The National Space Society is pleased to announce the latest Dr. Martine Rothblatt Space Settlement in Our Lifetime Competition, which will award three cash prizes of $16,000, $10,000, and $6,000 USD for the best business plans that reflect Dr. Rothblatt’s vision for space settlement.
The deadline for submissions is midnight, Pacific Time, on September 1, 2022.
Dr. Rothblatt has been a pioneer in satellite communications, founding the Sirius XM radio network in 1990. She later became the chairwoman and CEO of United Therapeutics, a biotechnology company devoted to prolonging human life. Her trailblazing work in organ replacement has saved countless lives and will be a key technology in creating sustainable communities in space. Her vision for space settlement is vast, encompassing the next century of human migration into space.
“Dr. Rothblatt’s vision for space settlement explores every facet of our ultimate journey beyond Earth,” said Michelle Hanlon, the president of the National Space Society. “She foresees not just the migration of human beings to off-Earth habitats, but the preservation of individual human identities via digital ‘mindfiles’ that can be integrated into new bodies. This kind of thinking really pushes the boundaries of human creativity and innovation. We are confident that her Space Settlement in our Lifetime Business Plan Competition will continue to push the same boundaries.”
For this second competition for 2022, winners will be announced at the Society’s annual Space Settlement Summit in Los Angeles on November 10-11, 2022. One representative from each winning team will have their travel expenses covered to attend the conference, and each finalist will receive a cash award.
The Space Settlement in our Lifetime competition is open to anyone, of any age, anywhere (local laws and restrictions may apply). Entrants must create a compelling business plan that will help to enable some aspect or increment of space settlement. See more at spacebizplan.nss.org where informative video presentations by Dr. Rothblatt can be viewed. All business plan submissions should be made in PDF format.
“We hope to see some remarkable new business plans as we have in her previous competition,” said Rod Pyle, Editor-in-Chief of Ad Astra magazine, the NSS official publication. “Dr. Rothblatt is a true visionary, and her concepts for the future of humanity are truly inspiring. This competition, now in its third iteration, fills me with a sense of hope for our future in space. Thanks again to her for supporting this endeavor, and I encourage anyone with a profound idea for a business that will, in some way, support the future of human communities in space to enter the competition.”
Image: Large space communities of the future will need a variety of businesses to support them. Credit: Alexander Preuss.
