Amity Pushp Vihar Students Discuss Winning NASA's Space Settlement Competition

A team of 10 students, comprising of Samaya Chauhan (XI); Akshita Bhandari (XII); Dhruv Bhandari (XII); Aaditya Raj Verma (XII); Namya Jain (XII); Yash Wadhwa (XII); Avneet Kaur Virdi (XII); Taarush Goswami (XII); Daksh Dhull (XII) and Arsh Arora (XII)  from Amity International School, Pushp Vihar New Delhi, have won the International Space Settlement Design Competition, held at Kennedy Space Centre NASA, Titusville, Florida, USA from July 26 to 29, 2024, after winning the National and Asian rounds. The Balderol space settlement aims to establish a large-scale, sustainable community on the moon, providing a residential and working environment for 12,000 full-time residents. Designed to support data centres and associated industries, it will also accommodate up to 1,500 transient visitors and 4,500 annual rotational workers, including engineers and technicians.

A total of 60 students worked under the company named “Vulture Aviation” which had six schools from across the globe, including Amity International School, Pushp Vihar New Delhi, Lakshmipat Singhania Academy from Kolkata, The Endless School from China, East Coast School from the USA, a team from Australia and a team from UK.  The competition involved a rigour of designing a space settlement on the surface of the Moon at the Peary crater on the moon.

In addition, Arsh Arora from Amity International School Pushp Vihar, was awarded the “Dick Edwards Leadership Award” for his leadership skills in the company of 60 plus students from different parts of the world.

In an interview with BW Education, the students of Amity International School, Pushp Vihar, along with Amita Chauhan, Chairperson, Amity International Schools and Ameeta Mohan, Principal, Amity International School Pushp Vihar, shared insights into the team's remarkable victory at the International Space Settlement Design Competition.
The students expressed, "One of the biggest challenges we faced during this competition, particularly in this round, was collaborating with teams from across the globe. Initially, we weren't given direct contact with most of the foreign teams, so we had to establish bonds with them during the live round. This process revealed many cultural, creative and even political differences that we had to navigate. However, we had just 40 hours to create the winning proposal and we successfully resolved these challenges.”

Effective communication was key, whether it was conveying ideas or coordinating interdepartmental changes. Thanks to our team's unity, we could seamlessly transfer ideas between departments. For example, Human Factors determined the dimensions for the houses and Structural Design provided the vertical clearance. We needed to ensure that our settlement's size aligned with the overall structure. The Request for Proposal (RFP) from our customers was very specific, requiring us to build our settlement in a crater on the lunar surface. This meant conducting thorough research to understand the environmental conditions, such as temperature, sunlight and material availability on the Moon. All these factors significantly influenced our design.

Being part of such a prestigious competition, hosted by organisations like NASA and Atlantis, is a valuable addition to our CVs. It's an achievement that any college would recognise as significant. The skills and experience we gained throughout this process will undoubtedly benefit our future endeavours. When we first entered this competition, we were novices, with little understanding of its technical demands. But with the guidance of our mentors we received all the resources and support needed to excel."

Amita Chauhan, Chairperson, Amity International Schools shared, “ This achievement by Amity International has undoubtedly instilled confidence across the entire Amity community. Success like this not only boosts morale but also creates a lasting legacy. I've witnessed firsthand the enthusiasm it generates, with many teams eager to participate and win. From the very beginning, we've selected students with the capability and potential to excel in this programme. With strong support from school teachers we've brought in experts to guide our students, ensuring they receive the best possible preparation and resources. Our commitment is to provide our children with every opportunity to succeed.”

Ameeta Mohan, Principal of Amity International School Pushp Vihar, said, “Every competition we participate in is meticulously designed by our Chairperson, Dr. Amita Chauhan, who leads all Amity International Schools. She, along with her dedicated team and our school teachers, undergoes rigorous training sessions, often late into the night, to prepare. Our alumni, university faculty, and various trainers also join us to ensure that no student is left behind. Everything is planned in detail to ensure the best possible preparation for the students.

The driving force behind our success is the blessings of our Chairperson, coupled with the hard work, commitment, and passion of our students and staff. The enthusiasm and dedication were key factors in achieving this victory. The entire school community is celebrating, with congratulations pouring in from emails and WhatsApp messages. Our juniors are motivated and eager to replicate this success in the upcoming competition. This collective spirit, from the Chairperson to the students, has been instrumental in our achievements. Even as our current students prepare to graduate, they remain deeply connected to the school, continuing to contribute to its legacy."

Mayank Badhwar

BW Reporters The reporter works as Senior Correspondent with BW Businessworld