The NASA eXploration Habitat (X-Hab) 2013 Academic Innovation Challenge is a university level challenge for undergraduate senior design courses and graduate-level design curricula. Students design, research, develop, and manufacture a functional habitat prototype for space exploration missions. NASA will directly benefit from the challenge by sponsoring the development of innovative habitation-related concepts and technologies from universities, which will result in innovative ideas and solutions that could be applied to exploration habitats.
The Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Habitation Systems Deep Space Habitat (DSH) project will offer multiple X-Hab awards of $10K – $49K each to design and produce functional products of interest. The short video below explains how to access http://NASAMICIConference.com to view a complete overview video which features the contest organizer.
Deadline for submission for proposals is May 2, 2012. Those universities selected for an award will complete their projects in May/June 2013
The NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) is offering Minority Serving Institutions the opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant to assist their school in entering the 2012 NASA University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) or the 2012 NASA Lunabotics Mining Competition (Luanbotics) .
USLI is a competition that challenges university-level students to design, build and launch a reusable rocket with a scientific or engineering payload to one mile above ground level. The project engages students in scientific research and real-world engineering processes with NASA engineers. It culminates in an actual launch competition in April 2012 at the Marshall Space Flight Center.
Lunabotics is a competition challenges university-level students to design and build a remote controlled or autonomous excavator, called a lunabot, which can collect and deposit a minimum of 10 kilograms of lunar simulant within 15 minutes. It culminates in an actual excavation competition in May 2012 at the Kennedy Space Center.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: June 30, 2011 MAXIMUM AMOUNT AVAILABLE: $5,000 per competition. ALLOWED USE OF FUNDS: Up to $1,000 may be used in the form of a stipend for a faculty member who is responsible for the project AND establishes at least a one credit course around a competition. Plus, other expenses associated with entering including equipment, materials, travel expenses. ELIGIBILITY: Open to Universities and Community Colleges classified as a Minority Serving Institution by the US Department of Education. Schools that have participated in USLI during the last 5 years or Luanbotics during the last 2 years are ineligible to apply for a grant. APPLICATION FORM:DOWNLOAD NOW APPLICANT VIDEO CONFERENCE: Recordings of video sessions explaining the application submission process can be found at the NASA MICI conference site. To view – REGISTER AT http://nasamiciconference.com , click “Presentations” , then click the USLI presentation banner to watch the USLI application video. Or click the Lunabotics presentation banner to watch the Luanbotics application video .
TO LEARN HOW TO ACCESS THE VIDEOS REGARDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
The mission of the Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) is to create a virtual training ground where minority undergraduate students learn how to compete in NASA technical challenges for both prestige and significant cash prizes. On September 8, 2010 at 2pm EDT NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will deliver a pre-recorded welcome message for the program which includes an inspirational explanation of how he started as an undergraduate student majoring in electrical engineering and built an impressive career path which led to him becoming the twelfth Administrator in NASA’s history.
Administrator Bolden’s message will be followed by a live presentation from MICI organizers including: Ms. Theresa Martinez, NASA MUREP project manager; Dr. Clement Allen, Florida A&M Associate Professor for the Department of Computer Information Sciences, and Mr. Paul Secor, president of Secor Strategies, LLC who is serving as a project coordinator for MICI. These individuals will explain how MICI works and how students and faculty can access this free year-round program which seeks to mentor students to compete in NASA technical challenges. The event will conclude with a question and answer session. Immediately following the kick-off event will be a live presentation starting at 3pm EDT from Julie Clift at the Marshall Space Flight Center explaining how students and faculty can get involved in the NASA University Student Launch Initiative. The entire month of September within MICI will be focused on this particular challenge and will feature weekly presentations on the subject.
MICI provides a year-round virtual conference platform where students from across the country can participate in free interactive educational sessions of their choosing. Many of the sessions will focus on competitions found within NASA’s Centennial Challenges program, which provides cash prizes ranging from $50,000 to $2 million. Students will also learn how to compete in other NASA sponsored competitions created specifically for Universities including: the Fundamental Aeronautics Student Competition for Colleges/Universities, The NASA University Student Launch Initiative, University Business Plan Contest for Engineering Technology, and the Great Moonbuggy Race.
Students and faculty are encouraged to register in advance for the September 8, 2010 Academic Year Kick-off Event by visiting http://www.NASAMICI.com/register . Please email questions concerning this program to mary@nasamici.com .
Dr. Jayfus Doswell will conduct a live virtual presentation in NASA MICI at 3pm eastern time on June 9, 2010. Dr. Doswell, is the founder of Juxtopia, a non-profit organization dedicated to to advancing underserved and disadvantaged learning and application of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) proficiency. He will discuss how he organized the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) team to compete in the DARPA Grand Challenge. Dr. Doswell will explain how he mentored engineering students from Morgan State University Baltimore, Maryland to build an Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle (UAV) to compete in this contest.
His presentation will cover: how he helped organize the team, the goals of the competition, the obstacles students faced, and the impact the competition had upon the students.
He will also detail how the students had to:
1) Design the autonomous vehicle using CAD/CAM.
2) Purchase a vehicle.
3) Re-engineer the vehicle to accommodate the design defined in step #1.
4)Test the vehicle across a number of urban areas around Baltimore, Maryland.
5) Compete in the DARPA Urban Grand Challenge on November 3, 2007.
6) Expose inner city middle and high school age youth to autonomous vehicles and how math and science skills learned in the classroom may be applied to design/build these exciting type of robots.
This presentation will be open to Questions and Answers at the conclusion. It is free to any student or faculty member registered in NASA MICI. To register and/or attend this presentation visit NASAMICIconference.com
June will be “Space Elevator” month at the NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute. The month will open on June 1st with a presentation from Ben Shelef. Mr. Shelef is the CEO of the Spaceward Foundation, which is the non-profit organization responsible for managing the $1.1 million Space Elevator contest funded by NASA’s Centennial Challenges program. In the weeks that follow, there will be subject matter expert presentation related to the robotics, photovoltaics, and lasers utilized in the Space Elevator. These presentations will be conducted by Dr. Antonio J. Soares from Florida A&M.
June will also feature a presentation from Dr. Jayfus Doswell, a professor who organized the first HBCU team to compete in the DARPA Grand Challenges. Dr. Doswell, who is the CEO of Juxtopia LLC, mentored engineering students from Morgan State University Baltimore, Maryland to build an Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle (UAV) to compete in this contest during 2007.
Minority undergraduate students and faculty are encouraged to attend these free online sessions by visiting NASAMICIconference.com . Those that attend will have the opportunity to ask live questions, download informational materials, and network with fellow students. A schedule of this month’s presentations is as follows:
June 2010 – Upcoming Presentations
June 1, 2010 – 3:00pm EDT – Ben Shelef – Centennial Challenges Contest Organizer – The Space Elevator
June 9, 2010 – 3:00pm EDT – Dr. Jayfus Doswell – Founder of Juxtopia, which sponsored an African American team composed of students from several different HBCUs to compete in the DARPA Grand Challenges Program.
June, 14 – 3:00pm EDT – Antonio J. Soares – Electric Engineering Technology – Robotics and the Space Elevator
June, 21 – 3:00pm EDT – Antonio J. Soares – Electric Engineering Technology – Photovoltaics and the Space Elevator
June, 28 – 3:00pm EDT – Antonio J. Soares – Electric Engineering Technology – Lasers and the Space Elevator
The NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) is now open for registration. Undergraduate students and faculty are encouraged to visit www.NASAMICIconference.comto secure a spot. All registrants will have free access to this year-round virtual conference focused on getting students involved in NASA technical competitions. In addition, they will be able to participate in MICI’s Kick-Off Event scheduled for Monday, May 24, 2010 at 3:00pm Eastern time.
During this event, attendees will hear from:
Winston Scott
Astronaut and Dean of College of Aeronautics at Florida Institute of Technology
Peter Homer
winner of $450,000 in two NASA Astronaut Glove Challenges
Andrew Petro
Manager of NASA’s Centennial Challenges program
Miguel A. Rodriguez
Deputy Director for Management, Engineering Directorate
Gina O’Shaughnessy
NASA Systems Engineer with Launch Service Program, LSP
Sasha Sims
Analysis Integration Lead for Constellation Project Office
Hortense Burt
Acting Chief of Education at NASA KSC
There will also be a live Question and Answer session with: Dr. Clement Allen, the PI for MICI; Theresa Martinez – NASA MSP Project Manager; and Paul Secor MICI coordinator.
Those individuals interested in participating should make sure to register in ADVANCE of May 24, 2010 at 3:00pm Eastern time by visiting www.NASAMICIconference.com . Questions may be directed to Mary Baker at mary@nasamici.com .
UPDATE (5-19-10): The registration for the NASA MICI kick-off is now live! Please visit NASAMICIconference.com
NASA’s Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) http://www.NASAMICI.com , which is operated by Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), has announced that is Kick-Off event will occur on May24, 2010 at 3pm eastern time. The event will provide minority undergraduate students with an overview of how MICI can help them prepare to compete in NASA technical competitions. University faculty members are also welcome to attend.
Students will learn about NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program which funds cash prizes ranging from $50,000 to $2million for contests such as the Green Aerospace Competition, the Power Beam Competition, and the Strong Tether Competition. In addition, they will also receive information about NASA contests directed specifically at Universities including the Lunabotics Competition, the Great Moon Buggy Race, and the Fundamental Aerospace Competition. MICI plans to provide educational sessions focused on each of these competitions, as well as others, throughout the next year on a monthly basis. Each month will also feature presentations from 3-4 different subject matter experts that will dive into details concerning the specific technologies involved in these contests.
Presenters will include NASA officials, aerospace leaders, and past competitors. The Kick-off and all other MICI events will be hosted on a virtual conference platform, which will allow participants to view the proceedings from the convenience of their own personal computer.
The opening presentations will immediately be followed with a live Question and Answer session between students and MICI organizers. Students will be invited to pose questions via either text or audio from their computer’s microphone. Event organizers will field these questions in “real time” and broadcast answers back.
Undergraduate students and University faculty members are encouraged to sign-up for MICI’s email subscription list which will notify subscribers when the Kick-off registration goes live. To subscribe to MICI’s email notifications please visit http://www.NASAMICI/mailing-list
