Cosmic Futures

What do you have to do?

With tips and advice from experts, you are challenged to create your own article, poster or photo essay that tells the general public that: The British Space Industry is going places.

You will need to create an exciting and interesting poster, article or photoessay that best describes how the British are at the forefront of Space science.

The work you create will be judged by an expert panel and you could win an exciting range of prizes, including books signed by British-born astronauts, Piers Sellers and Richard Garriott and the chance to see how a real newsroom works at the Metro Newspaper. Our top prize is the opportunity to create an exciting new magazine.

What can you win?

The ten best entrants will win some amazing money-can't-buy opportunities... up for grabs are:

The opportunity to work with top scientists and media professionals to create a full-colour magazine!

A VIP tour of the Science Museum, London

A look around a working newspaper office at the headquaters of the Metro Newspaper in London

£100 towards your travel expenses for the day

A Dorling Kindersley Space Encyclopedia signed by astronauts Dr Piers Sellers and Richard Garriott

Tickets to Royal Observatory Greenwich and a goody bag from the Royal Astronomical Society

A visit to the House of Commons to receive your certificates at the Christmas Reception of The Parliamentary Space Commitee

What are we expecting?

What ever you create, your entry needs to attractive, easy to understand and accurate. You can focus on one British project (such as Skylon), or you can talk about lots of different projects.
Most important of all is to be interested in your story – if you aren’t interested in it, how can you expect anyone else to be?

Remember, whatever you submit must be your own work – anything that infringes someone elses copyright will be removed from the competition

Need some help? Click here to find out what we are looking for

We are looking for entries which:

Entertain us and make us want to read or watch further than the first line or scene by using interesting and persuasive writing and pictures.
Contain a big idea or key message that is unique, appealing and important.
Illustrate exciting stories about Space in the UK.
Tell a story, have a clear structure and keep to the point
Original, imaginative, and use creative writing and production skills
Are factually accurate and quote sources
Contain practical contact information so that we can get in touch with you
Are original and not copied from the internet or infringe copyright protections.

Judging will be carried out by an expert panel which will includes Ben Gilliland from CosmOnline, Professor Peter McOwan from Queen Mary University of London, Jeremy Curtis from UK Space Agency, Heather MacRae from Venture Thinking.

Who Can Enter?

Anyone aged 8 -18 (as of December 31, 2010) who is able to provide an exciting and interesting poster, article or photo essay that best describes how the British are at the forefront of Space science.