created by Erik Lindbergh, the grandson of Charles Lindbergh. This trophy will accompany the Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Award display on a tour of museums and science centers throughout the country.

In October of 2008 the winning team’s name will be flown to the International Space Station by Space Adventures Inc on Soyuz TMA-13 with space tourist Richard Garriott, son of Pete’s fellow Skylab astronaut, Owen Garriott.