2025 UKSDC

UKSDC in Glasgow

University of Glasgow hosts the UK Space Design Competition

On the first Saturday of November, seventy four eager and excited secondary students from across Scotland descended on the University of Glasgow for the most northerly round of the UK Space Design Competition (UKSDC). Some teams had to travel to Glasgow the night before, others were more local. 

The competition is set as an engineering industry simulation, with the students assigned to fictitious companies. After an introduction to the task ahead, the students made their way to their workrooms and started to tackle their industry style Request for Proposal. Working in their three companies, they had only seven hours to produce their presentation to the competition judges. 

Guidance was given to each company by competition alumni, (Keisha, University of Glasgow: Poppy, University of Strathclyde: Xavier, University of Edinburgh), with additional technical advice coming from Dr Matteo Ceriotti, Mikey, (UoG), Eilidh, (UoG), and Niamh (Spire).

After a day’s hard work, three excellent student presentations were made to the judging panel: Dr Ceriotti, Niamh and Mikey. 

Before rushing off to join her fellow judges in deciding on the winning company, Niamh demonstrated a life size model of a Spire satellite, and then gave away four coveted Lego sets of Spire satellites to selected students. 

Earhart Advanced Industries were chosen as the winners, and students from St George’s in Edinburgh and St Leonard School in St Andrews will be taking part in the UKSDC Finals in March.

Thank you to the teachers and volunteers who made this event possible, and a huge thank you to the University of Glasgow for hosting the event.

By Jenny Lyons, CEO SSEF

Spaceman SSEF

Second UK Team Selected to Compete at Prestigious International…

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

 

SSEF

ISSDC Announcement!

 ISSDC Announcement!
3 April 2025

We are thrilled to announce the 12 students selected to represent the UK at the International Space Settlement Design Competition (ISSDC), taking place in Florida at NASA this July! 

These students have demonstrated outstanding skills in engineering, teamwork, and problem-solving, earning their place in this prestigious global competition:

Albert Poole
Alessandro Payne
Alexandra Mackie
Alisa Shutenko
Beatrix Wellings-Thomas
Freya Hooper
Joey Kennedy
Joy Sokoya
Nandipa Marufu
Prabhav Bhamidipati
Vinujan Sivakumar
Zak Mohammed
 
In addition, we are pleased to announce our reserves,

Male Reserves
 Yadu Karthikeyan
 Frederic Fong

Female Reserves
 Annie Liu
 Tessa Hellsten

Exciting News! A Second UK Team! 

We are delighted to share that we have been given the go-ahead for a second team to represent the UK at the ISSDC in 2025. This additional team will be given the incredible opportunity to compete on the international stage.

This second team will be required to self-fund their trip to the US, and we will be announcing the selected students next week. Stay tuned for more details!

Congratulations to all the students, and we look forward to seeing them take on this incredible challenge! 

#ISSDC #SpaceSettlement #STEM #FutureLeaders #NASA #SSEF #UKSDC #United

United Airlines partnership with SSEF Education

United Airlines and Space Science and Engineering Foundation announce…

United Airlines and Space Science and Engineering Foundation announce an exciting partnership

We are thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership between the Space Science and Engineering Foundation and United Airlines. Starting in 2025, United Airlines will be the official sponsor of the UK team’s flights to the International Space Settlement Design Competition (ISSDC) in Florida. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for our foundation, as it will help to ensure that more students can participate in this prestigious event.

Our partnership with United Airlines is not just about flights; it’s about a shared vision. Both SSEF and United Airlines are committed to inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators. By providing this invaluable support, United Airlines is helping to remove barriers for our students, allowing them to focus on what they do best—pushing the boundaries of space science and engineering.

We are particularly excited about having United Airlines involved in our upcoming events. Their presence will undoubtedly enhance the experience for our students, offering them unique insights into the aerospace industry and the chance to engage with industry professionals.

We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with United Airlines and are confident that this partnership will bring incredible benefits to our students and the broader space science community. Together, we are paving the way for the future of space exploration.

 

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