Questions and Answers

General Information: To assist colleges with later semester end dates, paper due date has been extended to no later than June 15, 2020.    

This challenge is not open to non-US institutions. 

We will only accept entries from US institutions. 

If you have a question about the technical details of the challenge, write to the contest administrator. Subject line: Technical Question.  email to elizabeth.b.ward@nasa.gov 

Dr. Ward will refer the question to the appropriate expert and post the question and the answer so all competitors can view them.  Do not contact NASA experts privately, see below.

Students, faculty, or graduate assistants, may NOT consult with NASA engineers, employees,  or anyone (Industry or Academe) doing professional contract or grant work in the challenge area during an active contest (Sept 1 through June 20).   

For a complete set of Contest Rules, see the main page, aero.larc.nasa.gov/university-contest/

Questions/Answers for the  2019-2020 Academic Year challenge

 Question:  How will the design be used?

NASA Response:  the vehicles and ground systems could be used for a variety of applications like package delivery, medical supply delivery, etc. Your vehicle design should be able handle a wide variety of commercial package delivery options and should use all of the rules that usually apply to commercial package delivery (no live animals, no explosives, no dangerous chemicals/biologicals, etc.)

Question: Will delivery be person to person transport, warehouse to person transport, or something else?

NASA Response:  Assume that the flying delivery vehicle is operating from developed locations that are not accessible by the public (no random people walking across the landing strip) . Each location will have standard support systems for charging, maintenance, package logistics, etc..

Question:  Depending on use, from what points must the design be autonomous?

NASA Response:  From before the first takeoff, through two round trips, to final landing after the second round trip. Assume that humans can touch the vehicle before and after this.

Question:  How autonomous is autonomous?

NASA Response: Vehicle must have no human intervention during the time period described in the previous question. No remote piloting, no observers, no ground station pilots or monitors. Re-routing of your aircraft to avoid collisions must be autonomous / automated. Ditching of your aircraft in a safe location must be autonomous / automated in the event of onboard failures that prevent completion of the mission.

Question:  Is it intended to be automated or truly autonomous?

NASA Response:  See previous answer. Autonomous really means automated in this design exercise (i.e. the vehicle has known [determinate] behavior ). If you have a good argument for non-deterministic AI, please feel free to propose it and your reasoning for deploying Skynet.

Question: Under what circumstances, if any, may humans interact? Both under safety considerations and use (considering the scenarios from question 1)?

NASA Response:  See previous answer.

Question:  Does the entire platform have to be limited to the 25  x 50 ft area or is that only for the landing section?

NASA Response: Assume that all takeoff and landing systems are within the 25 x 50 ft area. Other systems like battery charging, package mounting, vehicle hangars, vehicle maintenance, etc. can be outside of the 25 x 50 ft. area.

Question:  Is there a defined expected entry of service?

NASA Response:  As soon as possible.

Question regarding Vehicle Performance criteria 4 and 6.  Vehicle landing sites may be up to 8000 feet above sea level and “Cruise” operations are to occur between 400 and 500 feet.  We were confused whether the cruise operation are required to occur between 400-500 ft altitude relative to sea level or height relative to ground level. The difference is important to the design since we are required to deliver to altitudes of up to 8000 ft.

NASA Response:  6. “Cruise” operations design point is between 400 and 500 feet above sea level.

Question: Are we allowed to modify the package and landing platform in any way?  

NASA Response:  Yes, include reasoning behind and description of modifications.

General Questions from past year challenges:

Q. May graduate students enter the challenge as individuals?

A. Yes.  Graduate students may enter as individuals; however, teaming is still strongly suggested.  Undergraduates MAY NOT enter as individuals.

Q. Is there public noise software available for students competing in the low noise challenge?

A. Yes.  The NASA software catalog has recently added a program called ANOPP2

ANOPP2 is now in the NASA Software Catalog and can be requested by using the following URL:
https://software.nasa.gov/software/LAR-18567-1

HOWEVER, NOTE THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE SOFTWARE:

1) University Name:
2) University Address: (No P.O. Boxes are allowed)
3) Software Recipient/User (This is the person the software will be sent to)
– Full Legal Name:
– Work Address:
– Email Address (Should be university email):
– Phone number:

Signatory Authority (The Signatory Authority is someone who can legal bind the university; ie: Administrative Officer, Contract Administrator, or Attorney)* **

*”Particular attention needs to be made to the signatory authority. If that is submitted without the required authority,  it causes long delays and reworks.”

1) Full Legal Name:
2) Position Title:
3) University Address:
4) Phone:
5) University Email:

** In the past, our previous Software Release Authority allowed professors to sign agreements; however, our policies have changed and we now have new requirements. Professors do not have signature authority for universities. Signature authorities for universities typically are one of the following individuals: Administrative Officer, Contracting or Procurement Officer, or Attorney.