The Spirit of Innovation Awards: Aerospace Exploration category challenges teams of 1-5 domestic or international high school students to solve real-world problems by creating an innovative product for use in aerospace exploration. The Aerospace Exploration category encompasses a wide variety of topics ranging from vehicles to spacesuits to planetary exploration to satellites, and many other related subjects including space medicine. There is much opportunity for innovative ideas and solutions to the many challenges involved with space exploration.

Competing students will be guided through a phased pathway incorporating science, technology, design, marketing and business in an interdisciplinary, project-based product development experience. Teams will be provided the opportunity to meet with and learn from professional scientists and entrepreneurs who will advise them on how to commercialize their products for general market use. Awards are provided to the schools, teachers, and students for the top product designs. If selected as a finalist, you will be invited to attend the Innovation Summit at NASA and present your ideas to world level venture capitalists, angel investors, business leaders, and scientists. Selected teams will receive funding to continue the development of their products and may go on to participate in The Portal where they may choose to patent their product and have an opportunity to enter the commercial marketplace.

By December 15, 2009:

1. Register individually and create or join a team
2. Use online resources to learn about aerospace products and exploration
3. Submit competition documents: Technical Concept Report, Business Plan, and Graphic Concept Representation. Finalists will be selected and notified by January 8, 2010

Project owners + coordinators:
Joshua Neubert, Executive Director