UK Space Design Competition Success
Congratulations to Sixth Form Pupils Aaron, Alex, Aryann, Barney, Emilio, Jacob, Nathan, Oliver, Samira and Will, who represented Eltham College at the UK Space Design Competition Regional Heat held at Royal Holloway University on Saturday 3 October 2026.
The competition challenged students to work as part of a large aerospace company tasked with designing a sustainable settlement on Mars in which future inhabitants could live, work and carry out scientific research. Working alongside students from three other schools, our team spent the day collaborating within specialist departments to develop an ambitious engineering proposal for Condor, one of five competing companies.
Drawing on skills from engineering, science, project management, finance and operations, the students helped design every aspect of the settlement, from life-support and atmospheric regulation systems to rover operations, power generation, research facilities and living accommodation. The proposal also considered the practical challenges of supporting a long-term scientific mission focused on the search for evidence of life on Mars.
After presenting their work to an esteemed panel of judges, Condor’s proposal was judged to be the strongest of the five companies. The judges were particularly impressed by the team’s thoughtful, pragmatic and well-engineered approach, resulting in an overall victory in the regional competition.
A special mention must go to Nathan, who was elected Vice President and Head of Engineering for the company, a leadership role that recognised both his technical expertise and his ability to coordinate the work of multiple departments. Congratulations also to Barney, who was selected as part of the final presentation team responsible for pitching Condor’s proposal to the judges.
Winning the regional heat means the team has now qualified for the UK Space Design Competition National Finals at Imperial College London in March. There, they will compete against the best teams from across the country for the opportunity to represent the United Kingdom at the International Space Settlement Design Competition, held at the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, next summer.
