Space Mission Explorer Competition/Challenge
Space Mission Simulator
The Shuttle Space Design and Exploration competition challenges participants to design and build spacecraft using Kerbal Space Program. Competitors must demonstrate their spacecraft's capabilities in space travel, exploration, and mission execution, showcasing both creativity and technical skills in a simulated space environment.
Categories
- Elementary School (Approximately ages 6-12)
- Junior High School (Approximately ages 12-15)
- Senior High School (Approximately ages 15-18)
Rules
Participant Qualifications
- Youth aged between 6 and 18 years old
- Must apply as a team, with a maximum of 5 members per team
Competition Format
- Design a space exploration project within the game Kerbal Space Program using basic program tools in sandbox mode (DLCs or user-created content from others are not allowed). Participants may choose their own exploration targets. There are no budget limits, part or weight restrictions, and all parts must be assembled from scratch.
- Present the designed space exploration project in a video format similar to a game Let’s Play video, with a duration of no more than 6 minutes. The video should cover the following topics:
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- Principles and rationale behind the project design
- Exploration goals
- Exploration plan
- Details, components, and parts of the spacecraft
- Presentation of the mission execution to the target, including all key steps
- Failures or previous prototypes
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- The video must show the faces of all team members.
- The judges will primarily consider the rationale and justification for the chosen exploration target and the most effective use of resources.
Submission Process
- Submissions must be in video format, with a maximum length of 6 minutes (file extension .mp4 only, with a resolution of no less than 720p).
- Upload the video file to Google Drive or Dropbox only, and set the file to public so that the judges can download it (submissions that are not set to public will be disqualified).
- All submitted works will be published on the organizer’s YouTube channel.
- The judges will select 10 teams to compete in the final round.
Scoring
| Judging Criteria | Point |
|---|---|
|
Interest of the Exploration Mission |
15 |
|
Creativity |
15 |
|
Mechanical Challenge |
20 |
|
Resource Allocation Efficiency |
10 |
|
Presentation Quality |
20 |
|
Accurate and Engaging Explanation of Mechanics |
20 |
| Total score | 100 |
|---|---|
Awards
Prizes will be allocated based on the ranking of the competing teams. Certificates will be awarded to the winners of each category by Space Challenge Asia.
FAQs
The objective is to design a space exploration mission by building a spacecraft in Kerbal Space Program (KSP), based on real-world principles. Participants must complete the mission and present it in a video that explains the spacecraft design and mission details.
No, participants have the freedom to choose their exploration target and the type of spacecraft they design. However, the mission should be based on realistic principles, and the design should be original.
Participants must use the basic tools in KSP’s sandbox mode. DLCs and user-created content from others are not allowed. All parts of the spacecraft must be assembled from scratch within the game.
The judges will assess the complexity of the spacecraft’s design, the difficulty of executing the mission, and the participant’s ability to overcome in-game physics challenges realistically.
Failures and prototypes are part of the learning process. You should include any failures or challenges faced during the design and mission execution in the video, explaining what was learned and how it was resolved.
Yes, participants are encouraged to make their videos as engaging as possible, provided all required topics are covered and the total length does not exceed 6 minutes.
The video should be no longer than 6 minutes.
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