Target Funding Raise: $10,000 NZD (Stretch goal of $20,000 NZD)
In 2020, New Zealand declared a climate emergency. We have an urgent need to engage a broader community of New Zealand researchers and innovators to address the problems created by climate change. At the same time, we have unprecedented access to satellite remote sensing data and the computational capability to analyze this data.
This year’s Challenge: Using satellite data, in combination with other data sources, help develop scientific methods to identify target areas of methane emissions on Earth.
To fully account for global methane emissions, which areas should be targeted for the different types of sources? Are there specific areas that will offer advantages for calibration? This challenge invites teams to develop tools to help in the global effort to monitor and control methane emissions, and directly contribute to the fight against climate change. The Challenge will award prizes up to $25k to high school and university level teams for successful solutions. The prize challenge rewards successful advances in the state-of-the-art while creating opportunities for space education and outreach, and stimulates economic growth and development in the sector.
Background SpaceBase has served as the delivery partner for three successful NZ national and Pacific regional space and aerospace challenges, working with MBIE, Airbus, ChristchurchNZ, Auckland Unlimited, and other partners including Planet and the NZ Space Agency. Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom (SpaceBase CEO) brings experience of supervising ~60 international prize challenges around the world for Singularity University. Prize challenges have a successful record of efficiently solving problems, while simultaneously training participants and creating new research, products and services. With the New Zealand government placing increased attention specifically on methane emissions to address climate change, this is a unique opportunity for New Zealand and the Pacific region.
Timeframe The timeline will run between 18 May 2023 to 15 March 2024. This includes a down selection of qualified teams participating in an online research incubator program over 3 months. The end of the Challenge involves selecting six finalists who will be invited to demonstrate their solutions and pitch to a panel of judges.
Budget The budget for the Challenge will include the prize value, challenge operations, promotion and marketing, online research incubator delivery, and associated events.
Benefits The prize challenge has the opportunity to rapidly develop successful solutions to challenging problems, which can then be applied to climate change impacts around the world. Past challenges have yielded the desired impact. The challenge also has the potential to transform research projects into practical tools, and help train participants to solve problems with these new skills. Past challenges have created new businesses and products and accelerated the growth of individuals on their path towards creating a career in the space industry.
