SPACE PRIZE NYC - CUBESAT CHALLENGE
Empowering young women to participate in the growing space economy.
APPLICATIONS OPEN! SPACE CAMP & CUBESAT CHALLENGE ON THE INTREPID IN NYC!
APPLICATIONS OPEN! SPACE CAMP & CUBESAT CHALLENGE ON THE INTREPID IN NYC!
What is Space Prize NYC - CubeSat Challenge?
In its largest Challenge yet, the Space Prize Foundation will select 150 high school women and gender minorities to participate in a Space Camp on board the Intrepid Museum in New York City in partnership with Starlight Education. The program will take place over three days during the week of October 14th, 2024.
Over the course of three days, students will hear from astronauts, learn various STEM skills from scientists and award-winning STEM educators. They will work in teams with the ultimate goal of building a CubeSat that can be launched!
All students will receive completion certificates signed by astronauts. One winning team from each Group (a total of 10 students) will be selected to launch their CubeSats at a later date in the Fall of 2024.
To participate in the cubesat challenge, students must submit an application or be nominated by an educator. Each application will be reviewed by space prize judging committee. successful applicants and nominees will be invited to participate in Round 2. 150 students will be selected from round 2 to participate in a 3 day space camp aboard the intrepid museum in NYC.
space camp facilitators will choose 2 winning groups from space camp to launch their cubesats.
Timeline
UPDATE: APPLICATIONS HAVE ARE NOW BEING CONSIDERED ON A ROLLING BASIS, IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED. APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THEIR ACCEPTANCE AS SOON AS THEIR ROUND 2 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED.
Round 1 Applications will be accepted until all spots have been filled. We recommend applying as soon as possible as spots are limited
Round 2 Applications are underway on a rolling basis.
Week of October 14, 2024: Space Camp at The Intrepid
NOTE TO APPLICANTS: CubeSat Challenge will operate in teams so please share the Round 1 Application Link with your friends.
ROUND 1: ESSAY (500 words)
Space science and technology have led to remarkable breakthroughs in addressing global challenges. Share your personal connection to space-related innovations, and how they have influenced your passions, interests, or daily experiences.
From the following list of space-related topics, select one that has influenced your life and aspirations in some way. Write a short essay of no more than 500 words explaining how these topics have impacted your views or goals. Please give specific examples to support your points.
Sustainability: Climate Change, Agriculture/AgTech, Food/Water Security, Alternative Energy
Location Services: Transportation, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Delivery of Goods
Resilience: Health Services, Education, Medicine, Disaster Relief, Human Rights Management
Communications & Tech: Electronics, Computing, Entertainment, Aerospace/Defense, Surveillance
Development: Utilities, Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Investment
ROUND 2: VIDEO PRESENTATION (90 seconds)
Who are you?
Where are you from?
How old are you?
Looking forward to the future, how will space-based research, technologies, and / or innovations improve life on Earth?
judges and mentors coming soon
FAQ
Student applications:
Who is eligible to apply? The CubeSat Challenge is open to all women and gender-minorities - including, but not limited to, transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary individuals, who are enrolled in high school across the greater New York area. The intention of our program is to engage with groups of young people that are underrepresented in STEM fields, and to give them access to a diverse group of industry professionals and mentors. Our goal is to encourage an inclusive industry that promotes diversity of thought, identity, and community.
What is the student application process? Round 1 essays are submitted through the Round 1 Student Application Link. Submissions will be evaluated by a team of judges and certain students will be asked to submit a Round 2 video. Judges will select 150 students to participate in Space Camp based on their Round 1 and Round 2 submissions.
Round 1 applications are open on a rolling basis and will close when all spaces have been filled.
Round 2 applications are currently open and will close when all spaces have been filled.
PLEASE APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SEATS ARE LIMITED. APPLCIATIONS WILL CLOSE WHEN ALL SEATS HAVE BEEN FILLED.
Student nominations:
What is the student nomination process? Formal nominations are closed but we urge nominators to encourage students to apply using the Round 1 Student Application Link.
How many students can each nominator nominate? Unlimited.
If I nominate a student from outside of the NYC area and she is accepted, can I sponsor her travel to ensure her spot? Absolutely. Please reach out us at liftoff- kim@spaceprize.org - for information related to travel sponsorships.
Judging:
Who are the judges? The essays will be judged by a panel of experts from the space industry, academia, and media.
How are essays judged? The criteria for judging the essays are relevance to the theme, originality and creativity, clarity and coherence, grammar and spelling, length compliance (maximum 1000 words).
Winner announcement:
When will the Space Camp invitees be announced? Space Camp invitees will be invited via email on a rolling basis as applications are accepted. The two winning teams of the CubeSat Challenge will be announced on 10/18/2024 on the essay competition website and social media channels. These 10 students will also be contacted by email and phone.
Space Camp:
What is Starlight Education? Starlight Education has extensive experience creating high-impact, life-changing courses for students and teachers around the globe. Focus areas / programs include STEM Courses, English Courses, CSR Programs, Sustainability Courses, Custom Courses, and Teacher Professional Development.
What’s a CubeSat? CubeSats are miniaturized box-shaped satellites that are mainly launched into low Earth orbit to observe the Earth, test new communications technology or perform miniature experiments.
How long is Space Camp? Three days. Participants will be divided into two groups of 75. Group 1 will participate in Space Camp from Monday October 14th - Wednesday, October 16th. Group 2 will participate in Space Camp from Wednesday, October 16th - Friday, October 18th.
Where is Space Camp? The Intrepid Museum in New York City.
Logistics:
How will I get to and from the Intrepid? Space Prize will coordinate ground transportation to and from The Intrepid on each camp day.
If I win, how will I get to the CubeSat launch site? Bus transportation to and from the launch site will be provided.
Is there support for traveling to the event?
Greater NYC Area: All travel costs are covered for students attending from the greater NYC area.
Non-Local US Students: A limited number of travel grants will be available for US students traveling from outside of the area.
International Students: Airfare will not be included, however, a limited number of grants may be available for travel and accommodation within the US. International students and nominators should notify Space Prize of their ability to cover airfare to the US.
Will I have to miss school? Yes. Space Prize will provide a form asking permission for accepted students to be excused from school during their days at Space Camp. The Foundation strongly encourages students to seek permission from schools but is ultimately not responsible for missed coursework should students decide to attend the Camp without permission from their school.
Additional information:
Where can I find more information about the essay competition? You can find more information about the essay competition on the essay competition website. You can also contact us by email at liftoff@spaceprize.org. We look forward to receiving your essays!
