REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

1 January 2059

"Columbiat" Space Settlement Contract

INTRODUCTION

This is a request by the Foundation Society for contractors to propose the design,
development, construction, and operations planning of the third large space settlement community in
Earth orbit. The need and requirements for the "Columbiat" space settlement have been established
through studies performed by the Foundation Society. This settlement will primarily provide a
business and banking center in space.
Growth of commercial enterprises in near-Earth space will soon exceed the capability of the
two existing large settlements in Earth orbit, Alexandriat and Bellevistat, to meet the corresponding
demand for services and residential expansion. Foundation Society membership is growing rapidly
as space industry executives realize that establishing a home on a Society settlement enables them to
manage their space-based businesses more effectively.
Bellevistat's value as a center for zero-g heavy manufacturing and repair is proving more
lucrative for the Society than had been predicted, even by optimistic estimates. Although only in
operation for five years, the settlement's facilities are operating at capacity, and designs are being
developed to expand manufacturing capability for new inter-orbit space vehicles. Major products
are silicon buckystructure materials, a form of lunar silicon resembling the structure of carbon
nanotubes. The material is extraordinarily strong in tension and can be formed into flexible strands
and cables of unlimited length, or vast nets and sheets of fabric. Colors range from milky white to
quartzlike transparency; properties of different forms and with various introduced impurities
include thermal insulating qualities, electrical conductivity, sound transmission, adhesion, or light
refraction. All forms of the material tolerate the space environment with no degradation.
Improvements in silicon buckystructure manufacturing have produced a form of the material that is
suitable for a space elevator between the Earth-Moon L1 libration point and the lunar surface.
During construction of Columbiat, Alexandriat will undergo further modifications. The
rotation rate will be slowed, and a concentric ring will be built around the existing torus, enabling
Alexandriat to eventually accommodate five times its current population. The inside ring will
become a low-g retirement community, with its atmosphere maintained at slightly higher pressure
for the comfort of its elderly residents. The Foundation Society also has plans to establish the
University of Space Science and Technology at Alexandriat, to service the research and higher
education needs of the growing spacer population.
Columbiat will serve to divert the bustle of commercial and tourist traffic away from
Alexandriat and Bellevistat. It will be a vibrant urban metropolis, meeting the needs of the ships,
crews, and passengers who transport goods and do business in space. The Foundation Society
sees it as a “Singapore-in-orbit”, a crossroads port where large cargo ships come to transfer their
loads to smaller ships and vice versa, products from the Alaskol settlement on the Moon are
delivered for transport to their eventual destinations, companies keep headquarters to run their
affairs in space, and everyone in space does their banking. It will be a “city that never sleeps”; the
settlement's port facilities will service ships that operate on differing schedules or "time zones".
Columbiat will also be an appropriate location for the Foundation Society itself to move its own
headquarters operations; it is envisioned as a Capital City in space.
The name “Columbiat” derives from the role that the Columbia River played in opening the
frontier of the American Pacific Northwest to commerce; Columbiat is anticipated to be equally
important in developing commercial opportunities for the space frontier.

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FORMAT AND SCHEDULE

For entries from Regions other than the US and Canada with Semi-Finalist Competitions or selection
processes, follow submittal instructions from the corresponding Regional Coordinators.

For U.S. and Canadian entries, THREE single-sided copies and/or originals plus one pdf version of each
proposal must be received by the Foundation Society no later than Wednesday 29 March.
A U.S. Mail postmark of Saturday 30 March or earlier, or international air mail postmark of Wednesday 27
March or earlier, will be accepted as meeting the 30 March proposal submittal deadline.

Only entries from registered teams are eligible to advance in the Competition. Submit proposals in the
English language, single-sided on 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper (or nearest international equivalent), with a 40 page limit,
print 10-point or larger with standard spacing, and all margins one inch or larger--print and image area 6 1/2 by 9
inches (16.5 by 22.8 cm) excluding header, footer, and page numbers. For font size reference, this page is Times
New Roman 10-point text with standard spacing and required margins (measure--printers vary!). Cover page,
“Proposing Team Data” page, table of contents, section dividers, and Appendices A through C do not count against
the 40-page limit. Any proposal paragraphs may refer to the overall settlement drawing(s) required in the Executive
Summary. Proposal content must be arranged in seven sections and three Appendices, numbered as follows:
1.0 Executive Summary [brief description of overall design features and merits]
2.0 Structural Design
2.1 External Configuration
2.2 Internal Arrangement
2.3 Construction Process
2.4 and 2.5 corresponding to Statement of Work (SOW) paragraphs
3.0 Operations and Infrastructure
3.1 Location and Materials Sources
3.2 Community Infrastructure
3.3 Construction Machinery
3.4 and 3.5 corresponding to SOW paragraphs
4.0 Human Factors and Safety
4.1 Community Design
4.2 Residential Design
4.3 Safety Systems
4.4 and 4.5 corresponding to SOW paragraphs
5.0 Automation Design and Services [computer and robot systems]
5.1 Automation of Construction Processes
5.2 Facility Automation
5.3 Habitability and Community Automation
5.4 and 5.5 corresponding to SOW paragraphs
6.0 Schedule and Cost
6.1 Design and Construction Schedule
6.2 Costs
7.0 Business Development (may reference other sections where RFP “7.0” requirements are met)
Appendix A: Operational Scenario (limited to 4 pages)
Appendix B: Bibliography / References: reference ANY art or text not original for this proposal
Appendix C: Compliance Matrix
.
Proposals must be submitted as hard copies (with ONE pdf exception, defined in submittal instructions).
Proposals may suggest alternate names for this settlement, within the Foundation Society’s established
naming convention that requires the name to begin with the letter “C” (third settlement in an “at” location) and end
with the suffix “at” (settlement is in orbit “around Terra”).
If a proposal has more than 40 pages (excluding cover, registration page, table of contents, section dividers,
and Appendices A, B and C), only the first 40 pages will be reviewed and judged.
Drawings and/or maps included in the proposal must show dimensions consistently in English (feet/miles) or
metric (meters/kilometers) notation, except where specified by the SOW.
Note source of every drawing, image, graph or matrix, directly below the item; e.g., name of artist(s) or CAD
operator(s) in your company, book, Internet site, article, floor plan by [artist name] using Roomsketcher (for
example), or work from a previous proposal. If AI-generated, identify software and prompts used to create content.
Unattributed or illegible images will not be judged.

