- The competition is open to all residents of the United Kingdom aged between 8 and 18 years on the submissions closing date (original closing date of 11:00pm on 17th November 2010 GMT), except those immediately related to a Royal Aeronautical Society staff member or anyone involved in the competition. The Royal Aeronautical Society reserves the right to request proof of age for entrants as well as parent’s or guardian’s consent and necessary state of health. Only one person per individual submission may be entered.
- Entry to the competition is by completing the following tasks:
* the registeration and/or submission process must be completed by each entrant via the competition registration and/or submission page before the competition closing date.
* The entry must be published somewhere in the public domain and remain there for the duration of the competition (public domain can include a private website or blog as well as an open Facebook group or any other easily accessible space that is visible to the public online).
* The complete entry must be submitted via the submission registration page before the closing date.
* The submission must prominently feature the following web address: http://www.aerosocietychannel.com/astronaut
* Entrants should obtain their parent’s/guardian’s permission prior to entering this competition.
* 8-10 year old entrants:
The entrant must conceive and submit one question which the entrant would like to ask Piers Sellers up to 50 words.
* 11-14 year old entrants:
The entrant must conceive and submit either 1 video submission up to 3 minutes in length or 1 essay submission up to 300 words in length. The submission should convey why the entrant should get a chance to meet Piers Sellers; and include one question that the entrant would like to ask Piers Sellers.
* 15-18 year old entrants:
The entrant must conceive and submit either 1 video submission up to 4 minutes in length or 1 essay submission up to 500 words in length. The submission must sight one ‘space related event, discovery or development’ that occurred during the last 40 years (1970-2010) that the entrant has been inspired by; and include one related question that the entrant would like to ask Piers Sellers.If an entrant submits more than one entry, the final submission which is received will be considered and any earlier submissions will be disregarded. Note: entries may be reviewed and critiqued by Piers Sellers and the team of judges while the competition is underway - entrants may use this feedback to improve their entry and their chances progressing to the finalist round - so we encourage entrants to submit their entries as early as possible, even if only partly completed.
- All written words and entry video content must be the entrant’s own original work, not defame, nor breach any copyright. Any extra supporting material submitted with the entry may be utilized for the competition duration but will not be considered while judging the submissions.
- All entrants must have the support and permission of their parent/guardian.
- Each entrant must be available to attend the talk and meeting with Piers Sellers on the 9th December 2010 at No.4 Hamilton Place, London.
- Entries must be submitted by no later than 23:00 on November 17th 2010. Late or illegible entries will be disqualified. The Royal Aeronautical Society cannot take any responsibility for any technical failure or malfunction, including but not limited to any affecting submission methods, which may result in any entry being lost or not properly registered or recorded.
- By submitting an entry for the competition, entrant’s parent/guardian are deemed to have given consent for the entry to be published free of charge by the Royal Aeronautical Society or partner thereof in all media, including television and internet, for all purposes as it wishes. The Royal Aeronautical Society may wish to display entries in a website gallery as they come in throughout and following the competition entry window.
- All finalist entries will be judged in the first instance by members of the Royal Aeronautical Society Young Members Board (YMB). This first judging panel will decide which entries should be put forward to the second stage judging. The first judging round will select the three best entries in each of the following categories:
- Category 1: Entrants aged 8, 9 and 10
- Category 2: Entrants aged 11, 12, 13 and 14
- Category 3: Entrants aged 15, 16, 17 and 18
The second judging stage will determine one winner from of the 3 age categories and will be carried out by a panel formed of the Royal Aeronautical Society Publications Department. This panel will consider the three best entries for each age category, and choose one winner for each category. Piers Sellers (the British born NASA astronaut) will also join this judging panel to select the 3 winners; who will get the chance to meet with him in on 9th December 2010.
In each of the judging stages, the criteria will be:- How original or unique is the overall entry?
- How creative and inventive is the overall entry?
- Submissions will be judged with broad criteria and upon their own individual merit and creativity. For inspiration and ideas, see: http://www.aerosocietychannel.com/astronaut
- The prize consists of:
The winner in each age category:- will be invited to attend the 2010 Wilbur and Orville Wright Named Lecture with a parent/guardian in London.
- will meet with British-born NASA astronaut Piers Sellers with the other winners for 30 minutes prior to Dr Sellers giving his lecture.
- will receive a certificate of recognition of meeting Dr Sellers.
- will receive payment of transport costs for themselves and their parent/guardian to and from the venue, up to the value of 100 pounds.
- The prizes will be as stated. The prizes cannot be transferred and there is no cash alternative. In the event of any of the winners being unable to be contacted, after reasonable attempts have been made, or if any is found to be in breach of the rules or fails to take up their prize for any reason, including illness, unavailability, problems in having consent for absence from school, licensing difficulties OR problems with obtaining a sign off from their doctor regarding state of health to participate, the Royal Aeronautical Society reserves the right to offer the prize to a runner-up in the relevant category but it is not obliged to do so.
- The Royal Aeronautical Society’s and the judges’ decision as to the winners is final. No correspondence relating to the competition will be entered into.
- Telephone calls will be made to the 9 short listed entrants and their parent/guardian between 18st and 25th November 2010 in order to check eligibility. All telephone calls may be recorded for reference purposes. If an entrant is unable to be contacted after reasonable attempts have been made to do so, Royal Aeronautical Society reserves right to offer their place to the next best entrant. Unsuccessful entrants will not be contacted.
- The winners will be notified within 7 days of the close of the competition by either post /telephone/email, as per the contact details provided in their entry.
- Entrants will be expected to take part in post-competition publicity for the Royal Aeronautical Society.
- The Royal Aeronautical Society reserves the right to cancel the competition or any of these rules at any stage, if deemed necessary in its opinion, or if circumstances arise outside of its control.
- The Royal Aeronautical Society will only ever use personal details for the purposes of administering this competition and associated activities, and will not publish them or provide them to anyone without permission. You can read more about the Royal Aeronautical Society Privacy Policy here.
- The parent/guardian of an applicant is deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions when consenting to the application of the relevant entrant.
- These terms and conditions are governed by English law.
