Contact: Michael Molitch-Hou, 323-868-1865, mike@enterpriseinspace.org; enterpriseinspace.org

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- Enterprise In Space (EIS), a non-profit program of the National Space Society (NSS), and the Kepler Space Institute have partnered with Global Aerospace Corporation (GAC) to launch the "Orbital Debris Mitigation" competition. In order to drive innovation forward in technology to remove the space debris orbiting Earth, EIS and its partners are offering university student teams a chance to propose experiments for space debris mitigation.

To enter the contest, university student teams may submit a white paper in either one of two competition categories. Category one is to design an experiment that fits on a CubeSat to detect, track or collect orbital debris. The second is to design an experiment to help evaluate the performance of GAC's Gossamer Orbit Lowering Device (GOLD) that will de-orbit a CubeSat. To learn more about the competition, see the video presentation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA5T7A70CVs.

"Currently, there are over 500,000 pieces of space debris orbiting the Earth and traveling up to 17,500 miles per hour, potentially causing serious damage to any satellite or spacecraft," said Kerry Nock, President of GAC. "At GAC, we have invented a device for removing this debris called GOLD which uses a lightweight, continuously inflated envelope to increase the drag area and accelerate the natural orbital decay process of antiquated satellites and large orbital debris by orders of magnitude."

Up to three members of the grand prize winning team will receive complimentary registration to present their white papers at the National Space Society's International Space Development Conference ® (ISDC), May 25-29, 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri. Grand prize winners will have their experiment results paper published in Ad Astra magazine and an industry trade journal for orbital space debris mitigation and remediation. One member of the grand prize team will also receive an R. S. Kirby Memorial Scholarship, valued at $5,000, from the Kepler Space Institute to be applied towards a full certificate program. The R. S. Kirby Memorial Scholarship aims to encourage space advocates the world over.

To learn more about the Orbital Debris Mitigation Competition or to enter, visit the contest page at enterpriseinspace.org/space-debris and become a part of NewSpace future.

About Enterprise In Space
The National Space Society's Enterprise In Space (EIS) is the world's first NewSpace education program. EIS provides access to STEAM education to all through the open online EIS Academy and an artificial intelligence tutor under development named Ali. The program's first Academy-wide project is the design, launch, and retrieval of a 3D-printed spacecraft carrying 100+ active and passive experiments from K-postgrad student teams from all around the world. 

About Kepler Space Institute
Kepler Space Institute (KSI) is dedicated to providing educational programs, research solutions, and publications to the public, industry, and governmental organizations in support of continuing Space Exploration, Commercialization, and Colonization. Through cutting edge research, exploration and development of space resources, KSI helps facilitate the expansion of human civilization from Earth into Space, with the primary goal of benefitting humans everywhere on Earth and beyond. 

About Global Aerospace Corporation
Global Aerospace Corporation (GAC) was founded in 1997 by former NASA/JPL engineers and scientists as a commercial research and development firm. GAC maintains its corporate office in Irwindale, California, where it develops prototypes and works its projects in a 4,300 sq. ft. R&D office/industrial space. These facilities are used to conduct task engineering work, assembly, integration, and testing of hardware as it is prepared for flight, as well as project meetings and report writing. Our facilities meet Federal, California, and Los Angeles County environmental laws and regulations. Our corporate activities include technical analysis and research, aerospace mission and system concept development, aerospace technology research and development, deep ocean systems research and development, and system design, prototyping, and demonstration. Our corporate team is highly qualified with over 400 years of cumulative aerospace experience. 

About the National Space Society (NSS): NSS is an independent nonprofit educational membership organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. NSS is widely acknowledged as the preeminent citizen's voice on space, with over 50 chapters in the United States and around the world. The Society publishes Ad Astra magazine, an award-winning periodical chronicling the most important developments in space. NSS thanks their ISDC 2016 Galaxy Sponsor, the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust.