The Space Science and Engineering Foundation is proud to announce that a second team of talented students from across the United Kingdom has been selected to represent the UK at the 2025 International Space Settlement Design Competition (ISSDC), held at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, from 25th to 28th July 2025.

This marks the first time that two full UK teams will participate in the world-renowned competition, a testament to the growing strength and ambition of young space scientists and engineers across the country. The ISSDC brings together the brightest students from around the globe to collaborate on designing futuristic space settlements under realistic constraints, mimicking the challenges faced by engineers at NASA and other leading aerospace organisations.

The newly formed second team, made up of 12 exceptional students from various schools and regions, earned their place through a rigorous selection process following the UKSDC Finals held earlier this year. The team will self-fund their travel and accommodation to take part in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete against top international teams.

“This is an extraordinary achievement for these students and for the UKSDC programme,” said Jenny Lyons, CEO of the SSEF. “To have two teams representing the UK at the ISSDC highlights the high calibre of talent we have in the UK and reflects our commitment to inspiring the next generation of space scientists, engineers and innovators.”

The UKSDC programme is supported by the Space Science & Engineering Foundation (SSEF) and is designed to engage secondary school students with the real-world challenges of the space industry through immersive, team-based engineering and design competitions.

Both UK teams will be accompanied by experienced chaperones and will participate in cultural visits and team-building activities in the days leading up to the ISSDC. The competition itself promises an unforgettable experience, with students working under pressure to deliver visionary space settlement proposals to a panel of industry experts.

For more information about the UK Space Design Competition and how to get involved, visit www.uksdc.org

Congratulations to the following students:

Anastazja MacIver
Annie Liu
Beatrice Nield
Frederic Fong
Hanyang Wei
Molly Dathan
Morgan Bleasdale
Olly Hambly
Sairam Batchu
Tessa Hellsten
Xavier Mckeown-Webster
Yadukrish Karthikeyan