NSS "Live in a Healthy Space" Design Competition

The National Space Society's (NSS) "Live in a Healthy Space" Design Competition challenges middle and high school students to conceptualize and design an agricultural module or area vital for future space settlements. This competition highlights the crucial need for sustainable food production and healthy living environments for individuals residing and working in space, on long-duration space flights, or on other celestial bodies like Mars or the Moon.

Participants will delve into diverse STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) topics, including physics, engineering, health, biology, nutrition, mathematics, and environmental science, as they develop groundbreaking solutions for food infrastructure and healthy diets in extraterrestrial environments. The competition encourages interdisciplinary approaches, welcoming students from science, art, and culinary backgrounds to contribute their unique perspectives.

Entries can be submitted individually, as part of small teams (2-5 students), or as large teams (6-12 students). The primary goal is to foster scientific temperament, ignite experimentation skills, promote STEM education, and inspire the next generation to envision humanity's future in space.

Designs should focus on creating robust infrastructures for proper nutrition and healthy diets that protect astronauts from the hazards of space living, with potential outcomes benefiting both space inhabitants and those on Earth. This competition is closely associated with the prestigious NSS Gerard K. O'Neill Space Settlement Contest, and entries can be integrated into that contest for broader recognition, though separate submission is also permitted. The competition has seen significant international participation, with thousands of students from various countries, including India, showcasing their innovative ideas.