The SatelLife Challenge looks too young people for innovative ideas for satellites that benefit the economy, health or environment. (Image credit: UK Space Agency)
Are you between the ages of 11 and 22 and have ideas on how to make the economy, health or the environment better, how about a share of £50,000 in prize money? If that sounds like an excellent proposal, the UK Space Agency would like you to sign up for their second annual SatelLife Challenge, a contest for young folks that focus on making life better on earth through new innovative satellites.
The Challenge is led by the UK Space Agency and will feature judges from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Satellite Applications Catapult along with other agencies and companies that work in the satellite industry. This year’s best overall proposal and teams will win £7,500 each with seven runners-up will cash in on £5,000, prizes undoubtedly worth the challenge.
Last year’s competition saw ideas that ranged from a plan to utilize GPS to help the survival rate of heart attack victims using fitness devices to an app that warns people about the onset of natural disasters, helps guide to safe areas and alerts emergency services. The winner of the overall competition went to then 13-year old James Pearson, who designed a mobile app, which collects, analyzes and visualizes location-based data for coastal environments. James’ app allows users to see coastal changes over time, geo-tag wildlife (their locations and habitat changes), track sea level changes and view trends in weather and climate patterns.
According to a recent press release from the UK Space Agency about the SatelLife Challenge, “Satellites support the economy and everyday life, and this competition gives young people the chance to test their ideas with industry experts and perhaps one day become part of the fastest growing sector of the UK economy. The UK space industry builds 40% of the world’s small satellites and 25% of the world’s telecommunications satellites. It supports 40,000 jobs and generates £14 billion in revenue across the country.”
That being said, satellite observation and utilization is an invaluable tool to have at hand for any number of applications and with the onset of cheap, readily available of micro-satellites, we can adapt them to essential endeavors- including climate monitoring, population migrations, track shipping lanes/flight paths for efficient routes, exploration and more. The only aspects that limit those applications are imaginations and schoolchildren, and young adults seem to have an infinite supply to draw from. Those interested in getting more information (details, rules and how to apply) should visit the UK governments official website found here.
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