Space Elevator Academic Challenge
2023-2024 Academic Challenge Winners
We are proud to announce the winners of the 2024 Academic Challenge with wonderful videos to explain their research and results. Each of the teams supported one of two challenges during their research from either a university or a high school. The first challenge asked them to assess how their selected “mission” would be benefited by the “green road” access to space that space elevators would provide. The second challenge asked each to explain how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies could be used to enhance the capability of the space elevator’s transformational characteristics in achieving their chosen “mission.” The International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC), in conjunction with the National Space Society (NSS), sponsored this student research related to space. They have been invited to the NSS International Space Development Conference in Los Angeles in late May. (The original Academic Challenge announcement can be found here.)
The winners are:
High School
1st Place ($2000.00)
Title: Mission Demeter
School: Makua Lani Christian Academy High School, Hawaii
Lead: Anela Uluwehi Monell
Team: Abigayle Byers, Joshua Reid, Alexander Lim
Video Link: https://youtu.be/cz_7C8_i3aI
2nd Place ($1000.00)
Title: Mars Delivery Service
School: Saint Cecilla School and Japanese School in San Francisco, CA
Lead: Leo Shiina
Team: Darby Powell Kara da Luz, and Misato Sobue
Video Link: https://youtu.be/HeOYqO3wQz4
3rd Place ($500)
Title: Thermal Electricity Storage System with Solar Panels
School: Makua Lani Christian Academy High School, Hawaii
Lead: Dylan Beach
Video Link: https://youtu.be/YZhDph5FN_Q
University
1st Place ($2000.00)
Title: Space Policy Mission – Green Orbit
School: Columbia University, New York City, NY
Lead: Selin Mordeniz
Team: Elliot Heath, Kuan “Frank” Zhang, and Laura Topolski
Video Link: https://youtu.be/70BtsP5sqjY
2nd / 3rd Place ($750.00) – We had two submittals whose final evaluation scores were very close. The team decided to award a tie between 2nd and 3rd place. Therefore, each team will receive $750.00.
Title: Harvesting the Cosmos
School: University of Minnesota, Colorado School of Mines
Lead: Adam Williams
Team: Michael Williams
Video Link : https://youtu.be/UofKsWdjy7Q
Title: AI Enhanced Operations and Maintenance
School: Vanier College, College in Quebec
Lead: Henrique Etrusco Ribeiro Moreira
Video Link: https://youtu.be/7mluMvKyOxk
2022-2023 Academic Challenge Winners
2023 Space Elevator Challenge: Improving Humanity’s Future
THE CHALLENGE:
Can you contribute to the future of humanity with great ideas developed from recent discoveries? This contest was for students (guideline ages 17-25) from around the world. It focused on the strengths of the Space Elevator, the Green Road to Space. This challenge encouraged each student to expand their imagination by exploring, and making a case for, something that the Space Elevator can do for humanity; something that excites them. They could either enter as an individual or as a member of a team (up to four students).
THE WINNERS:
1st Place ($2,000): Henrique Etrusco Ribeiro Moreira (above), “Space Elevator: Applications of GEO Stations and Microgravity” (Vanier College). This paper discusses the transformational properties of such a framework, including the addition of a GEO station. As a novel part of space elevator research, the benefits of such a station is explored and a specific focus is given to the microgravity characteristics that can be found in such an infrastructure.
Henrique’s video entry is below.
2nd Place ($1,000): (above, left to right) Ryo Kuzuno, Yukito Kodama & Yuki Furusho of Tohoku University and Shota Arai of the University of Tokyo, “High-Level Nuclear Waste Disposal System Using Space Elevator.” This paper examines the feasibility and effectiveness of using space elevators for transporting high-level nuclear waste (HLW) into space. Space elevators could offer a safe and high-capacity alternative. This study evaluates the technical and economic aspects of HLW disposal in space using space elevators and concludes that it is a realistic option with an adequate disposal time frame.
The second place team video is below.
3rd Place ($500): Juan Koike (above right), Nanako Doi (center), Shingo Toyoda (left), & Ryota Yoshimura (not shown), “High-degree-of-freedom Orbital Deployment of CubeSats by Space Elevators” (College of Science and Technology, Nihon University). Basic research is described on space elevator transport units with the aim of "realization of position control for high-speed movement." This is developing a technique to stop climbers from moving at high speed at an arbitrary position on the tether. This research could be applied to the transport of CubeSats.
The third place team video is below.
Finalist: Maria Juliane de Souza Brito (above), Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM (Federal University of Amazonas), with three submissions.
The Ark could soon become a reality with appropriate technology. By utilizing the space elevator capabilities of high volumes to space at low costs, we propose a potential system to allow the preservation of human society in case of emergencies that could produce an extinction: The Ark, an independent space settlement or spaceship to store most terrestrial plant seeds and animal embryos, including human, for future return-to-life event in case of need.
Impactor: A proposal to utilize the space elevator’s unique capabilities to assemble in orbital a heavy bullet shaped mass called Impactor to be smashed against an incoming asteroid to deflect it from its terrestrial target. Only with the space elevator and its capabilities could such an impactor, a superheavy and large body, be built and assembled in order to be effective against an incoming asteroid.
Min-Man: The utilization of space resources, nearly unlimited compared to those in our planet, may start an era of abundance for the human society. Recent advances in space technology with more affordable costs for entrepreneurs willing to invest in space can open up new opportunities and allow to start mining activities in space. The space elevator introduction will represent a paradigm shift and a true breakthrough in space development and will allow many activities previously unheard of.
Finalist: Sidney Sheets (above), Aaron Mizrahi (not shown), Lacie Chickaway (not shown), “Space Elevators: A Scientific Application” (Florida Institute of Technology). Discusses the economy, efficiency, and reliability of a Space Elevator to support unmanned space science missions, including astronomy, planetary, and solar science.