What does it take to build a base camp on the Moon for humans? Can Moon Villages help solve today’s most pressing challenges on our home planet? Should the Moon serve as a starting point to deeper space exploration? Besides the mission itself, would a superhero-like suit protecting humans from radiation and the coldness be enough? How do we get a sufficient amount of reusable water and adequate nutrition to enable civilization on the Moon or also Mars? These kind of questions drive today’s space enthusiasts and innovators. The motivation for these important notions is spurred by economical and ecological goals as well as social impact. What might start with disruptive robotic technologies and services can be handed over to human citizens of a Moon Village or similar habitats elsewhere in the depths of space, by making smart use of non-space technology for space exploration and vice versa.
The urge of exploring new frontiers, the unknown, is so much greater than feeling comfortable in one’s familiar surroundings. The combination of this urge with the mission to create benefits for our society and for Earth itself serves as catalyst for space newcomers and established players alike. As a cutting-edge technology industry, space would not be what it is today without pushing the limits and literally reaching for the stars. In brief: Space Exploration.
The fascinating endeavour is the driving force of Europe’s first innovation competition for exactly this topic: The Space Exploration Masters. The exploration of space and the huge potential it holds are stunning with their offer of unseen treasures and opportunities for innovation and commercialisation. For the progress of humanity, the Space Exploration Masters challenges the boundaries of Earth and explores the spheres of uncharted areas in space and beyond.
Space exploration contains large potential for the creation of future-oriented applications, products and services, benefitting Earth. With new topics and application areas arise countless possibilities for technology transfer and novel ideas for solutions and their application in non-space industries, as well as new business opportunities and objectives.
Calling Innovators to Shape Our Future
The Space Exploration Masters is seeking innovative business ideas providing major benefits for our global society and economy. In this context, technology transfer plays a major role and functions as a fruitful propulsion component to achieve the ultimate goal of the exploration of low Earth orbit (LEO), the Moon, Mars and beyond. The Space Exploration Masters makes it possible for innovators, entrepreneurs and space geeks to boost space exploration with their forward-looking business idea. Participants with all kinds of backgrounds are highly welcome, including entrepreneurs, R&D as well as patent holders and many more.
The two different prize categories „Technology Transfer Success“ and „New Business Innovation“ look for exciting submissions in the fields of human space and robotic missions, space resources and industry, discovery and space observation, spacecraft, rockets, propulsion, space tourism, deep space communication and navigation, space habitats, and life sciences – just to name a few.
Partner With the Most Engaged Space Stakeholders
Space Exploration Masters participants have the chance to shape the future of Space Exploration and of space in general on a global scale. The innovation competition has the most important space stakeholders on board, each featuring their own dedicated prize.
The European Space Agency (ESA) awards two prizes in both competition categories: The ESA Space Solututions Prize for the best Technology Transfer Success and an ESA Prize in the New Business Innovation category.
Thereby, ESA is looking for innovative cases with a tangible business performance in matching at least one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, such as clean water & sanitation, affordable & clean energy, decent work & economic growth, industry innovation & infrastructure, sustainable cities & communities, climate action, life below water and on land, as well as peace. This engagement displays the importance of the Space Exploration Masters within the overall ESA Space Exploration Strategy framework.
In addition, the Ministry of the Economy of Luxembourg with its SpaceResources.lu initiative, aiming to contribute to the peaceful exploration and sustainable utilisation of space resources for the benefit of humankind, hosts the “Luxembourg Prize” in the New Business Innovation category. In the same category, the Scottish company Stevenson Astrosat Ltd., driving the commercialisation of the space sector by helping end users meet their needs in a sustainable manner using space technology, and Huntsville Madison County Chamber together present the “Astrosat & Huntsville Prize”. Moreover, Airbus Defence and Space together with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading company in healthcare, life science and performance materials, host the “Sustainable Exploration Prize” in the New Business Innovation Category as well.
Benefit From Powerful Prizes
Participants of the Space Exploration Masters benefit from five powerful prizes in two categories awarded by the mentioned renowned competition partners. On top of the invaluable expertise and business support from the competition partners to drive innovative business ideas, the overall prize pool is valued at more than EUR 500,000. The time is now to connect with Europe’s and international leading stakeholders in Space Exploration to help in boosting space development and create novel advantages for the citizens on Earth.
SIGN UP NOW by 8 September 2017 to realise your space dreams and reach for the stars.
About the Space Exploration Masters
In 2017, AZO has launched the Space Exploration Masters on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA) and in line with the goals of the ESA Space Exploration Strategy, in cooperation with strong world-class partners. The Space Exploration Masters is an international competition to identify best technology transfer business successes, as well as to empower and foster business innovation around space exploration activities in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), on Moon, Mars, or beyond – for the benefit of society and Earth.
