Artemis ROADS II FAQ

NESSP receives a lot of emails and phone calls from Mission Advisors, parents and participants from all over the US. Here are answers to some common questions we’ve received over the past month.

Q: When will we receive the stipend for attending the Artemis ROADS II Professional Development workshops?

A: All stipend checks were processed in December. Please allow 4 weeks for delivery. If you don’t receive a check by mid/late January, please email info@nwessp.org and we will follow up.

Q: Where can I learn more about the Artemis ROADS II National Student Challenge or other NESSP programs?

A: Our website www.nwessp.org is a great resource! You can find details about the Artemis ROADS II National Student Challenge, download the Challenge manual (in both English and Spanish), as well as find out information about upcoming summer programs at some of our partners like Red-Tailed Flying Hawks, Washington Aerospace Scholars or Montana Learning Center. 

Join us on January 9, 2024 at 4 pm Pacific when we host our next virtual Information Session. You can find the Zoom link and details on our Events and Announcements page nwessp.org/events-and-announcements/.

Q: When will Challenge supplies be mailed?

A: We will mail Artemis ROADS II Challenge supplies upon receipt of your completed contract documents.

Q: When will Office Hours begin?

A: Bi-weekly office hours begin Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at 4 pm. Schedule a time to meet one-on-one with NESSP staff using our online scheduler: calendar.app.google/6cgEbTbGrYsJ7aqj6.

Q: Who can receive Challenge supplies?

A: Only teams registered in the US, residents on tribal lands or indigenous communities within the US, or US territories can receive Challenge supply loans and receive recognition. Challenge supply equipment loans are available to teams composed of participants in rural, underserved or underrepresented communities.

Q: How many people can be on an Artemis ROADS II Challenge Team?

A: An Artemis ROADS II Challenge Team is a group of 3 – 6 students in grades 3 – 12 and at least one Mission Advisor.

Q: Who can be a Mission Advisor?

A: A Mission Advisor can be a classroom teacher, advisor for an extracurricular club, scout leader, or any responsible adult from the community.

Q: What format can my team use for its Mission Development Log (MDL)?

A: All Mission Development Logs must follow the template provided in the Official Artemis ROADS II National Student Challenge Manual available online at nwessp.org/artemis-roads-ii-challenge-manual. 

All MDLs must 

1. be submitted as a .pdf during the submission window May 1 – June 5, 2024;
2. include a title slide with team name, team number, team member’s names and the mission patch, Mission Objective 02 (MO-02);
3. have a completed table of contents;
4. include all deliverables for each completed MO; and 
5. be 50 slides or less (including the 9 blue MO direction slides).

Please note late entries and other formats will not be accepted.

Q: Which MOs are due and when?

A: The Challenge due dates can be found on page 4 of the Artemis ROADS II National Student Challenge Manual nwessp.org/artemis-roads-ii-challenge-manual. An email announcement will be sent when the portal to submit work will open and close. 

A quick overview is below:

January 17, 2024 Lift Off

Mission Advisors register with their name, contact and organization information. Mission Advisors that plan to have more than one team will need to register each team separately.

January 31, 2024 Injection Burn

Mission Advisors will submit their student team member names, information (demographics, etc) and an image of the team’s Mission Patch, Mission Objective 2 (MO-2).

March 15, 2024 Lunar Flyby

Mission Advisors will submit photos of the team’s work for 3 additional Mission Objectives. Teams can complete the MOs in whatever order they want.

Teams that plan to attend an In-Person Final Challenge “Hub Event” will register for the Hub event in their region.

June 5, 2024 Re-Entry

All final Mission Development Logs are due, this includes teams that are outside the regional area or teams that chose not to attend their regional Hub Event.

Teams that complete all MOs receive one entry into the NASA center drawing. Please note only team members that are at least 12 years of age and in the Crawler or Astrovan categories are eligible to attend the NASA center trip with their team and Mission Advisor.

Q: When and where will Artemis ROADS II In-person Final Challenge “Hub Events” be held this year?

A: Hub Events are in-person opportunities for teams to showcase their creativity and ingenuity. Teams will register for the Hub Event on March 15, 2024 via an online portal. 

Hub Events will be held between April and June 2024 in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Texas and Arizona. Teams that are based within a 4 – 6 hour drive radius from a Hub Event, may be eligible for travel support. Hub Event locations and details will be announced soon.

Additional Hub Event locations may be added based on the concentration of teams within a geographic regional area. If your team is based or located outside of the drive radius of a Hub Event your team will submit their Mission Development Log (MDL) virtually.

Q: If my team attends a Hub Event do I have to go?

A: Mission Advisors must accompany their team members for the duration of the Hub Event. We hope all teams that opt to attend a Hub Event will attend as an entire team at in person Hub Event, however we understand that you may have a schedule conflict and are unable to attend in person. Please understand that we are only able to provide recognition for those who physically attend an in person Hub Event. Consolation or alternate recognition will not be available for those who choose to not attend.

Q: Who can qualify for the NASA Center trip?

A: Teams who submit their complete MDL with deliverables for MO 01 – 08 between May 1 – June 5, 2024 are eligible for recognition including the NASA Center trip. Students must be US residents, residents of tribes or indigenous communities within the US, or citizens of recognized US territories in order to qualify for the NASA Center trip. Only team members that are at least 12 years of age and in the Crawler or Astrovan team classification categories are eligible to attend the NASA Center trip.

Q: When and where will the NASA center trip be held this year?

A: The preliminary dates for the NASA center trip are July 8 – 12, 2024. Additional details will be made available as we get closer to the close of the Artemis ROADS II National Student Challenge.

Q: If my team is selected to go to the NASA center trip do I have to go?

A: Mission Advisors must accompany their team members for the duration of the NASA center trip. We hope all teams who are afforded the opportunity to attend the NASA center trip will attend as an entire team, however we understand that you may have a schedule conflict and are unable to be part of this opportunity. Consolation or alternate recognition will not be available for those who choose to not attend the NASA center trip.