Competitions & Challenges
Competitions and Challenges for Students
Don’t miss out on student competition opportunities available from NASA. Check this page often for new additions.
SPECIAL STATEMENT:
NASA has been closely monitoring developments of the COVID-19 outbreak. We are aware that many of the student teams participating in the Artemis Student Challenges must cope with limited or suspended physical access to campuses, travel restrictions or other impediments that may affect their ability to participate in the challenges as proposed.
Due to these hurdles we continue to face, and out of an abundance of caution for the teams and our workforce, activities for each of these events may look different than originally planned. It should be noted that the technical work completed by each team will not go unnoticed. Challenge managers for each activity will be in contact with participants on specifics and changes to the challenges, if any. We will continue to monitor the situation, and remain flexible and adapt as it evolves. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
2022 Micro-g NExT Challenge Now Available
As NASA prepares for the return to Earth’s Moon, it is calling all undergraduate students who would like to gain hands-on, authentic engineering design experience while also contributing to the upcom¬ing Artemis missions! Micro-g Neutral Buoyancy Experiment Design Teams (Micro-g NExT) is an opportunity for you to make your contri¬bution to NASA’s mission. Micro-g NExT challenges undergraduate students to design and build prototype mission hardware like space¬walk tools.
The student designed prototypes are tested in the under¬water lunar analog environment of NASA’s 6.2-million-gallon indoor pool – the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) in Houston, where astronauts train for spacewalks.
You will apply classroom knowledge and benefit from the expertise of real NASA engineers. Take the Micro-g NExT challenge and join NASA as we embark on a mission to the Moon and beyond.
Letters of intent are due on October 12, 2021 and the proposal deadline is October 28, 2021.
Details can be found on the Micro-g NExT Website.
2022 Micro-g NExT Artemis Focused Challenges
Objective: Design and build hardware that will aid in the execution lunar surface operations
Challenge 1: Lunar Surface EVA Operations – Lunar Sample Size-Location-Calibration Marker
Challenge 2: Lunar Surface EVA Operations –Lunar Sample Bag and Container Dispensing Device
Challenge 3: Lunar Surface EVA Operations – Lunar Reusable Surface Anchoring Device
Interested? Join an online information session
Info Session 1: September 8, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. CDT
Info Session 2: September 16, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. CDT
Info Session 3: September 21, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. CDT
Info Session 4: October 6, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. CDT
For tips on how to submit a successful proposal, join the Micro-g NExT Coordinators for an online information session.
Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students – Artemis Student Challenges
NASA Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students (SUITS) challenges students to design and create spacesuit information displays within augmented reality (AR) environments. As part of the application process, teams must submit a letter of intent and a proposal complete with technical, outreach and administrative sections.
*Event Date(s): Request for Proposals: August 30, 2021
Proposals Due: October 28, 2021
Selections: December 1, 2021
Software Readiness Review: March 2022
Test Week: Spring 2022
*Subject to Change
Event Location: Student participation is virtual and onsite this year. Five students and one faculty advisor from each selected team will be invited to the test week in Houston, Texas. Exact testing location will be provided.
Eligibility:
Full-time undergraduate or graduate students enrolled at U.S. institutions of higher learning.
Team members must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents to attend on-site testing activities.
Support team members may be university students of any level, faculty members, professional consultants, etc.
Visit the website or the frequently asked questions to learn more about the challenge.
Student Launch – Artemis Student Challenges
Student Launch challenges student teams to design, build and fly a high-powered rocket containing a science or engineering payload. Teams complete a series of design reviews that mirror the NASA engineering design life cycle. Teams must successfully complete a Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review, Flight Readiness Review and Launch Readiness Review, which include safety briefings, analyses of vehicle and payload systems and flight test data.
*Event Date(s): Proposal Deadline: September 2021
Selections Announced: October 2021
Preliminary Design Reviews: November 2021
Critical Design Reviews: January 2022
Flight Readiness Reviews: March 2022
Event Week: April 20-24, 2022
Winners Announced: May/June 2022
*Subject to Change
Event Location: Two options in 2021-2022 — NASA Launch Complex (with NASA in Huntsville, Alabama) or a commercial spaceport launch site (i.e. a local launch field).
Eligibility:
- Open to teams from U.S. colleges and universities, high schools and middle schools. Note: High school and middle school teams must first qualify by placing in the top 25 of The American Rocketry Challenge or the top 3 of the Rockets For Schools Class II competition. A high school and middle school educator or mentor from each qualified team must participate in the summer Advanced Rocketry Workshop.
- Open to U.S. citizens and international students. *Any foreign national team members must be identified by the PDR and may or may not have access to certain activities during launch week due to security restrictions.
- Requires an adult mentor as a team member throughout the project.
Visit the website to learn more about the challenge.
Gateways to Blue Skies: Airports of Tomorrow Competition
The Gateways to Blue Skies: Airports of Tomorrow (aka: Blue Skies) competition is NASA’s newest collegiate-level design competition! The Blue Skies competition is seeking ideas and designs for the evolving airports of 2050 (focusing on the exterior of the airports) as we push towards climate-friendly aviation and new emerging aviation markets of the future.
The 2050s aviation landscape will incorporate new technologies and designs, enabling new aircraft to fly safer, faster, cleaner, and quieter. This future landscape includes the use of alternative fuels (electric, hydrogen, ammonia, sustainable aviation fuel, etc.),increased efficiency in the use of existing fuels, and changes to the shapes and designs of commercial aircraft. These advancements will require infrastructure updates or design overhauls to existing or new airports. Blue Skies challenges teams to evaluate the future landscape and propose designs to accommodate new climate-friendly aviation technologies in an “airports of tomorrow” concept.
Teams of 2 – 6 undergraduate and/or graduate students at an accredited US-based college or university will design a 2050s airport that can support the climate-friendly planes and aviation markets of the future.
Important Dates for the Gateways to Blue Skies Competition
October 1, 2021: Full Official Details Announced at https://BlueSkies.nianet.org
October 25, 2021: Notice of Intent (NOI) to participate deadline
November 9, 2021: Q&A Session with sponsors for interested teams
March 3, 2022: Submission deadline
April 7, 2022: Teams are notified of their selection status
June 1-2, 2022: 2022 Blue Skies Forum at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA
32nd WERC Environmental Design Contest
The WERC Environmental Design Contest is a unique design competition that brings industry, government, and academia together in search for improved solutions to today’s environmental challenges.
Teams of students build working bench-scale models that are independently tested at the contest. Engineering professionals judge the contest and discuss with each team the finer points of design, including consideration of engineering design, economic and logistical feasibility, regulations, and public policy. The contest is an excellent real-world capstone design course that prepares students for industry and is an important part of ABET accreditation.
To learn more about the tasks proposed, designed, and sponsored by industry and government agencies go to iee.nmsu.edu/2022-tasks-faqs/
The WERC Contest will be held in April 10-13, 2021. Registration opens October 1, 2021. To register for the competition, go to werc.nmsu.edu
For more information on registration fees, guidelines or FAQs, go to iee.nmsu.edu