The 2017 RASC-AL competition is seeking concepts that leverage innovations to improve our ability to work more effectively in microgravity, with a focus on the design of more efficient subsystems. Successful proposals will demonstrate comprehensive engineering analysis ofinnovative capabilities and/or new technologies for evolutionary architecture development to enable future missions, reduce cost, and/or improve safety.

Teams that are selected will receive a $6,000 stipend to facilitate participation in the 

2017 RASC-AL Forum held in Cocoa Beach, Florida in June.

Student teams and their faculty advisors are invited to submit abstract proposals by January 19, 2017, responding to one of the following themes:

• Lightweight Exercise Suite
• Airlock Design
• Commercially Enabled LEO/Mars Habitable Module
• Logistics Delivery System

Based on review of the abstracts by the RASC-AL Steering Committee, up to twenty teams will be selected to move to the next stage of the competition.  After evaluating Mid-Project Reviews in March, the Steering Committee will narrow the competition field and select 12-16 teams to move to the final phase of the competition.  These remaining teams will receive a stipend to facilitate full participation in the RASC-AL Forum in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

The two top scoring teams will be invited to present their design and analysis projects to government and industry experts at a major Aerospace conference, such as AIAA Space 2017 (additional travel stipends provided).

For your convenience, we have included a printable flyer describing the2017 RASC-AL challenge themes. For complete information on the 2017 RASC-AL Design Competition, visit http://rascal.nianet.org.

IMPORTANT DATES

We encourage you to involve your undergraduate and graduate students in this competition, which gives them the opportunity to: interact with NASA and industry experts; develop relationships that could lead to participation in other NASA student research programs, and infuse concepts and data from RASC-AL into NASA human exploration program planning.  Multi-disciplinary teams are encouraged, and as well as multi-university teams, including partnerships with international institutions.

Teams are requested to submit an online Notice of Intent to compete form which can found on the RASC-AL website. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the RASC-AL Program Team at rascal@nianet.org.