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Envisioning space inhabitation with International Space Settlement Design Competition

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It is well understood that one day the Earth will no longer be able to support our population which currently stands at 7.8 Billion and continues to grow. The Earth is but a dot within the universe. Ever since humans made their first venture to space, the probability of a space settlement has become a possible alternative for habitation. Realization of this possibility would be the beginning of a life-changing era and so, it has been a matter of constant research at NASA. But where could human civilization move the most conveniently, facing the need for the least number of adjustments? While the moon and planet Venus both appear to be reasonable candidates in terms of distance, the Red Planet, Mars is considered our best bet for a space settlement. Unlike the Moon, Mars has an atmosphere, albeit a thin one, that offers humans protection from the cosmic and sun radiation. It is neither too hot nor too cold, it’s ground contains water that can be extracted and there is even enough ...
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Arizona home for southwestern semi-final SSD competition

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The International Space Settlement DesignCompetition (ISSDC) has come a long way since its inception in the early 1980s as part of a Boy Scouts program in the US. What started off as a space exploratory program for high-school students in the US, is now a full-fledged global competition with participating students from India, the UK, Australia, Canada and even some places from South America. Now, there are multiple semi-finals in the US itself to give US high-school students a better platform to compete in the global ISSDC finals at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. One of such semi-finals is the Southwestern Semi-final SSD competition , which takes place in Arizona. The competition follows the same pattern as is followed elsewhere. Students conceptualize and design a futuristic space settlement in accordance with certain specified parameters. The winning team proceeds through to the quarterfinals, the semi-finals and the finals at the ISSDC where it is pitted ag...
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Location: United States
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Why Experience Engineering in High School?

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High schools students are often faced with the decision of making the right career choice for a bright future. For some it’s an easy decision to choose a profession aligned with their childhood passion, but most high school students find themselves in a state of dilemma. Be it future opportunities, growth in the job market, required knowledge and skills, or the college admission scene, there are a lot of factors to consider before making the right choice. It is indeed a tough one! If you are a high school aerospace enthusiast and are exploring avenues to learn more about a career in this field, this article will give you a perspective about high school engineeringexperience and help you decide whether a career in engineering and aerospace is the way ahead for you. Most jobs require STEM skills, particularly engineering. 
 The education in primary and middle school today focusses on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) as most of the jobs in the US requir...
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Location: Florida, USA
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Arizona home for southwestern semi-final SSD competition

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The International Space Settlement Design Competition (ISSDC) has come a long way since its inception in the early 1980s as part of a Boy Scouts program in the US. What started off as a space exploratory program for high-school students in the US, is now a full-fledged global competition with participating students from India, the UK, Australia, Canada and even some places from South America. Now, there are multiple semi-finals in the US itself to give US high-school students a better platform to compete in the global ISSDC finals at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. One of such semi-finals is the Southwestern Semi-final SSD competition, which takes place in Arizona. The competition follows the same pattern as is followed elsewhere. Students conceptualize and design a futuristic space settlement in accordance with certain specified parameters. The winning team proceeds through to the quarterfinals, the semi-finals and the finals at the ISSDC where it is pitted again...
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Location: Florida, USA
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International Space Settlement Design Competition: Industry experience for students

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When Star Trek first beamed into our living rooms through television channels a few decades back, it cast a vision of a future for humankind. That vision was about having a settlement in space. Gradually yet steadily the space research is getting closer to realising that vision.  Almost 70 years have passed since the first broadcast, and while we have not yet established a colony in space, we have made a permanent settlement of sorts there - the International Space Station (ISS). Now, astronauts from several countries take turns to stay there as part of the ISS crew, with rockets from NASA or Russia ferrying loads of essential supplies to them. Space settlement, or, rather space colonisation, has been a long cherished desire for mankind. The most recent exploration towards finding a habitable environment in space was the NASA rover exploration on Mars. The intent was to find traces of atmospheric elements that could support life on the Red Planet the same way life is sup...
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