The Institute of Competition Sciences (ICS) makes learning an exciting challenge for students of all ages. For ICS, it’s not only about creating a tool for students, educators and innovators. It’s about creating academic heroes, and building the structures and systems upon which they can be recognized and rewarded. We aim to do for educational competitions what ESPN has done for professional sports, and much more. The Build the Moon Challenge is a collaboration between ICS, the Iowa Space Grant Consortium, and other partners to help inspire, and motivate students to learn through real-world engineering and science projects related to the burgeoning space industry.
Iowa Space Grant Consortium
A part of NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program since 1990, the Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) continually strives to improve and inspire Iowa’s future in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The ISGC supports NASA-relevant STEM research, education, and outreach activities for all Iowans with NASA internships, fellowships, and scholarships, competitions for grants within higher education members (with NASA Mission Directorate alignment), as well as informal education grants with outreach affiliates.
Advisory Board
The Build the Moon Challenge is supported by volunteer scientists and business people in the space industry, providing participants with expert perspectives and cutting edge information. If you are an expert in the space industry or working a related profession, and would like to learn more about becoming a member of our Advisory Board, please contact: btmc@competitionsciences.org.
Dennis
Culver
Educational and Curriculum Development Specialist
Iowa State University
Pete
Evans
Assistant Professor of Industrial Design
Iowa State University
Dr. Nima
Farzadnia
Assisstant Professor
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Mike
Fiske
Technical Lead
Moon to Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) Project
Michael
Morris
Founding Partner
SEArch+
Melodie
Yashar
VP of Architecture & Building Performance
ICON
Marta
Miletec
Assistant Professor
San Diego State University
Douglas
Cortes
Assistant Professor
New Mexico State University
Joseph
Minafra
Lead of Technical Systems
NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI)
Space Grant Consortia Collaborators
The Space Grant Consortium are educational institutions in the United States that comprise a network of fifty-two consortia formed for the purpose of outer space-related research. Each consortium is based in one of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, and each consists of multiple independent space-grant institutions, with one of the institutions acting as lead.
The Build the Moon Challenge is currently supported by the Space Grant Consortiums of AL, AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, ID, KS, KY, MA, ME, MI, MO, MS, ND, PR, RI, SC, TX, VA, and WY.
If you do not see your state’s Space Grant Consortium listed here, we encourage you to reach out to them expressing your interest in participating in the Build the Moon Challenge.
Off Planet Research
The overall objective of Off Planet Research is to create a unique and sought-after research facility that simulates extraterrestrial environments for testing space technology and conducting research and development. They offer resources which dramatically increase mission assurance, cost effectiveness, and speed of development of safe and effective space-based technologies.
Off Planet Research provides the lunar soil simulant for our BTMC teams to use in their projects.