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$5,000 Benson Prize For Amateur Discovery of Asteroids

 
$5,000 Benson Prize For Amateur Discovery of Asteroids
 
For immediate release
Contact Diane Murphy
telephone: 703.893.0740
email: Prize@SpaceDev.Com
 
Winston-Salem, NC, June 10. At the 190th annual meeting of the
American Astronomical Society, Space Development corporation founder
and chairman, James William Benson announced the $5,000 "The Benson
Prize for the Amateur Discovery of Near Earth Asteroids." The Benson
Prize is a new competition which awards cash prizes to amateur
astronomers who discover near earth asteroids.
 
Beginning June 10, 1997, a cash prize of $500 will be awarded for each
of the next ten amateur discoveries of near earth asteroids. The
definitions of "amateur" and "near earth asteroid" can be found below.
 
The purpose of the Benson Prize is to encourage the discovery of near
earth objects by amateur astronomers. The utilization of valuable near
earth resources can provide many new jobs and economic activities on
earth, while also creating many new opportunities for opening up the
space frontier for working and living in space.
 
Long-term utilization of these near earth resources, worth billions of
dollars for their gold, platinum group metals, water and volatiles,
will significantly contribute to the lessening of the Earth's
environmental degradation caused by mining operations required to
exploit the low grade ores now remaining on Earth.
 
In addition, near earth objects pose grave dangers for life on earth.
Discovering and plotting the orbits of all near earth objects is the
first and necessary step in protecting ourselves against the enormous
potential damage possible from near earth objects.
 
With the high quality, large size and low cost of today's consumer
telescopes, with the rapid development of powerful, high resolution
and inexpensive CCD cameras, and with the proliferation of inexpensive
software for today's powerful home computers, the discovery of near
earth asteroids by amateur astronomers is more attainable than ever.
 
The Benson Prize is sponsored by Space Development, LLC, a private
space exploration company headquartered in Steamboat Springs,
Colorado. In July, Space Development will make a major announcement
concerning the company's venture to  build the first private
spacecraft to venture beyond earth orbit, and the first private
venture to visit and land on another planetary body.
 
Definitions:
 
"Amateur" is a person who is not employed as an astronomer. In the
event of controversy, Space Development, LLC will judge if the
candidate meets the spirit of the Prize, which encourages amateur
astronomers to seek out new near earth objects.
 
"Near Earth Asteroid" is any natural object with a current perihelion
less than the Earth's average distance from the Sun, 1.0  Astronomical
Unit (AU).