Southwest Competition
(formerly Biosphere)
Over the course of the weekend, students join 50-person teams that function as mock aerospace companies. Guided by mentors from the space industry, each team responds to a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) by developing and presenting a comprehensive 30-minute design proposal to a panel of judges with real-world engineering experience.
The top-scoring team earns the opportunity to advance to the International Finals held at the Kennedy Space Center, where they’ll compete with winners from around the globe.
Regional Director
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Ty White is an award winning Chemistry, Math and Biology teacher who got involved bringing students to ISSDC in 2018. After seeing what this event meant to his students and how it affected their perception of STEM-Identity, he got more involved in organizing the Southwest Regional Qualifier, and then started collaborating with others to create more events. Ty has a real passion for making events accessible to all students, as everyone deserves an opportunity to participate and to develop their skills working with others.
Director of Southwest US
2026 Early Registration
Biosphere (AZ) - Space Settlement Design Competition
Over the course of the weekend, students join 50-person teams that function as mock aerospace companies. Guided by mentors from the space industry, each team responds to a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) by developing and presenting a comprehensive 30-minute design proposal to a panel of judges with real-world engineering experience.
The top-scoring team earns the opportunity to advance to the International Finals held at the Kennedy Space Center, where they’ll compete with winners from around the globe.
Teacher/School Early Registration Form – 2026 Biosphere (AZ) - Space Settlement Design Competition
