Instructions

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Step One

Register to the Odysseus II contest and fill in the registration form and accept the rules of the Contest!

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Step Two

The second step for the contestants is to choose the topic of their project.

The overarching theme of the challenge is Space Utilization and the submitted projects could focus on missions like Galileo, Copernicus, Rosetta and Gaia, which are supported by the EU, ESA and the space industry and pave the way for the provision of services crucial to modern life or open the door to new knowledge about the Universe.   University students from all disciplines can compete in the Explorers category and therefore, the responses to the listed topics and examples may include contributions not only from engineering, technology and sciences students, but also from social sciences and humanities students.

Within this framework contestants can choose a topic from the list below:

Galileo: daily benefits of space applications

Galileo is the GPS cousin from Europe. It is better, is faster and has a better name. It generates job and other benefits and will enable greater European Independence. How will it influence our live? How space programs change our lives and what benefits do we have now?

• Optimizing transport
• Responding to crises
• Helping regions access knowledge and information services
• Increasing efficiency in agriculture and fisheries
• Protecting the environment and tackling climate change
• Increasing homeland security
• Improving citizens’ health
• Observing the Earth
• Better and faster communication

Copernicus: Earth observations

In XVI century Nicolai Copernicus was looking into the sky. Now ESA Copernicus project is watching opposite way, since it looks from the sky at the Earth. How can we observe Earth? How can we use data from earth observations?

• Protecting the environment and tackling climate change.
• Responding to crises.
• Increasing efficiency in agriculture and fisheries.
• Increasing homeland security.
• Light pollution seen from space and from earth.

Rosetta mission: Space Exploration

The first step on the moon was a giant step for the mankind. Another step in space exploration was made by making Philae land on a comet. What will be the next giant jump in space exploration? What can we find in our Universe and how can we explore it further?

• Rocket systems – a concept of the most fruitful and promising systems for the future;
• Europe has landed on a comet and on Titan. Which are the scientific benefits?
• Exploration of the asteroids – a concept to use their natural resources;
• Exploration of the terrestrial planets – what can we learn for Earth
• Manned space flight – your personal opinion about perspective for the future missions;
• A concept for a permanent and self-sufficient lunar city

Gaia mission: Watching the stars

During its five years of observation Gaia will watch the Universe. What will it find there and how can we help her?

• How the Gaia Mission may modify our perception of our Galaxy in the vicinity of the Sun and of our home planet.
• Searching for a second Earth – Europe’s effort in exoplanet research;
• Give arguments for the search for alien civilizations and suggest why institutions should be interested in conducting such research (in the form of an essay).
• Big space telescopes – why is space a good place to observe the Universe?
• Observe objects from Gaia alerts list.
• Discuss what life is, basing on a variety of possible forms of it.

More general: establish links between field data and satellite data

• Meteo data on the field
• Data on agriculture (Humidity soil, development of vegetation, sanitary status of vegetation …)
• Proposal of maps for development of mosquitos …
• Proposal of maps on flu or other diseases … and link with meteo
• Proposal of field data on waters rivers levels, soils …
• Observation of sky: meteorites, clouds, storms …

This list is not exhaustive and any other development of ideas within the framework of the selected themes could be displayed based on the imagination of the students.

The contestants should choose the type of project they want to work on. This could be an experiment, a video, a prototype, a presentation, or any other set up (View Limitations[1]).

Check the submission template, that is provided by the organisers, which is not obligatory but recommended, can be found here.

[1] Electronic files uploaded to document each project can include: illustrated essays, PowerPoint presentations, posters, links to videos, links to dedicated project websites, and audio files.

Allowed file formats are:

• Documents; .doc .docx, .pdf, .txt  .ps  .ppt, .pptx, .pps,  .ppsx
• Images: *.png, *.jpg, *.jpeg, *.bmp, *.gif
• Videos:  All videos should be uploaded in youtube or vimeo and the link should be provided.
• Audio formats: *.mp3 
• Compression formats: .tar .gz .zip .7z 

The maximum limit on the total size of uncompressed files for each entry is: 20 MB

Each project may cost no more than 300 € in materials to produce.

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Step Three

The contestants should conduct research, focusing on the theme of their project and the design of the solution or the production of the final deliverable of their work.  In this phase participants are encouraged to consult mentors about the feasibility and scientific validity of their ideas.

Contestants are further advised to develop their project in accordance with the Odysseus II contest requirements, to ensure that they avoid plagiarized material and that they provide all the necessary references for their project.

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Step Four

The final step is the submission of the project through the Odysseus website. Participants can develop and submit their project in any of the twenty-four (24) official EU languages.