Many times in the past, those experienced in a field have declared that something was impossible, only to have someone without those preconceptions do the impossible. What I'm asking is for a team of FIRSTers to look at this problem from their viewpoints, which may be different and/or contain different preconceptions from the typical industry person.
I don't think that should come as much of a surprise, really, but remember that the motto of FIRST is "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology." Its mission is to inspire others to excellence and innovation, and participating in this project would be in accordance with the ideals of FIRST.
As for funding and such, our individual teams have been able to acquire sponsors for our comparatively small competition, and I see no reason why we cannot have sponsors and professional help on this project. No one ever said that the Grand Challenge would be easy (would it be called the "Grand Challenge" if it were?), but it is a chance to take what we have learned from FIRST and apply it to real life, to affect change in the greater world, and perhaps learn more than could have ever hoped to learn. And if it doesn't work out, we will have learned, and we shall try again, as we in FIRST do time and again. When we face a challenge, the point is not to immediately look at the scale of the challenge and declare that it is impossible to succeed. The point is to try, to learn, to innovate, but not to give up without even an effort, for if we do not attempt a challenge, who will ever know what may have been?