Beyond Earth: Inside the COLUMBUS Student Team That Designed a Future Among the Stars
After months of research, design, and collaboration, the ISB NASA Club’s COLUMBUS team achieved international recognition, earning an Honourable Mention in the NASA Space Settlement Contest, organized by the National Space Society (NSS). Competing against nearly 29,000 students from 31 countries, their project stood out among approximately 4,900 submissions in the Large Team category.
Beyond the award lies a deeper story—one of teamwork, persistence, and discovery. What lies behind this recognition? What does it take for a group of students to design a fully functional space settlement orbiting near Saturn? We sat down with members of the team, Year 12 students and their teacher—to uncover the story behind—we explore how an ambitious idea turned into a sophisticated vision for humanity’s future in space.
What was the COLUMBUS project about?
“We weren’t just designing a project—we were building a system.”
Ianis D., in charge of Life Support: We designed a space settlement that could function as a sustainable environment for humans. It wasn’t just theoretical—we had to think about how people would actually live there, from atmosphere and water systems to daily life and health.
Sergiu V, in charge of Life Support: The goal was to create a scientifically grounded concept. We explored artificial gravity, energy generation, life-support systems, and long-term sustainability, while also considering the social aspects of living in space.
At the heart of their concept lies a rotating habitat positioned at the Saturn–Sun Lagrange Point 1, capable of supporting approximately 25,000 residents. The structure integrates living areas, agriculture, and research facilities into a unified, self-sustaining system.
Dividing the Mission: Roles Within the Team
One of the defining strengths of the COLUMBUS team was its’ organisation into specialised roles. How did you divide the work?
Safa K. (Physics and Communication and Team Leader): We structured the team around subsystems. I worked on radiation shielding, energy systems, and communication systems, while also coordinating the entire team. Keeping everyone aligned required constant communication—sometimes daily.
Andrei E. (Engineering and Thermal Manager): I focused on heat management and impact shielding, but I also helped wherever support was needed. It was important that we stayed flexible.
Ianis D.: I was responsible for the Life Support system—things like atmosphere, water recycling, and basic medical systems to ensure survival.
Sung C.D and Kamel A. (Concept Designer & designer Integration): I handled the 3D design using Blender. I translated 2D plans into full models, working closely with teammates and our supervisor to refine the design.
Tudor N. (Infrastructure and Mining): I worked on energy storage, thrusters, and mining subsystems. My role was to research solutions and evaluate how these systems could function together.
Alex Z. (Construction and Planning): I was responsible for designing the physical structure and layout of the space settlement, including habitats, infrastructure, and expansion plans. I ensured the settlement can support long-term human life while adapting to environmental challenges and future growth.
Alexandra D. (Social): I was in charge of the social systems within the settlement, including governance, culture, education, and community well-being: creating a stable, inclusive society that supports mental health, cooperation, and quality of life to ensure harmony and long-term success of the population living in space.
This division allowed each student to specialise while still contributing to a cohesive final design—a reflection of real-world engineering teams.
What challenges did you face along the way?
“At the beginning, it was chaos—but that helped us grow.”
Kamel: Honestly, at the start, it was chaos. We didn’t know exactly how to organize ourselves. But through trial and error, we improved our coordination and communication.
Sung: There was some miscommunication at times, and coordination could have been better. But we adapted and improved as we went.
Safa: Maintaining consistent engagement across the team was a challenge. But as deadlines approached, everyone became more focused, and collaboration improved significantly.
Sergiu: One major difficulty was integrating different subsystems. Everything had to work together, which required constant adjustment and collaboration.
Despite early obstacles, the team gradually developed a structured workflow, learning to manage time, responsibilities, and expectations more effectively.
While the technical achievement is impressive, the learning experience proved equally valuable. What did you gain from this project?
Andrei: I learned how to write scientific-style papers and improved my critical thinking and communication skills. I also built strong friendships with my teammates.
Ianis: We gained a deeper understanding of how complex problems require interdisciplinary solutions. It wasn’t just one subject—it was everything combined.
Tudor: I developed stronger technical research and problem-solving skills. I also learned how to evaluate trade-offs between different engineering solutions.
Sergiu: The project improved our ability to structure large-scale work, manage information, and present complex ideas clearly.
Safa: For me, leadership was a major learning experience. I improved my communication, time management, and ability to coordinate a team under pressure.
From technical writing to advanced research, the project pushed students far beyond the traditional classroom experience.
The Power of Collaboration: How did teamwork evolve throughout the project?
Ianis: At first, we had to figure out how to divide tasks effectively. But over time, we improved our communication and supported each other more consistently.
Sergiu: We assigned roles based on strengths and maintained regular communication. This helped us integrate all components into a cohesive design.
Kamel: Every mistake helped us improve as a team. That’s how we became better coordinated.
Safa: Leadership required constant adjustment. But by the end, the team worked much more efficiently and collaboratively.
The experience highlighted a crucial lesson: success in complex projects depends not only on knowledge, but on collaboration and adaptability.
How did it feel to receive the Honourable Mention?
Safa: It was incredibly rewarding. Being placed in the top 50 out of nearly 4,900 projects shows how much effort the team put in.
Andrei: It made all the hard work worth it.
Sergiu: It validated our approach and showed that our ideas could stand at an international level.
Beyond rankings, the recognition served as a powerful motivator, reinforcing the value of their work.
Their Teacher’s Reflection
As their teacher reflects on the journey, one thing is clear—the project was transformative.
Mr. Ahmet Aki: What impressed me most was their perseverance. They worked across physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and economics, developing a truly interdisciplinary understanding. More importantly, they grew as thinkers, collaborators, and problem-solvers.
Looking back, what stands out most for the team is the range of experiences they gained throughout the project. Sung highlighted the challenge of learning something completely new, like using Blender, and applying it in a real context. Tudor emphasized understanding how complex systems are built and how everything must work together, while Ianis noted the importance of connecting different ideas into a single, functional system. For Safa, however, the relationships built along the way stood out most, with friendships and teamwork proving just as important as the final result.
Looking ahead, this project has sparked a deeper interest in science, engineering, and space exploration for many of the students. As Safa explained, the experience showed them they can take on complex challenges and succeed, influencing their future goals, while Sergiu noted it offered a real sense of what working in science or engineering is like. The COLUMBUS project is more than an award-winning design—it represents a vision of future human space habitation. Through innovation, teamwork, and determination, these students have shown that the next generation is already thinking beyond Earth. Their story is not just about earning an Honourable Mention in a global competition, but about curiosity, resilience, and the courage to imagine life among the stars.
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