The Norco College NASA SUITS TEAM was the only group of community college students to present in the NASA Spacesuit Technology Challenge virtual exit pitch on June 11.
Norco College SUITS students went up against teams from Embry-Riddle, University of Akron, Columbia University, University of Baltimore, University of Massachusetts-Boston, Harvard, Southwestern Indian Poly, Johns Hopkins, North Carolina State, University of Michigan, Boise State, Texas A&M, University of Colorado-Boulder, and Kent State. Click here to view the program agenda.
The Team pitched the idea of utilizing virtual reality and user interface, making
use of simple hand signals for astronauts to activate responses. They also included
the idea of using a 360-degree camera to capture multiple angles. Click to view the five-minute pitch from our Norco College NASA SUITS.
A panel composed of NASA architects and an astronaut reviewed the pitches and provided
feedback. See some of the comments below:
“I like that the design came from an astronaut’s perspective. You really researched and put yourselves in our shoes.”
“I like how you thought about the use of hand signals to activate responses.”
“I think you hit on something big. You looked at information from video games to guide us.”
“I like the uniqueness that you brought by incorporating gaming technology to your design.”
“Your idea of having a 360-degree camera to take the whole world with us is awesome. The fact that you hit on that idea is impressive.”
NASA SUITS, one of NASA’s Artemis Student Challenges, tasks teams of college and university
students to design and create spacesuit information displays within augmented reality
environments. The challenge provides students with an authentic engineering design
experience that will engage them in the innovative science critical to NASA’s Artemis
program, which will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024. The
students’ work with the challenge may improve how astronauts communicate with mission
control on the ground as they perform moonwalks. These human-autonomy enabling technologies
are necessary for the increased demands of lunar surface exploration. Artemis Student
Challenges are managed by the NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement. The program helps
support the agency education policy of using NASA’s unique missions and programs to
engage and encourage students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math
careers.
To learn more about the Norco College NASA SUITS Team, follow their social media accounts.
https://www.instagram.com/norconasasuits/