AGI AND X PRIZE FOUNDATION PARTNER FOR MOON PRIZE
Exton, PA and Santa Monica, CA (October 07, 2008) — The X PRIZE Foundation announced today that it has selected AGI, producer of analysis software for land, sea, air, and space, as an official “preferred partner” for the Google Lunar X PRIZE. Preferred partners offer discounted services to the teams competing in the $30 million international competition. The Google Lunar X PRIZE challenges privately funded teams to safely land a robot on the surface of the Moon, travel 500 meters over the lunar surface, and send images and data back to Earth. Under this partnership, AGI has agreed to provide each team with nearly $200,000 worth of complimentary software and engineering services. There are currently four other X PRIZE Foundation preferred partners: Space Exploration Technologies (Preferred Launch Partner), SETI Institute and Universal Space Network (Preferred Communications Partners), and Space Florida (Preferred Launch Site).
“AGI is thrilled to offer our ready-to-use software and space mission expertise to this exciting challenge, which is sure to advance efforts in commercial space flight while developing innovative approaches and new technologies,” says Paul Graziani, AGI president and CEO. “Our products have been relied upon for nearly two decades for analysis and 3-D visualization of space mission designs, real-time operations, and post-mission analysis, so they are an inherent fit to help these teams reach the Moon. We applaud those vying for this challenge and how their efforts will inspire young engineers and scientists of tomorrow.”
“AGI’s software is unsurpassed and will bring critical new capabilities to the competing teams,” said Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, Chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation. “This modeling and visualization software will be a great asset for the teams. We are delighted to welcome AGI as a preferred partner for the Google Lunar X PRIZE.”
The X PRIZE Foundation’s Senior Director of Space Projects, Will Pomerantz, will discuss the current teams competing for the Google Lunar X PRIZE and share how they can employ AGI software for the challenge during the 2008 AGI Users’ Conference (www.agiuc.com), being held Oct. 7-9, 2008 in Chicago. For additional information about the Google Lunar X PRIZE competition, visit www.googelunarxprize.org.
Preferred Partnership enables Google Lunar X PRIZE teams to leverage space mission software for analysis and 3-D visualization
ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION
Founded in 1995, the X PRIZE Foundation is the leading nonprofit organization solving the world’s Grand Challenges by creating and managing large-scale, high-profile, incentivized prize competitions that stimulate investment in research and development worth far more than the prize itself. The organization motivates and inspires brilliant innovators from all disciplines to leverage their intellectual and financial capital for the benefit of humanity. The X PRIZE Foundation conducts competitions in four Prize Groups: Education & Global Development; Energy & Environment; Life Sciences; and Exploration (Ocean and Deep Space). Prizes won include the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE for private, suborbital space flight; the $10 million Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE for creating safe, affordable, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 MPG energy equivalent (MPGe); and the $2 million Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander X PRIZE CHALLENGE for advanced rocket development. Active prizes include the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, the $10 million Archon Genomics X PRIZE, and the $1.4 million Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE. For more information, visit www.xprize.org.
ABOUT AGI
Analytical Graphics, Inc. develops commercial off-the-shelf analysis software for land, sea, air, and space that is relied upon by the national security and space communities in more than 32,000 worldwide installations. AGI’s software includes desktop applications, an embeddable engine, and lightweight component libraries, with a wide range of licensing and pricing options. For additional information about AGI, e-mail info@agi.com or explore www.agi.com.
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