Compete - SPSDC

INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPANTS

Continuing your journey through the SDCs competitions after competing in the SPSDC, the EUSDC is the next step, bringing together top teams from national competitions across Europe for a more advanced and competitive experience.

The EUSDC is a high-level engineering simulation where students take on the roles of aerospace industry professionals to design a futuristic space settlement. Just like in SPSDC, participants work in teams, responding to a Request for Proposal (RFP) that presents real-world challenges inspired by NASA and the space industry. However, at EUSDC, you’ll face even more complex problems, collaborate with students from different countries (who have participated in their respective national competitions), and compete for a chance to qualify for the International Space Settlement Design Competition (ISSDC) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

FORMAT OF THE COMPETITION

The EUSDC is an online competition that takes place remotely. Therefore, days before the competition, the EUSDC organizing staff will contact you with information about your company and the platform it will take place in; which normally is “Microsoft Teams”.

IMPORTANT! Make sure to install the respective app beforehand and check that it works on your computer.

With respect to the schedule, the EUSDC will last a whole weekend and will be structured as follows:

Formation of Aerospace Companies – You’ll be grouped with other participants into a company.
Introduction to the competition and technical training presentation.
RFP Announcement – Each team receives a detailed challenge to address.
Work Period – Teams have limited time to develop their space settlement proposal.
Red Team Review – Teams make a presentation of the work they have done up until that point to receive feedback and improve the proposal.
Final Presentation – Each company presents its design to a panel of industry professionals.
Judging & Awards – Judges evaluate proposals based on feasibility, creativity, and presentation quality.

WHAT TO EXPECT

At the EUSDC, you will:

Be assigned to a fictional aerospace company with other participants.

Receive a Request for Proposal (RFP) outlining the competition challenge.

Collaborate with teammates to develop innovative solutions, including structural, operations, automation, and business aspects.

Present your design to a panel of judges from the aerospace industry.

Work under tight deadlines, simulating a professional engineering environment.

HOW TO PREPARE

1. Research Key Topics

Space Settlement Design: Learn about structures, life support systems, power generation, and automation.

Aerospace Engineering Basics: Understand fundamental physics, materials science, and robotics.

Human Factors & Psychology: Study how space environments affect human health, psychology, and social dynamics.

Business & Economics: Understand budgeting, resource management, and cost-benefit analysis for large-scale space projects.

Project Management & Leadership: Learn how to delegate tasks, manage time effectively, and collaborate under pressure.

2. Practice Technical Skills

Use CAD software (e.g., Tinkercad, Fusion 360, or AutoCAD) for basic designs.

Improve presentation skills for the final proposal.

Learn to work with spreadsheets and budgeting tools for the financial aspect of the competition.

3. Work on Teamwork & Communication

Engage in group problem-solving activities to enhance collaboration.

Practice clear and concise technical communication—you’ll need to explain complex ideas to judges!

EUROPEAN SPACE DESIGN COMPETITION (EUSDC)