CHALLENGE

SPACE PRIZE CHALLENGE PARIS

Through global competitions, expert mentorship, and hands-on learning, Space Prize prepares young people to lead the future of space.

French Version

What WAS the Space Prize Challenge - Paris?

The Space Prize Challenge was designed to encourage young women to pursue STEAM* education and explore careers in the space industry. This contest was focused on students attending Lycée Hélène Boucher in Paris. Any young woman attending the school could apply.

Five finalists were chosen from the best submissions, and one winner was selected from among the finalists. The finalists received one year of mentorship from notable women in the space industry, and special recognition at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in September 2022. The winner received an Air Zero G flight in February 2023.

What is the Space Prize Challenge - Paris?

Five finalists were chosen from the best submissions, and one winner was selected from among the finalists. The finalists received one year of mentorship from a woman in the space industry, and special recognition at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in September 2022. The winner received an Air Zero G flight in February 2023.

1 School, 5 Finalists

& 1 Winner

1 School, 5 Finalists

& 1 Winner

1 School, 5 Finalists

& 1 Winner

Lycée Hélène Boucher, named after a famous female French aviation pioneer, is a school in Paris dedicated to aviation and aerospace. The school features an aeronautical program which prepares students for the BIA (Brevet d'initiation à l'Aéronautique). There is also a Makerspace for the students, and many optional courses are offered, including music, art history, and engineering science. The school is an ideal partner for a Space Prize competition.

SPACE PRIZE CHALLENGE:
pARIS

This competition was designed to launch the next generation of STEAM. Prove your potential, connect with global leaders, and earn your place in the new space economy.

Topics

Part 1

Humanity must make sustainable decisions to avoid the depletion of natural resources and maintain the ecological balance on Earth. Summarize in a few words (1000 max.) how ecological consequences have influenced your life, changed your worldview, and how you think ecology should be taken into account when humans travel in space and to other worlds.

Part 2

In a video of 90 seconds or less, tell the viewer who you are, how old you are, and where you go to school. Then answer the question below. Explorers travel to unfamiliar places and discover the unexpected. Tell us about an event you experienced that evoked the magic of discovery, the impact it had on your life, and how you hope this experience will inspire you in the future.

Meet the judges & Mentors

Timeline

Jun 2022

Launch of competition

Jun 2022

Launch of competition

The journey began that spring. Participants prepared their materials and got ready to join a global community of students competing for a chance to lead in the new space economy.

Jul 2022

round 1 complete

Jul 2022

round 1 complete

Applicants were encouraged not to miss their window to apply. All essays and project requirements needed to be submitted by the deadline to be considered for the 2026 cohort of space pioneers.

Aug 2022

round 2 complete

Aug 2022

round 2 complete

The program culminated in an elite, hands-on training experience. Selected finalists headed to Space Camp that summer to develop the skills needed for a multi-planet future.

Sep 2022

finalists honored and winner announced

Sep 2022

finalists honored and winner announced

Feb 2023

Air Zero G Flight

Feb 2023

Air Zero G Flight

The ZeRO-G experience

The ultimate prize for winners of the essay competition, offering the life-changing opportunity to feel weightlessness on a parabolic flight. This extraordinary mission allows participants to experience the same environment used by astronauts for training, bringing the reality of space exploration directly to the next generation of pioneers.