If you are a high school student fascinated with all things space this might just be the opportunity that you were waiting for. What the NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA are offering is the opportunity to design experiments that will actually be tested in space.
Through the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math or STEM education program the 2011 Zero Robotics challenge is asking students to develop a set of three bowling ball sized spherical satellites that are known as SPHERES. This is short for Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites.
The SPHERES are used in the International Space Station to test manoeuvres for spacecraft performing autonomous rendezvous and docking. The trio of satellites flies in formation inside the cabin of the space station. They are self powered and can navigate themselves. They also support satellite servicing, vehicle assembly and spacecraft that fly in formation.
So what do you need to do as a high school student to win the contest? You need to write an algorithm to fly the satellites in the International Space Station and do it before September 5. A final ground testing will be done for the top teams in MIT in October after which the top 27 teams will see their codes sent into space. Then an astronaut will program the SPHERES physically and test the algorithms.