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Win a trip to space by predicting the weather!
1. Brief Summary
www.FreeSpaceShot.com allows you to win your choice of trips to space or a college scholarship by playing a game of skill. You may become one of the first 1,000 people to ever fly into space. The first step is to fill out our entry form and start your countdown to winning at T-60 (T minus 60). The second step is to use your “counter” to play our skill game. The third step is to predict the weather. We provide weather info from AccuWeather and Custom Weather. The fourth step is to play again.
You are matched with another player just like you. If you have the better prediction, you proceed to the next milestone. The other player has to start over.
The next milestones are played the same way. You can take as much or as little time as you want between milestones. Again, you play the skill game. If you win at every milestone, you win a trip to space!
When and where was Space Shot founded?
What is the short version of the story of Free Space Shot?
Where is Space Shot based?
What kind of company is Space Shot, Inc.?
How can I learn more about Space Shot?
Contact
How do I make suggestions?
3. Questions and Answers
Game Play
- How do I enter to play?
- Click on Enter To Win. If you are under 13 you will need to use a parent or teachers information to registor. Once you’ve filled out the registration form click on the counter T-60. Your now in the tournament and can make your weather preditions.
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- Can I play as many times as I like (even in one day?)
- Yes!
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- How do I play?
- You make four predictions: high and low temperature, precipitation, and humidity for Central Park, New York City. We provide the predictions from AccuWeather and Custom Weather to help.
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- How do I know when I have won or lost?
- At roughly 4:30 PM Eastern Time, the National Weather Service posts the data we use to determine winners. Once we calculate the winners, you will see the status change on your play to "GO" or "NOGO". If you've won, you get a new counter at the next milestone.
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- How do I see how I am doing at each level?
- On the Stats tab, you can see who your opponent is, how your predictions did and all of counters at each milestone.
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- How long will it take to win one of the prizes if I never lose, starting at T-60?
- A prediction on day 1 for weather on day 2 gets resolved on day 2 at about 5:00 PM eastern time. If you have a win on day 2 you can predict again on day 2 for day 3. Predicting without pause, theoretically, and you could win one of the prizes in about a month.
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- If I win, do I have to make a prediction immediately or can I wait and make one another day?
- Players can take a few days or weeks between plays if they prefer.
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- Can someone please explain all this to me?
- Certainly. Take a look at the prediction tutorial. If you still have questions, please call 1-888-434-6546.
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- How does my prediction win?
- Be closer on high temperature than one player just like you. Or win a tie break.
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- How do I win the first tie break? Are there more tie breaks?
- The first tie break is low temperature. The second tie break is precipitation. The third is humidity.
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- What if we are completely tied?
- You get to do the milestone over. You get a new counter.
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- What can I do while I am waiting?
- Play again!
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- Can I play twice at the same level?
- Sure! As many times as you like.
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- What tools are available to help me predict?
- We show you AccuWeather and Custom Weather info right on the prediction page. Do your own research too!
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- Why Central Park? What about my home town?
- We've chosen Central Park as the location for our first site because it is one of the most recognizable outdoor places in the world that has weather data from a weather station on location. Let us know where you think the next game should be based!
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- Where do you get your weather data?
- The data used to score predictions come from the National Weather Service.
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- How many people need to play for someone to win?
- 5,000 students came to XPrize Cup in New Mexico. If they play as much as they watch TV they can win two flights a month.
Legal and Money
- Do I have to be a U.S. Citizen to play?
- No. There is no citizenship restriction on playing.
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- Is there an age restriction?
- No. There is no age restriction on playing.
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- What is the difference between a game of skill and chance?
- Ours is a game of skill. Your accuracy and skill at predicting the weather will determine the outcome of the game, not random chance. Weather prediction is a multi-billion dollar industry that includes everything from your TV weatherman to some of the world’s most powerful supercomputers that were expressly designed to predict and simulate Earth’s weather!
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- What do you do with the advertising money?
- About 50% of it goes to pay for prizes. About 25% of it goes to pay for cash-co prizes. About 5% of it goes to schools and affiliates. We fund our remaining operations with the last 20%. We give 3% of net proceeds to charities of the players’ choosing and we also fund the Eclipse Danger Foundation to purchase more automatic external defibrillators to restart stopped hearts than we’ll fly into space.
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- Where do you donate the charity money?
