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gillian.chin@space.org.sg
ssc@space.org.sg
SSC 2020 Award Ceremony
Join us in celebrating the participants and winners of SSC 2020!
23 Sept, 4:00pm SGT
Are you prepared to take on the challenge?
SSC 2021 Briefing
18 Sep 2021, Friday, 4:30pm SGT
Learn more about the challenge and be introduced to the mission statement ‘Design a lunar rover’, requirements of the challenge, as well as experts you will get to meet while preparing for your submission!
Singapore Space Challenge 2021
Challenge Statement:
Design a rover model capable of carrying out excavation and/or In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) missions on the moon
Humans have been actively trying to extend our boundaries when it comes to space exploration by going deeper into space with longer duration missions. These missions last weeks, months and even years. Furthermore, as the duration of the mission increases, it becomes increasingly important for us to utilise the vast amount of resources found throughout the mission as resupplying essentials are expensive and relying exclusively on them may put crews at risk.
Therefore, the need for robots that can assist or carry out research and exploration tasks on these missions are essential for prolonged space exploration and will eventually help us live on extra-terrestrial surfaces. We see a growing interest in the industry to go to the moon. A lunar investment is also an investment in our future: it will create new jobs, help improve life here on Earth, and inspire a new generation and encourage careers in STEM.
Singapore Space Challenge
An international annual challenge since 2007
The SSC is an annual technical design competition held for youths from 15 – 25 years old. It challenges youths to design complex space-related and advanced- technology projects that are largely graded on creative engineering. SSC captures the imagination of the youth and directs their creative enthusiasm towards developing innovative science and engineering solutions across many fields. The challenge is held annually and is organised by the Singapore Space & Technology Ltd. It has grown in prominence and ability to attract the best brains to participate.
Working in teams to solve problems developed closely with the industry, participants derive theoretical models, design prototypes, and create simulations of their creative solutions. Final entries are reviewed and judged by esteemed technical leaders from around the world, in their respective fields.
Objectives
- Inspire interest among youth and encourage participation in space-related activities
- Ignite and fuel the younger gerneration's interest in STEM through SSC's exciting and out-of-this-world projects
- Educate the public on the applications and benefits of space technology in our everyday lives
- Encourage creative engineering concepts to further innovation and advancements in space and non-space environment
- Provide a platform where students, academia and the industry can interact to discuss and align technical concerns and research areas and projects
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KEY DATES
CRITERIA
Participating teams must satisfy the following conditions:
- Participants to be between 15 – 25 years
- Four participants per team
- One registration per team (no individual registration)
- Team members must have a valid email address
DELIVERABLES
Mission Report (Mandatory)
- Completed and final entries must include a mission report not exceeding 50 pages (excluding annexes and supporting information) including all illustrations, graphics and schematics. A complete bibliography is required.
Presentation (Mandatory)
- For the judges to better assess the concept, students must submit a video recording (less than 5 minutes) of themselves presenting their report and explaining their project to the judges.
Computer Simulation (Mandatory)
- Teams must produce a computer simulation video showing their proposed projects in action. The recommended length of the computer simulation is between 2 to 3 minutes.
GRAND PRIZE
Participants stand a chance to win the following prizes:
- Grand Prize: S$10,000
- Merit Awards: S$500
- Most Creative Award: S$500
- Community Choice Award S$500
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
Sponsors and Supporting Organisations
Like our facebook page for updates
- Rules and Regulations
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Past edition:
Singapore Space Challenge 2020
We are excited to announce the first ever virtual awards ceremony for Singapore Space Challenge 2020! Join us in celebrating the participants and winners with Minister of State for Education and Manpower, Ms Gan Siow Huang, our Guest-of-Honour.
As there are limited places available, registration for the event will be required. Please note that while we welcome everyone to join in the celebration, priority to the event would be given to participants and mentors of SSC 2020. So hurry up and get your family and friends to register today!
