Alan Hayes presents Peter Homer with the first place prize of $250,000 at the 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge.

Alan Hayes, left, chairman of Volanz Aerospace Inc., presents Peter Homer of Southwest Harbor, Maine, with the first place prize of $250,000 at the 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge, part of NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program, at the Astronaut Hall of Fame near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The nationwide competition focused on developing improved pressure suit gloves for astronauts to use while working in space. During the challenge, the gloves were submitted to burst tests, joint force tests and tests to measure their dexterity and strength during operation in a glove box which simulates the vacuum of space. Centennial Challenges is NASA’s program of technology prizes for the citizen-inventor. The winning prize for the Glove Challenge is $250,000 provided by the Centennial Challenges Program. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett