X-15 personnel. A photo commemorating all three X-15's being flown during the same week. Back Row, left to right: John "Bill" Lovett, John E. Huntington, Homer Hall, Robert E. "Bob" Allen, Lorenzo "Larry" Barnett, Charles "Charlie" Russell, Sylvester Weeks Kneeling, left to right: Gilbert "Gil" Kincaid, George E. Trott, Joseph "Joe" Huxman, Willard Glasscock

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Independent inventor Peter Homer, left, founder of Flagsuit LLC, inserts a glove which he designed into a glove box for a demonstration of its dexterity and flexibility during 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. Homer was the winner of the competition held in 2007. The nationwide competition focused on developing improved pressure suit gloves for astronauts to use while working in space. During the challenge, inventors tested the gloves to measure 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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Independent inventor Peter Homer, founder of Flagsuit LLC, submits a glove which he designed to a dexterity and flexibility test during 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. Homer was the winner of the competition held in 2007. The nationwide competition focused on developing improved pressure suit gloves for astronauts to use while working in space. During the challenge, inventors tested the gloves to measure 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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Independent inventor Peter Homer, founder of Flagsuit LLC, inserts a glove which he designed into a glove box for a dexterity and flexibility test during 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. Homer was the winner of the competition held in 2007. The nationwide competition focused on developing improved pressure suit gloves for astronauts to use while working in space. During the challenge, inventors tested the gloves to measure 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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At the Astronaut Hall of Fame near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the winners of the 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge, part of NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program, pose for a group photograph with their friends, family and the event organizers. From left are Caroline Homer and her father, Peter Homer, winner of the $250,000 first prize; Alan Hayes, chairman of Volanz Aerospace Inc.; Andy Petro, manager of NASA Centennial Challenges; Ted Southern, winner of the $100,000 second prize; his friend and glove tester Amy Miller; and Paul Secor, Secor Strategies LLC. 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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At the Astronaut Hall of Fame near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, first-prize winner Peter Homer, left, of Southwest Harbor, Maine, talks with Kennedy Director Bob Cabana and Doug Comstock, director of the NASA Innovative Partnerships Program, about his winning glove design in the 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge, part of NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program. 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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astronaut Hall of Fame near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, participants in the 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge, part of NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program, pose for a group portrait. In the center of the front row are the winners, Ted Southern of Brooklyn, N.Y., at left, and Peter Homer of Southwest Harbor, Maine. 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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – 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