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> As a participant, you’ll need to gain access to FUN3D software through an application process with the US Government.

This is not at all ready for a competition. The least they could do, if they want professional volunteer help, is to open-source the platform that everyone would be deploying on. It was probably built using public money, after all.

Sigh, no shame:

> FUN3D is: Code developed by the US Government at US taxpayer expense, ...

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As a Dutch national living in the UK I did get somewhat excited to at least have a look at the code. It is always disheartening to read these exclusion statements for a institution with a global appeal like NASA. At the very least its bad press for them in a global science community.

I'm also somewhat amused by the claim they expect a 1000x performance improvement.

So much talent out there yet limited to US citizens only

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