Rick Wills is currently a research engineer at the Air Force Research
Laboratory' Fuels Branch. His research focus is fuel cooling technology for
high speed vehicles. He has previously worked in aircraft acquisition as the
lead propulsion engineer for the C-5 Re-engineering program, was on the
cockpit design team of the C-17, and was a crew systems engineer in the Air
Force One acquisition. He also conducted scramjet testing during an Air
Force engineering exchange program. His military service started as an
Airborne Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division. After his activity duty,
he joined the Air Force Reserve as an aeromedical evacuation technician. He
was commissioned from the enlisted ranks as a acquisition officer. He
retired from the Air Force Reserve as a Captain. He was the founder and
President of as small start up business, Midwest Rocket Incorporated (MRI).
MRI tested small liquid low cost rocket engines and taught classes in
rocketry. He is also a aviation ground instructor and holds a commercial
pilot's license with an instrument rating.

Rick has been extremely interested in space development his entire life.
His love of all things space started while watching the John Glenn launch on
February 20th 1962. He gradated from The Ohio State University with a degree
in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering in 1982. He graduated from the
International Space University in 1992 and took a MBA in project management
from Wright State University in 2000. He was a founding member of a space
activist organization, the Midwest Space Development Corporation (MSDC).
MSDC ran the Midwest Space Development Conference and Rick held a variety of
offices including the President. He is currently an advisor to the
University of Dayton Advanced Rocket Team; UDART has a 23 foot liquid rocket
and are preparing it for a static test firing and first flight. He has
participated in a team studying a space tourism vertical take off and
landing vehicle and was a member of a Cheap Access to Space Team, Great
Lakes Rocket Society. He is married and has two adult children and one
grandson.

*A Personal Call to the Cosmos*

I believe exploring space is the greatest human adventure. The ocean of
space that surrounds our Earth is inhospitable and difficult to reach. Earth
is as Eden; no other place has been found that allows us to walk openly and
breath freely. To go, we must be sealed in strong light capsules, holding in
an atmosphere, protected from the hard vacuum, freezing cold, searing heat,
and deadly radiation. Yet, we strive to go.

However, many cannot go who want to, myself included. I was born in the
unfortunate generation that will have only a few of its number orbit the
Earth and see our magnificent home from above. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the
father of astronautics, called it "our cradle". We will eventually leave the
cradle; sadly, no one from my generation will ever be able to visit another
world and gaze back on the Earth. We were born to late to be in Apollo and
will be too old for the next manned moon program. We "in-betweeners" will
only be able to view pictures and watch videos. But, there are alternatives.

The chance to work on an actual lunar bound vehicle may not be the answer
to a long given up childhood dream, never the less, it's a great adventure.
An adventure that's every bit as audacious and captivating as John Kennedy's
1962 lunar challenge, unapologetically throw down before the world. His
challenge stirred the imagination, promised difficulty, and demanded
boldness. Those who have decided to take up Google's modern challenge chose
to because it is all that and much more. We don't know what waits ahead of
us, yea though it may be failure. But, this challenge is doable; it points
to an achievable and worthy effort. Our project is clearly not assured; our
best effort is needed. All participants know this. All participants also
have a kindred dream; all are bound by the same gravity. Yes, the invitation
lies before us; the adventure begins. Ours is to take the initiative in
hand, point a daring course, and achieve.