In the push towards climate-friendly aviation and emerging aviation markets, this challenge seeks to investigate alternate energy sources that, if developed further, could be a solution to major climate impacts due to aviation. By crowdsourcing potential new energy sources and analyzing the entirety of the supply chain’s climate impacts, teams will help inform the “clean aviation energy” source of the 2050s. Teams are encouraged to research fuels that aren’t currently mainstream or highly regarded as becoming mainstream in the future. 

In the 2023 Blue Skies Competition, teams of 2 to 6 students will conceptualize the source-to-flight lifecycle of one potential clean aviation energy source of the 2050s, in terms of feasibility, viability, and environmental impact. This study starts with selecting a potential energy source that, under reasonable assumptions for propulsion and zero-emissions, can be applied to aviation. Teams should briefly overview the aviation landscape in which the selected energy source will be implemented. Teams should provide an assessment of today’s technology, manufacturing, and supply chain readiness levels, and how the readiness timelines will need to proceed to achieve realistic application of the clean aviation energy source in the 2050s. The bulk of the analysis should be spent on assessing the source-to-flight lifecycle of the energy source, not the specifics of the storage/use of the energy source on the airplane or after flight.

Initial participation involves a conceptual study, submission of a 5-7 page proposal, and creation of a video summarizing the team’s proposal. Based on the review of proposal submissions, up to 8 teams may be chosen to present their findings in a competitive review during the Gateways to Blue Skies Forum at a NASA Center next June. Each finalist team will receive a monetary award to facilitate full participation in the Forum.  Internship opportunities with NASA’s ARMD serve as the competition prize for members from the winning team.