SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Reaching for the stars
Theo Macklin (Year 13) a member of the UK Space Design Competition team over the past two years, reflects on taking part in this exciting project
H aving entered the UK Space Design Competition for the first time in 2016, we returned to the fray this year with eager anticipation. Our seasoned Year 13 team was joined by a joint DC and JAGS team composed of pupils from Year 10 and Year 12. In addition, a group of Year 9 boys entered the Galactic Challenge, a smaller-scale version of the competition for younger entrants. Last year, our video, which showcased a design for a human settlement on Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, had earned us a place in the national finals, during which we worked to design a habitat on Mercury. Following this, I was lucky enough to be asked to represent the EU team at the final of the International Space Settlement Design Competition (ISSDC) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For both the experienced team and the novice one, this year’s projects started well. We were required to design the structure for a settlement on the Moon, taking into account construction processes, liveability factors, automation, operating procedures and business considerations. This proved a significant challenge for all; time management and communication skills were put to the test as much as scientific and engineering know- how. After nine gruelling hours of researching, 3D modelling
and intense spreadsheet work, both teams had to present to the judging panels at their respective regional heats in London and Oxford. Battling off eight other schools, both teams were victorious, securing places at the national finals at Imperial College, London. At the finals, we and the other qualifying teams were challenged to design a space station to house 10,000 people. Over the course of the next 24 hours, participants were pushed to their limits of knowledge and resilience, playing their part as members of a fictional aerospace company. Many students from DC thrived in this environment, delivering a final presentation detailing a design that was commended for its scientific rigour and high engineering standards. While we were narrowly pipped to the post by another school, the competition brought out the talents of many students as they demonstrated existing skills and learned new ones, such as confidently presenting to almost 300 people, including an eagle-eyed judge from NASA. Thanks to his self-effacing, efficient leadership and his realistic engineering solutions, Emyr Williams (Year 13) has been asked to represent the EU team at the ISSDC this summer, continuing what we hope will become a longstanding partnership.
15
Made with FlippingBook Annual report