The Pacific International Space Center for Explorations Systems (PISCES) announces its second annual Student Design Competition and invites team from universities to participate.

The PISCES design program provides an opportunity to engage students in a rich and meaningful educational experience, derived from working on design problems of current interest, on important technical and programmatic issues that are central to the settlement of space. NASA and JAXA now have serious plans for the future of humans in space, including the continued construction of the International Space Station and human and robotic lunar exploration. Students now in university design programs will be the professionals who will implement the decisions.

A total of up to six awards will be offered this year. Each award will consist of travel funds to bring two students and a faculty advisor to the PISCES annual conference to be held on the Big Island of Hawaii, 10-11 November 2008. At this conference, the university studies will be presented to the PISCES team and the student teams will be able to observe and participate in further planning of the PISCES program.

Any U. S. university may field one or more teams that are interested in the topics of lunar surface facilities,technology development such as ISRU, surface operations, and commercial activities, can participate. A brief indication of interest is requested from university teams by 31 January 2008. Visit the site to learn more about the project, the team expectations, and further deadlines up to the November conference.