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Boise State students join forces with NASA to design next-generation spacesuits

Boise State University is invited to participate in the NASA Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students (SUITS) Artemis Student Challenge. SUITS is a software design challenge that tasks undergraduate and graduate students from across the United States with developing spacesuit information displays within augmented reality environments, to assist astronauts in conducting extravehicular activities (EVAs), also known as spacewalks, more effectively.

This challenge tackles key aspects of NASA’s Artemis missions, which will land the first woman and next man on the Moon, and provides students the opportunity to work hands-on toward contributing real solutions for NASA. Upon successful testing, each of the proposed user interface displays will have the potential to help astronauts on lunar explorations for the Artemis program.

The team of students from Boise State is one of 20 teams advancing to the next phase of the SUITS 2021 Challenge. Students will spend the next several months coding their augmented reality-based prototypes and preparing to share their finished work with NASA personnel. In addition to implementing their designs, all teams are encouraged to publish their research and present their findings at technical and STEM conferences, as well as conduct virtual outreach events to share their experiences and knowledge from SUITS with their communities.

Boise State’s SUITS teams have a strong record of producing quality products and have earned an invitation every year since 2015. To learn more, visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/news/2020/01/31/houston-we-have-solutions-students-work-to-understand-challenges-facing-nasa/

The institutions selected for the 2021 NASA SUITS Challenge include: Boise State University, Boise, Idaho; Bradley University, Peoria, Ill.; California State University – Northridge, Los Angeles, Calif.; Columbia University, New York, N.Y.; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.; Napa Valley College, Napa, Calif.; North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.; Northeastern University, Boston, Mass.; Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla.; Rutgers University, Piscataway, N.J.; San Antonio College, San Antonio, Tex.; Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, Albuquerque, N.M.; Texas A&M University – College Station, College Station, Tex.; University of Baltimore, Baltimore, Md.; University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fla.; University of Houston, Houston, Tex.; University of Maryland – College Park, College Park, Md.; University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez, Mayaguez, P.R.; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.; Wichita State University, Wichita, Kans..

NASA’s Artemis Student Challenges are managed by the NASA Office of STEM Engagement. The program supports the agency’s education policy of using NASA’s unique missions and programs to engage and encourage students to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers.

Learn more about NASA SUITS at: https://stem.nasa.gov/artemis/

For social media updates, follow @NASASTEM on Twitter and Facebook, along with #NASASUITS and #NASACODES.

Find out about NASA’s other STEM Engagement programs at: https://www.nasa.gov/stem/

Step into NASA spacewalking at: https://www.nasa.gov/suitup/