Submission and Prizes
The National Space Society’s (NSS) SpacEdge Education Program in collaboration with Blue Origin’s Club for the Future and the SmallSat Education Conference is looking for student artists to create ORIGINAL illustrations to share their vision of…… My Vacation in Space.
Instructions Checklist
- Create your art piece following the requirements
- Write 2 short paragraphs describing 1) the artwork, and 2) method of artwork creation
- Use one of the submission forms ON THE CONTEST HOME PAGE to submit your entry
- Optional – Create a postcard according to the instructions in the Postcard section
REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST
- See Submission Requirements.
- See Terms and Conditions.
- Original artwork of traditional or digital media are permitted (sketch, paint, water color, ink, finger paint, etc).
- Art created using generative artificial intelligence is NOT permitted.
What we envision today becomes reality tomorrow. The art must provide a realistic depiction of humanity’s future in space focusing on this year’s theme. Be sure the artwork is as realistic and accurate as possible in location, science and engineering.
Please note that we are not looking for abstract, impressionistic, surrealist, fantasy, anime, or science fiction art, and any such submissions will not be accepted into the contest.
PRIZES
Prizes will only be awarded at the Grand and First Prize levels. Other additional pieces may be selected for Honorable Mention.
One piece of art will be awarded the Grand Prize for being the best artwork overall.
Up to 12 (twelve) entries will be selected as First Prize recipients, three (3) per age level category. These include grades 5-8 (ages 10-14), 9-12 (ages 14-19), undergraduate (ages 19-22), and graduate (ages 23-25). Prizes will be awarded only if qualified entries are judged as meeting the standards for artwork of that award level. It may be that the quality of artwork received in any given year does not meet judging standards as stated per the Judging Guidelines for a particular award level and as such, no prize in that category would be awarded that year.
All accepted entries:
- Will receive a certificate of participation.
- Are invited to optionally send their art piece on a postcard that will be flown on a Blue Origin rocket flight into space and returned after flight.
All winning entries will:
- Receive an award certificate of merit
- Receive one or more of the following prizes offered by Blue Origin Club For the Future dependent upon the winner’s ranking:
- i) New Glenn Rocket Model (108th Scale)
- ii) Estes New Shepard Rocket
- iii) Flown in Space Poster
- iv) Swag bag
- Have their artwork printed as a postcard and flown into space aboard a Blue Origin rocket if a postcard was not submitted as part of the original entry. After flight, the postcard will be stamped for authenticity of flight and sent via US Postal mail to the student.
- Appear as part of an article in the National Space Society’s award-winning magazine Ad Astra.
- Receive a 1 year student membership in the National Space Society, which includes an online subscription to the award-winning Ad Astra magazine.
- Be displayed and viewed by the public and space enthusiasts from around the world at the SmallSat Education Conference 2025 happening October 25-26, and may be displayed at the National Space Society’s International Space Development Conference and at other possible venues throughout the year.
- Be honored on the NSS Roadmap to Space Art contest online “Winner’s Gallery”.
- Have their artwork considered for possible publication in the various forms of web, banners, posters, brochures, and/or other NSS and SmallSat Education Conference publications or social media.
More prizes may be added to this list during the contest.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions regarding the contest, please email the NSS SpacEdge Contest Coordinator.