23 September 2020, Wednesday, 4:00PM – 5.00PM (Online via Zoom)
| 4PM | Welcome Address by SSTL |
| 4.05PM | Speech by GOH Ms Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State for Education |
| 4.15PM | Announcement of SSC2020 Winners |
| 4.20PM | Presentation by Grand Prize Winners (Team Starfleet) |
| 4.35PM | Q&A from Audience |
| 4.40PM | Presentation by Community Pitch Winners (Team XEREACE) |
| 4.55PM | Q&A from Audience |
| 5PM | End of Awards Ceremony |
Design a satellite or satellite system of not more than 5 satellites that can be used to de-orbit space debris
Mr Cheong Chee Hoo
Chief Executive Officer
DSO National Laboratories |
Sir Martin Sweeting
Founder & Executive Chairman
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd |
Mr Nobu Okada
Founder & CEO
Astroscale Holdings Inc. |
Grand Prize Winner
Starfleet Command
Independent
Singapore
Merit Prize Winners
Vacuum Cleaners
Temasek Polytechnic
Singapore
AtmosX
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore
SpaDeR
Universite Toulose III – Paul Sabatier
France
ILOA Most Creative Award Winner
SP4CE
Singapore University of Technology & Design
Singapore
Community Choice Award Winner
XEREACE
PES University
India
- Singapore in Space: Glimpses & Reflections
- A Conversation with Ms Simonetta di Pippo
- A Conversation with Mr Cheong Chee hoo
- STK Workshop
- ST Engineering Facility Visit
- Meet the Experts
To be updated
- Rules and Regulations
FAQ - General
When does registration close?
Registration closes on 30 October 2020.
Is there an age limit for this competition?
SSC is open to all youths between the ages of 15 – 25 years old in 2021.
As long as you’re born in the years 1995 – 2005, you will be able to join, regardless of whether your birthday falls after the registration date.
Is it possible to sign up with more/less than 4 people in a team?
Team size is fixed at 4 members in each team.
To form a team of 4, you can connect with other participants on the SSC Discord page (https://discord.gg/NTZtpBt)
and/or receive updates on SSC Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SingaporeSpaceChallenge
Is this competition open to international students?
Yes, this competition is open to both local and international students.
What does a valid/registered email account mean? Does it have to be a Gmail account?
A Gmail account is not compulsory, you can use any email handler as long as it can receive and send out emails.
Can we still participate if we do not have a robotics background?
Of course! We welcome students from all backgrounds and encourage diversity.
Some of our previous teams had diverse participants which included business students that were able to provide great insights when it comes to financial analysis and projections.
Don’t worry about it being too challenging, it really is manageable because there will be guidance from the technical experts. You can also look for a teacher from your school as a mentor if you need extra guidance.
We do also occasionally share materials relating to SSC topic on our SSC Facebook Page:
(https://www.facebook.com/SingaporeSpaceChallenge) so you can follow us there as well.
How much is the registration fee for this competition?
Total registration fee is SGD60 per team (4 participants).
How can I make payment for the registration fee?
We only accept payment via Bank Transfer, Cheque, or Paypal. Please state your invoice number and team name in the remarks.
Do I need to be in Singapore to participate in the competition?
Teams are not required to visit Singapore to complete the challenge. Submission of mandatory deliverable (mission report, video presentation and computer simulation) are to be done online via email. However, if teams would like to attend the <Award Ceremony> or participate in the <Community Choice closed door pitching session>, flights and accommodations will be at the team’s expense. SSTL will be happy to provide assistance and advice.
When do I have to submit the report?
We will be sending out a Google Drive folder for each team to upload their projects when the submission deadline is approaching. The submission deadline is on 31 December 2020, 5PM (GMT+8).
Do note that late submissions will be penalized and you will only need to submit the Final Report. However, if you want your mentor or expert to look though a preliminary report, you can do so at your discretion.
What is the marking criteria for the mission report?
It is made up of four categories:
- Technical Characteristics (30%)
- Creativity (30%)
- Concept Relevance (20%)
- Entry Submission – Presentation (10%) & Report (10%)
How do I earn Bonus Points?
Team(s) in Singapore
Bonus points are awarded to teams with 2 or more members attending industry visits and/or mentor workshops etc. More details will be provided later.
Teams located overseas
Overseas teams who are unable to attend the industry visits and/or mentor workshops will still have the opportunity to earn bonus points. They will be given a link to access the workshops at a later date.
How heavy will the workload for SSC be? Is there someone that I can ask for the advice before I register?
Most of the deadlines for SSC are in December which coincides with the school holidays, so students will have sufficient time to work on it.
We can put you in contact with our past participants so that you can get a better idea. Some of them will also be in SSC Discord Chat and will be more than happy to share about their experience.
How long can the mission report be?
Mission report must not exceed 50 pages (including financial report e.g. financial analysis and projection, excluding annexes and supporting information)
It is not necessary to fill up all 50 pages – if you are able to present your ideas and project in less than 50 pages, the judges and technical experts will be happy with that as well.
What is the maximum file size limit on each submission?
The combined file size should not exceed 2GB.
What is a Community Choice Award?
This is an award given to the team that gives the best live presentation on stage to a closed-door panel of judges.
Details of how it will be conducted will be shared on a later date pending travel restrictions and the global COVID situation. Check the website, be on SSC’s Discord, Facebook to stay updated!
