Engineering Idol 2023 – Lunar Gateway
Bldg: Bergeron Centre, 11 Arboretum Ln, North York, Ontario, Canada, M3J 2S5Date updated to Arpil 1st, 2023 because of the snow storm and inaccessibility of the venue on March 4th. --------------------------------------- Welcome to Engineering Idol 2023 Competition! Engineering is more than math and science and we hope this contest will give you an understanding of the practice of professional Engineering. Summary of this year's competition: The United States-led Lunar Gateway, a space station in lunar orbit, will be the next major international collaboration in human space exploration. It is an important part of an ambitious plan by NASA and the International Space Station (ISS) partners, including Canada, to send humans deeper into space than we have ever been. About one-sixth of the size of the ISS, this new outpost will be developed, serviced, and utilised in collaboration with international and commercial partners. (Canada is contributing a smart robotic system, Canadarm3, to the Gateway.) The area of space around the Moon can help us prepare for human missions to more distant destinations like Mars. Building a space station around the Moon allows for: 1. A deeper understanding of the possible health effects of cosmic radiation and solar storms on astronauts living and working outside of Earth's protective magnetic field; 2. Access to the lunar surface to conduct cutting-edge science; 3. A unique setting for technology demonstrations; 4. Observations of the stars, our Sun, and our planet; 5. An easier return to Earth. The Gateway will be: 1. a science laboratory; 2. a testbed for new technologies; 3. a rendezvous location for exploration of the surface of the Moon; 4. a mission control centre for operations on the Moon; and 5. one day, a stepping stone for voyages to Mars. When fully assembled, the Gateway will include modules for scientific research and living quarters for crews of four astronauts. They will be able to live and work on the Gateway for up to three months at a time, occasionally travelling to the lunar surface to conduct science and test new technologies. Eventually, these missions could last longer in order to prepare for the deeper-space missions of the future. The objective of this competition is to desing the modules and manufacture them in a reduced scale for teh competition day. Supporting documents should be provided during the competition date for judging purposes. Co-sponsored by: Professional Engineering Ontario (PEO) Speaker(s): Dr John Moores, Bldg: Bergeron Centre, 11 Arboretum Ln, North York, Ontario, Canada, M3J 2S5