Tue, Mar 16, 2010
Winners Will Receive Cash Scholarships And The Chance To View A
Launch
NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate is inviting
teams of undergraduate and graduate students throughout the country
to participate in the fourth annual Systems Engineering Paper
Competition. Participants in the competition will submit a paper on
an Exploration Systems mission topic.
The paper must address one of the areas NASA has determined are
critical to the future of space exploration. These are the design,
engineering, and research areas that NASA considers ESMD-relevant.
They include:
- Spacecraft: Guidance, navigation and control; thermal;
electrical; structures; software; avionics; displays; high speed
re-entry; modeling; power systems; interoperability/commonality;
advanced spacecraft materials; crew/vehicle monitoring;
life-support.
- Propulsion: Propulsion methods that will utilize materials
found on the moon or Mars, "green" propellants, on-orbit propellant
storage, motors, testing, fuels, manufacturing, soft landing,
throttle-able propellants, high performance, and descent.
- Lunar and Planetary Surface Systems: Precision landing
hardware, software, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), navigation
systems, extended surface operations, robotics (specifically
environmental scouting prior to human arrival, outpost maintenance
with an without humans present, and assist astronaut with geologic
exploration) environmental analysis, radiation protection, space
suits, life support, power systems.
- Ground Operations: Pre-launch, launch, mission operations,
command and control software systems, communications, landing and
recovery.
First prize in the competition is a $3,500 cash scholarship.
Second and third prizes are $2,500 and $1,500 respectively. Team
winners will also receive VIP seating at an upcoming launch.
Undergraduate and graduate student teams enrolled in a US College
or University are eligible to enter the competition.
Papers will be presented to a panel of NASA engineers who
collectively represents a diverse set of technology
disciplines.
The deadline to register for the competition is April 16. Papers
are due April 23. The competition is designed to engage students in
the science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, disciplines
critical to NASA's missions.
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