How do I participate in the Community Choice Award?
An email will be sent out to participants after the complete submission of key deliverable (i.e. mission report, presentation video, simulation video) to invite participation for this award.As we have limited slots available, it will be selected by first-come-first-serve basis.
When will the results be released?
To be announced.
Will all participants receive certificates?
All participants with submitted projects will receive a certificate of participation.
If I participate this year and win the competition, can I still join next year?
Yes, you are more than welcomed to join the competition again! Join the next one too!
Can we withdraw after registering?
Yes you can but unfortunately no refunds for the registration fee will be made.
While the topic of SSC might seem intimidating, it really is not! There will be lots of guidance along the way and it really is a great learning opportunity so we encourage you to finish the competition once you have registered.
FAQ - SSC 2021
Will the introductory webinar briefing be uploaded online? How can I get all these details so that I can let my friends know about this as well?
The webinar will not be posted online, but send us an email at contact@space.org.sg and we will send a private link for you to access it. Slides containing the detailed mission details will also be shared with registered participants via email.
What does In-Situ Resource Utilization mean?
In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) basically means using local materials to generate resources (e.g. water) that one needs for exploration. This may involve extracting materials such as soil from the moon.
Can we base our designs on existing rovers/projects?
You may but unique and novel ideas are encouraged as creativity plays a huge component (30%) in the judging criteria.
How specific do our mission report have to be? Will in-depth analysis of each component of the rover required?
It is up to you to decide how in-depth your mission report will be, depending on what you choose to focus on. You are free to focus on anything such as specific components, or even the external design of the rover.
We will also assume that your rover can launch and land on the moon so you do not have to worry about launching and landing aspects.
What is the maximum size and weight of the rover? Can I add additional features (e.g. camera) onto it?
The maximum size and weight of the rover is 1M x 1M x 1M and 60 kg. You are free to add any additional features you deem beneficial to the rover. Any component that extends beyond 1M has to be collapsible.
Which part of the moon can we send the rover to?
It is up to your imagination! Do take note that there might be more challenges if you want to send your rover to the dark side of the moon.
What kind of communication system will I need to design for my rover?
Any communication system that will be able to send signals to pre-existing satellites on Earth or even deep space networks will do. How often it send signals is up for you to decide.
What are the additional activities that participants can take part in?
SSC participants will have special access to industrial training, technical workshops, meet-the-expert sessions organized by SSTL.
The sign-up links for these sessions will be sent through email at a later date.
What will the workshops be like?
Virtual workshops will be held from Oct to first week of Dec 2020 with 1 session happening every 1-2 weeks.
Participants will be provided with online materials and attend theoretical lessons for the software that they will be using, as well as engage in hands-on activities. These workshops will be conducted online with instructors and facilitators to guide you.
Will the software from the workshops be provided for free?
Yes they will be and software support will be provided as well. You are also free to use any software that you deem useful for your project.
What are the meet-the-expert sessions?
Meet-the-expert sessions are one-to-one virtual consultation sessions specially arranged for teams to seek advice from technical experts. Teams will have to ‘book’ a timing with their mentors through a link that will be sent at a later date.
If we live overseas, how will we receive the prizes?
Depending on the travel situation, you and your team are most welcomed to come to Singapore for the Award Ceremony. Otherwise, we will send the prizes over to you!
If I need additional guidance, can I look for a mentor from my school?
Please feel free to approach your senior/teacher/professor to act as your mentor if you need extra guidance. Do note that each team is only allowed to have 1 mentor though.
What is the difference between my personal mentor and technical experts?
Mentors are seniors/teachers/professors that provide extra guidance for the teams. They are to be self-sourced by the teams and teams can arrange meetings to consult their mentors depending on their own schedules.
For the technical experts provided by SSC, all teams will be given four virtual consultation sessions that will last around 20 mins each. We will be setting up a system for you to ‘book’ a timing with the technical experts at a later date.
There are already so many rover solutions available out there. What exactly does this challenge expect from the participants?
Moon missions will definitely gain more traction in the future and while there are many rover solutions out there, we believe it is necessary to explore new novel rover solutions that push the boundaries of creativity.
Will the winning team(s) get to actually fabricate their designs and send them to space?
Unfortunately, we are unable to do so at the moment. However, there are always opportunities to meet with the right people through SSC and potentially fabricate them in the future.
Will there be more opportunities for the participants to mingle, study and collaborate even after the challenge?
We do hope that participants stay in contact after the competition. Outside of SSC, we host seminars, talks and networking events where SSC participants might be invited to. We also have many events and programmes targeted at youths which are additional opportunities for you to join and reconnect with past participants.