The Space Elevator

Academic Challenge 2024

The International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC), in conjunction with the National Space Society (NSS), is conducting a Student Academic Challenge on the concept of Space Elevators, with a first-place prize of $2,000 USD!  A total of $7,000 USD in prizes will be awarded!

The contest is for individual students, or teams of up to four students, from anywhere worldwide.

SPACE ELEVATORS

Imagine an advanced lift system that raises 170,000 metric tonnes to space every year (the equivalent of 8,500 Falcon Heavy launches) with no atmospheric pollution—a “Green Road to Space”.  Such a massive movement of cargo to GEO and beyond, in a safe, environmentally friendly, daily, and routine way, at a lower cost than rockets, would transform the approach for humanity to escape Earth’s gravity.

The identification of a suitable ultra-strong material could make the Space Elevator a reality in your lifetime: see www.isec.org/space-elevator-tether-materials.

For general information about space elevators and their capability visit www.isec.org.

The Challenge

First, imagine a “mission” that would be important for humanity’s future which would be enormously enhanced by Space Elevators.  Then pick from two Challenges:

1.  Assess how your “mission” would benefit from the “Green Road” access to space that space elevators would provide.

2.  Explain how Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies could enhance the capability of the space elevator’s transformational characteristics in achieving your “mission.”

Submissions will be judged based upon:

- Your insight into possible uses of Green or AI technology in missions for space elevators.

- Your insight into the impact of the transformational strengths of space elevators with respect to the “Green Road” or AI technology.

- Your presentation of the arguments in favor of space elevators.

- Your creative concepts for using space elevators that lead to a better future for humanity.

Imagination will be appreciated but remember that everything in your submission must be based on well-researched facts.

Contest Timeline

Phase 1 submissions (an abstract of up to 400 words) must be in by 15 Nov 2023.

Phase 2: chosen semi-finalists submit a paper (up to 15 pages) by 1 Feb 2024.

Phase 3: Chosen finalists submit a video MPG (up to 10 mins) by 1 Apr 2024.

Prizes

1st Prize = $2,000 USD

2nd Prize = $1,000 USD

3rd Prize = $500 USD

Separate prizes will be awarded for each of the two categories, High School and University.

The six winners will be announced by 15 April 2024, with winning submissions published on the ISEC YouTube channel and other social media.

Winners will be invited to present at the NSS #ISDC2024 conference, 23-26 May 2024 in Los Angeles, see www.isdc2024.nss.org.

For more detailed rules and guidelines see https://www.isec.org/academic-challenge.

ISEC promotes the development, construction, and operation of a space elevator infrastructure as a revolutionary and efficient way to space for all humanity and is an affiliate of NSS.