2006.11.02 The National Space Society is sponsoring an art contest in which artists are to create visions of a space faring future - a future of space settlement, be they on the Moon, on Mars, on asteroids, or orbiting independently in space.

The Goal: a 2008 Space Settlements Calendar

Twelve winning entries will be chosen to illustrate the NSS 2008 Space Settlement Calendar. Judges include world-renowned space artists David Hardy and Pat Rawlings.

The Grand Prize winner will have their artwork featured on the calendar cover and as one of the monthly images. This winner will receive a Beyond-Earth Enterprises 8 ounce Flight Container for suborbital rocket launch and return (valued at $1,500); a physical copy of Mojoworld 3 Professional 3D software (valued at $480); a $250 cash prize; a 1 year complimentary membership in the National Space Society, which includes a subscription to Ad Astra magazine; and a complimentary copy of the calendar.

Artwork sought in four space settlement categories

• space settlements in orbit
• settlements on the Moon
• settlements on Mars
• settlements among the Asteroids

Prizes

There will be four First Prize winners in the categories of Best Lunar Settlement, Best Mars Settlement, Best Asteroid Settlement, and Best Orbiting Settlement. In addition to being published in the calendar, each of the four First Prizes winners will receive a physical copy of Mojoworld 3 Professional 3D software (valued at $480); a Beyond-Earth Enterprises Large Photo Kit for suborbital rocket launch and return (valued at $74.95); a $100 cash prize; a 1 year complimentary membership in the National Space Society, which includes a subscription to Ad Astra magazine; and a complimentary copy of the calendar.

The remaining seven winning entries will each appear in the calendar and the artists will each receive an electronic download copy of Mojoworld 3 Professional 3D software (valued at $480); a Beyond-Earth Enterprises DNA Flight Kit for suborbital rocket launch and return (valued at $34.95); a 1 year complimentary membership in the National Space Society, which includes a subscription to Ad Astra magazine; and a complimentary copy of the calendar.

Deadline for submissions is January 31, 2007.

For information on submission formats and other contest details go to
http://www.nss.org/settlement/calendar/

The Moon Society Involvement

With the strong support of both the Moon Society Board of Directors and of NSS' Space Settlement contest committee, The Moon Society will contribute a $250 cash prize for the best Lunar Settlement artwork, for which "The Moon Society receives recognition as sponsor of the Moon entry prize, MS is identified as a sponsor in the calendar and on the web site, The Moon Society gets non-exclusive reproduction rights to the winning Moon image. Also Peter Kokh will be one of the 5 judges."

Our involvement was motivated by the desire to secure rights to high quality artwork depicting genuine lunar settlement, not just of a starter outpost. While there is no guarantee that we will find among the submissions a piece that truly meets our expectations, this is perceived by the Leadership Council as a risk worth taking. 

If you are an artist and think you have an idea of how to portray a space frontier settlement, either in free space, on the Moon, on Mars, or among the asteroids, why not try your hand at it? Visit the Space Calendar website link above for details.

Submissions will be posted on a Space.com webpage, and visitors will be able to vote for their favorites. The decision of the judges, however, is final, and need not reflect any popular vote.