Contests

Special Programs, Competitions, and Contests

NSS-sponsored special programs, competitions and contests
Galleries of entries to concluded NSS contests
Other space-related special programs, competitions, and contests

Roadmap to Space Settlement Student Art Contest

The National Space Society (NSS) is looking for student artists to create illustrations for the NSS Roadmap to Space Settlement. Entry deadline was April 22, 2013. All students at any grade level between the ages of 10 and 25 were eligible. Winners and accepted entries can be seen in the Gallery of submitted art.

Space Ambassadors Program

The National Space Society is teaming up with Virgin Galactic to identify Space Ambassadors around the world. As part of their duties, Space Ambassadors will communicate the value of space research and exploration to their local communities, and one special Space Ambassador will be selected to fly on a Virgin Galactic space flight!

NASA/NSS Space Settlement Student Design Contest

NASA Ames Research Center in conjunction with the National Space Society sponsors an annual space settlement design contest for 6-12th grade students. In 2012 the top individual entry will receive an extra award of $5,000 by the NSS Bruce M. Clark, Jr., Memorial Scholarship.

International Space Settlement Design Competition

This annual contest puts high school students in the shoes of aerospace industry engineers designing a city in space that will house over 10,000 people. Student engineers demonstrate creativity, technical competence, management skills, environmental knowledge, space, teamwork, and presentation techniques to conquer the problems inherent in siting and designing a Space Settlement (Space Colony).

International SunSat Design Competition

An annual contest through 2014 seeks designs using high-impact digital art, supported by credible science, engineering and business plans, that best promote media understanding and public acceptance of a path forward in using space satellites to deliver energy on-demand to any and all places on Earth. Registration will remain open until January 6 each year, with a final submission deadline of March 30. Awards will be announced at the May NSS-ISDC conference. Sponsors include the Online Journal of Space Communication, the Society of Satellite Professionals International, and the National Space Society.

Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest

The Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest has been co-sponsored by NSS and Baen Books since 2007. Science fiction writers who create positive stories about man's future in space are rewarded with professional publication, NSS membership, and an award presented each year at the ISDC. Winning entries aren't pulp tales about galactic empires or alien abductions, but serious near future stories about the sacrifice, heroics, adventure and discovery with our expansion into the solar system. Please visit the contest website for guidelines, deadlines and requirements.

Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Award

The Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Awards combine education, innovation and entrepreneurship by challenging high school students to design products using science and technology. The competition includes platforms in personal spaceflight, lunar exploration, and renewable energy. Teams will compete for over $120,000 of prize money as well as the opportunities to connect with leading scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

Flyer (PDF)
Letter for educators (DOC)
More information: www.conradawards.org

Galleries of Entries to Concluded Contests:

NSS Space Settlement Calendar Art Galleries

See gallery of NSS 2009 Calendar contest entries
See gallery of NSS 2008 Calendar contest entries
Contest has been discontinued for subsequent years

NSS Banner Design Contest Gallery

This contest is over but you can see the gallery of submitted designs.

NSS in Second Life Machinima Contest Gallery

The 11 videos entered in the 2010 NSS in Second Life Machinima Contest are available for viewing. Machinima is a form of computer animation to preserve virtual worlds. Entries were required to have an outer space theme, with 50% of the video taking place in the National Space Society Second Life sim.

Other space-related contests

Google Lunar X Prize. The total purse of the Google Lunar X PRIZE is $30 million (USD). It ges to a team who successfully lands a privately funded craft on the lunar surface which survives long enough to roam the lunar surface for 500 meters and send a defined data package (“Mooncast”) back to Earth. See 8-minute video — It's cool!

Weightless Challenge. NASA is hosting two national science competitions that challenge student teams to develop and prepare a microgravity experiment. Proposals are due Nov. 1. "Dropping In a Microgravity Environment," or DIME, is the competition for high school student teams. "What If No Gravity?" or WING, is the competition for student teams in sixth through ninth grades.