The Space Settlement Design Competition-International Finalist Round is taking place at the JSC Gilruth Center Saturday 28 July through Monday 30 July, and we are looking for volunteers to help create the usual wonderful experience for the high school student participants. We are looking for Technical Experts to conduct Technical Sessions Saturday 28 July (1:00 -2:30 p.m.), to “rove” and answer student questions Saturday afternoon/evening and/or all day Sunday, to serve as “Red Team Reviewers” Sunday 29 July afternoon and evening, and/or (if not Red Team members), and to serve as Judges on Monday 30 July. The four “technical disciplines” for the Competition basically encompass:

Structural Engineering-includes overall conceptual design of the settlement exterior, construction materials, and sizes/locations of interior facilities.

Operations Engineering-includes infrastructure, e.g., electrical power, internal and external transportation, communication, water, waste handling, and agriculture.

Human Engineering-includes determination of human needs (e.g., food, air, water, sewage, radiation protection), and also designs the community and residences.

Automation Engineering-includes design of computers and robots for construction, service to the settlement’s population, and conducting the community’s business

The 16 teams participating in this year’s Finalist
Competition represent high schools in California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Texas, Argentina, Australia, Canada, India, Pakistan, Romania, and the UK (including students from Botswana). Their challenge will be to design the first settlement on Venus, where you know we will concoct challenges and surprises.

If you are interested in volunteeting please contact Jack Gafford at jack.c.gafford@boeing.com. We look forward to seeing some of you at the Gilruth Center in a little over a week!