- To add your favorite charity to the list email us at info@FreeSpaceShot.com or call 1-888-434-6546. Space Frontier Foundation Teachers in Space Program and the Lifeboat Foundation are our first two non-profits.
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- Are my winnings taxable?
- We don’t think so, but don’t spend the cash co-prize until you have checked with an accountant or lawyer.
Entry Process
- What is a Login Name?
- A Login Name is the name you will enter everytime you want to gain access to the site. This should be a name you will not forget.
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- What is a Password?
- You will enter your Password after your Login name. This can be any sequense of 6 to 16 letters or numbers.
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- What is a Call Sign?
- A Call Sign is the name that will be show on the Site. It is the name for you other playes will see. This name could be a funny or silly nickname for yourself.
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- Why we ask for players name?
- We use the players name to authenticate the winners. For players under 13, a parent’s or teacher’s name is used instead.
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- Why can’t I enter my own name if I am under 13?
- The way we protect the privacy of personal information of kids under 13 who want to play our game is to not collect any personal information about them.
The Prizes
- Who will provide my zero-g flight?
- No Gravity Corporation will provide these flights.
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- Who will provide my suborbital space flight?
- Our partner Rocketplane-Kistler. Click here for a video rendition of your flight experience if you win.
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- Who will provide my orbital space flight?
- The flights will be provided by Rocketplane-Kistler. They just won a $207 million NASA award for commercial orbital transportation service.
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- Who will provide my flight to the Moon?
- Constellation Services International, Inc. will design the mission using its Lunar ExpressSM transportation system.
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- What if I cannot pass the physical for the flight?
- We award you an additional scholarship instead of the ticket to space.
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- What if no commercial passenger spaceflight is in operation?
- If spaceflight is not available within 4 years of winning and turning 18, an additional scholarship will be awarded for the retail value of the flight.
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- What if I don't want to go to space?
- If for any reason you cannot or do not want to claim a spaceflight prize, we will award an additional scholarship instead. After you have accepted the ticket to space and Space Shot has paid for it, you become a customer of the spaceflight provider and our award becomes final.
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- If I win a spaceflight, how soon do I have to commit to flying?
- Winners will be required to commit up to six months prior to their flight. The first customer flights are scheduled for 2009.
The Experience
- What will the Zero-G flight be like?
- A parabolic airplane flight will be 12 arcs; each arc will allow you to experience a different gravity: two at Mars gravity, two at lunar gravity, than 8 at zero g.
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- What will a trip on Rocketplane XP be like?
- Check out our Hi-res (6.9MB) or Lo-res (3.0 MB) animations to get a feel for what the experience will be like. (requires Windows Media Player)
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- What will a trip on K-1 flight to orbit be like?
- Liftoff! Three AJ-26 engines give the K-1 1,020,000 lbs. of liftoff thrust. At an altitude of 135,000 feet, 121 seconds after liftoff, the first and second stages separate. After separation, the second stage, or "orbital vehicle," ignites a single AJ-26 rocket engine and proceeds to ISS for your two week stay. After leaving the ISS, the orbital vehicle does a pitch over maneuver and fires the maneuvering engines to de-orbit. The orbital vehicle re-enters the earth's atmosphere nose first on a controlled trajectory to the launch site. Parachutes are deployed at 10,000 feet, braking the descent velocity of the orbital vehicle. Just prior to touchdown for a soft landing at the launch site, airbags are deployed.
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- What will a trip around the Moon be like?
- You would ride aboard a Soyuz Rocket for your week-long stay at the International Space Station. Then you would take your week-long Lunar stint around the far side of the Moon. Then you would come back for another week at the Space Station before returning to Earth.
SpaceShot, Inc.
When and where was SpaceShot founded?
October 2004 in founder Sam Dinkin’s basement.
What is the short version of the story of Free Space Shot?
Founder Sam Dinkin always wanted to fly to space ever since he was in 3rd grade. Rather than take a spaceflight himself, he founded this company and invented this game to allow everyone to share his dream.
Where is SpaceShot based?
Austin, Texas.
What kind of company is Space Shot, Inc.?
Space Shot, Inc. is a privately held Texas corporation. Space Shot, Inc. is dedicated to the democratization of space through games awarding spaceflight prizes.
How can I learn more about Space Shot?
Check out our press info. Click the link at the bottom of this page.
Contact
- How do I make suggestions?
- Contact us at info@FreeSpaceShot.com or call 1-888-434-6546.
