I participate in a project known as the International Space Settlement Design Competition (SpaceSet or ISSDC) for the purposes of Educational outreach. In SpaceSet, the participants work together to design a space settlement around or on a planet, notably Mars.
The participants are divided into five groups: Structural Design, Infrastructure design, Human factors, Automations, and Business. In each group, different parts of the settlement are designed, and these parts must eventually be put together for the completed colony. This project helps students to develop cooperation, people skills, knowledge of space (and space settlement design), and an interest in science, particularly extraterrestrial science.
This Year, my SpaceSet Team, a subdivision of the INternational League of Students, is searching for new members, and would very much like to invite the people of the FIRST community to participate in the ISSDC.
Contact me at [email protected] for more details, or if interested in competing in my team
I would highly encourage people to join this competition, knowing that this can be a very good experience that will help students in real life, and to make friends from around the world. It is a very fun experience, but one that will help you in the future. P
Sincerely,
Matthew Lee
Executive Director, International LEague of Students
We are an international Team with a base in Los Angeles, but much of our work is conducted over the Internet, so it is not necessary to fly accross the country to attend meetings. In which city do you live? There may be a local chapter nearby that could help you out.
The internet is a very powerful thing, and it is one of the most powerful tools available to an international team such as the international league of students
Well, in that case, I am very interested. I happen to live in LA and attend Venice High School (as you may have surmised…). Can you email me additional information about your team? [email protected]
I’ve looked over the home site, and it looks very, very interesting.
I’m eager to hear more from you however. Things like just how much time per student this takes, how teams are organized (just who is your grand poobah?).
Well…first, I am glad that people are interested in this competition, and I hope to have the privilege of working with all of you.
Let me make is clear that one does not need to be in the same city as my team HQ to work on the ILS ISSDC team, for we have members as far away as Romania and Singapore. The Internet is a very powerful thing, and i would like to stress that. The only travel that may be required is to Orlando, Florida if we make it to SpaceSet finals, and i believe that this would not be unacceptable.
So you’ve looked over the site…Considering that the deadline is about 1.5 months after the FIRST project, one will need to spend maybe…40 hours a student on it…total, not per week, considerable less than the FIRST competiton…and this is for quality great enough to defeat the reigning SpaceSet Champions.
While there are not as many teams in SpaceSet as in FIRST (50 as opposed to about over 800), it is still a highly competitive environment, as only 8 teams will become finalists in the international community. Teams are organized a variety of ways…but the basic structure is a team with five subteams: Structural Design, Infrastructure design, Human factors, Automations, and Business. Each team has a director, and the directors all report to one chief executive…in the ILS, that would be me. Promotion is by merit, and as a 5 year veteran of the ISSDC competiton, I’ve had many years of experience in this competition. This competiton is compatible with FIRST robotics, so feel free to participate in both…I look forward to hearing from you.
I think there was an article on this about a year / year and a 1/2 ago on space.com. Except, it talked as if were only for College / University type Instutions. . .