Register for the 2025 challenge here

You can join the AVA Challenge at any time throughout the year!

Planned Webinars

Throughout the year are special webinars with space industry experts.
Registration is free and proudly supported by AWS in Communities.

Dates for webinars (12pm Sydney time for most times):

Feb 20 – Introduction (11am AEDT)
Mar 20 – Growing Food in Space: Magnitude.io
Apr 10 – Robotics: AROSE Lunar Rover Challenge
May 22 – Home on the Moon: Aldrin Family Foundation
June 5 – Earth Observation: Milo Institute – ASU
June 19 – AI in Space
July 24 – Telecommunications in Space: Optus
July 31 – FAQ’s for submissions
Aug 8 – Submissions due at 11:59pm AEDT
Aug 28 – Finalist pitches

Image: 2024 winners – Epping Public School, NSW
+ 3rd place Good Samaritan Catholic College QLD

AVA FAQs (recording of the 2024 launch)

Ben Newsome (Fizzics Education) covers a short version of the FAQs for the AVA challenge. (6:35 minutes)

2024 AVA FAQs – Main Session

Ben Newsome (Fizzics Education) & Ted Tagami (Magnitude.io) covers many of the FAQs for the AVA challenge plus some guidance for each of the scenarios (34:41 minutes)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the registration link for the 2025 Australian Virtual Astronaut Challenge?

The link registers you for all webinars as they become available throughout the year.

Please register via this link

Does it cost anything?

No! The AVA Challenge is free for schools to enter.

How much work do the students have to do?

It’s up to you! This STEM unit has been designed to be flexible and it is optional to be involved in any of the design aspects. However, we encourage everyone joining the challenge to consider this as a deep engagement opportunity for students that can be incorporated into weekly teaching & learning as your timetable permits.

I’ve only found out about this late, is it possible to join the challenge?

Of course! Some schools have found out with 7 days to go and still submitted fantastic entries. It is a 90-second pitch or poster – be clear, concise & compelling and you have a strong chance of being a finalist.

How many students per team?

Your team must be 4 or less students per team.

If our team wins or is a finalist, will all of our students receive a prize

We are seeking funding for different level of prizes, the level of funding will determine what your students will experience. Stay tuned!

During the webinars, will there be breakout rooms with students?

No, due to the large number of schools & students involved, your students will be on this webpage watching the live stream.

This webinar will involve panellists discussing the challenge & posting questions that can be answered by your students within the Q & A section of Zoom. Please note, not all questions will be able to be answered live due to the number of schools & students involved.

Will the webinars be recorded?

Yes, all sessions are recorded and then placed on this website as well as sent out as link to the webinar registrants.

When is the due date for poster & video submissions

Aug 8 – Submissions due at 11:59pm AEDT
Aug 28 – Finalist pitches

How long should the videos that our students submit be?

90 seconds maximum

How many videos should be sent per school

One per school.
Run your own in-school competition to select the best entry!

How do I submit an entry?

Video entry

Once your video is ready, either:

Upload it to a video streaming site such as Youtube, Vimeo, or equivalent. Set it to private (so that the video can only be viewed by those who have a link) and email that link to us. We need support@fizzicseducation.com.au to be able to see the file. IMPORTANT: Please do not send video or poster files as attachments to email addresses, this can get blocked by firewalls!

Upload it to Dropbox, Google Drive or equivalent, set the access to anyone can view with the link and email that link to us. We need support@fizzicseducation.com.au to be able to see the file. IMPORTANT: Please do not send video or poster files as attachments to email addresses, this can get blocked by firewalls!

Poster entry

Once your poster is ready, please upload the digital file to Dropbox, Google Drive or equivalent, set the access to anyone can view with the link and email that link to us.

IMPORTANT: Please do not send video or poster files as attachments to email addresses, this can get blocked by firewalls! Large file attachments can get blocked by email servers and we may not receive your submission.

These links will only be shared with the judges to protect the privacy of your students. We recommend that you test the links with a separate private account before sending it through, in case there are any access issues that are common with schools and organisations with restrictive access.

Please also include the following information with your submission:

Name of school
School address
Name of student(s)
Grade level(s)

Submissions for should be emailed to support@fizzicseducation.com.au

IMPORTANT: Please do not send video or poster files as attachments to email addresses, this can get blocked by firewalls!

If our students are successful finalists, can we virtually to pitch?

Yes, accommodations will be made for your students to pitch to the space industry and venture capitalist panel.

When are the finalists announced?

Two weeks after the submission date

Tips for your pitch

Be clear, concise and compelling. You’re selling your idea. Help the judges understand your concept, why it solves a known challenge, and the thought & research you have behind it. Plain language with clear visuals will help you. It’s about your why!
Think about current technologies – how can they be applied in useful and new ways in one of the scenarios? Is it feasible now or in the near future? How?
Don’t try to “boil the ocean”. Target a smaller area of a larger challenge well. We find that pitches that address a smaller problem tend to have more depth in their presentation and are more compelling, as larger problems can be hard to solve in 90 seconds (!)
Use the content that is available throughout the AVA website. Every webinar held through the year is on the site as a recording, and so is the downloadable PDFs for each mission. Use those materials to gain insights into each scenario.

Tips for poster submissions

It’s not just an image, it has to have depth in terms of content.> What are you trying to solve?
> Why is that problem needing solving?
> How will you solve it?
> What are the materials & costs?
> What are the benefits?
> Who will be the user groups?
> Can you share a schematic?
> What research supports your ideas?

Who won in 2023?

Winner of the Great Space Pitch 2023