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STATEMENT OF WORK

1. Basic Requirements - Describe the design, development, construction, and

operations/maintenance planning for the Columbiat space settlement in Earth orbit.
Executive Summary minimum requirement: provide a full-page dimensioned drawing(s) depicting
overall exterior view(s) of the settlement, clearly showing major visible features (e.g., solar panels,
antennas, radiators), showing rotating and non-rotating sections, pressurized and non-pressurized
volumes, and indicating functions inside each volume (e.g., research, port facilities, warehousing,
residential areas, utilities). Other proposal sections are expected to refer to this drawing(s).

2. Structural Design - When completed, Columbiat must provide a safe and pleasant living and
working environment for 45,000 full-time residents, plus an additional transient population, up to
5000, of business and official visitors, guests of residents, and vacationers. The design must enable
residents to have natural views of Earth and the Moon.
2.1 Exterior design drawings must identify all volumes and their uses, and show dimensions of
major structural features. Identify construction materials used for major structural components.
Artificial gravity level will be maximum 0.8 g at ground level, and no less than 0.5 g in any
residential, office, or commercial area. Air pressure must be the same on both sides of any rotating
interface. Specify means for providing protection from radiation and debris penetration.
Minimum requirement: description of hull materials and design.
2.2 Specify uses of interior “down surfaces”, with areas allocated and drawings labeled and
dimensioned to show residential, industrial, commercial, and other uses. Show orientation of
“down surfaces” with respect to overall settlement design, and vertical clearance in each area.
Minimum requirement: overall map or layout of interior land areas, showing usage of those areas.
2.3 Describe settlement construction processes; show the sequence in which major components
will be assembled. Describe construction of interior structures, making use of minimally refined
lunar materials where possible. Specify when artificial gravity will be applied. CASSSCs delivered
during construction may be converted to interior structures, or otherwise repurposed.
Minimum requirement: drawing(s) showing at least nine steps of settlement assembly.
2.4 Columbiat will consist of three separate structures orbiting in formation, with different
configurations to accommodate business functions assigned to each one
Minimum requirement: specify business functions assigned to each ot the three structures.
2.5 The three structures will be built one at a time, with business functions migrating to the
second and third structures when they become functional
Minimum requirement: show changes to the original structure as functions are moved to the
second, and changes to the second structure as functions are moved to the third.

3. Operations and Infrastructure - Describe facilities and infrastructure necessary for

building and operating the Columbiat space settlement.
3.1 Columbiat will operate in an orbit around the Earth-Luna L4 libration point. Identify sources
of materials and equipment that will be used in construction and operations, and means for
transporting those materials and assets to the construction location(s). Use of lunar materials is
encouraged, and transportation costs are reduced by shipping in CASSSCs.
Minimum requirement: table identifying types, amounts, and sources of construction materials.
3.2 Columbiat design will show elements of basic infrastructure required for the activities of the
settlement's residents, including (but not limited to):
• atmosphere & climate (identify air composition at 0.75 Earth sea level, and quantity),
• food production (including growing, harvesting, storing, packaging, delivering, selling),
• electrical power generation (specify kilowatts), distribution, and allocation for specific uses,
• water management (specify water quantity, storage facilities, distribution, and sewer routing),
• household and industrial solid waste management (specify recycling and/or disposal),
• internal and external communication systems (specify devices and central equipment), and
• internal transportation systems (show routes and vehicles, with dimensions).
Define initial quantities of air, water, food, and other consumables as the number of CASSSC-loads
required for each commodity. It is preferred that air, water, other commodities, and standard
infrastructure components be supplied by subcontractors.
Minimum requirement: specify CASSSC-loads and delivery schedule required for commodities.

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3.3 Show designs of primary machines, jigs, and equipment employed for constructing the
settlement, especially for assembling exterior hull and interior buildings / structures using standard
components. Jigs must keep components aligned and precisely in proper position until they are
joined, enable access for tools to complete joints, and enable access for subsequent inspection.
Show how construction machinery, jigs, and tools are shipped to the construction site.
Minimum requirement: drawing(s) of construction jigs, and how they are assembled on-site.
3.4 Provide ferry service between the three structures that comprise Columbiat. Suggest number
of ferries in the fleet, passenger and cargo capability of vessels, and frequency of service.
Minimum requirement: show location(s) of ferry terminal(s) at each Columbiat structure.
3.5 Describe operational capabilities at the different phases of construction. Include port capacity
for accommodating ships, and cargo and passenger handling capability.
Minimum requirement: list when facilities will be available for each anticipated business tenant to
move into Columbiat and start operating there

4. Human Factors - Quality of life is important to Foundation Society members, who expect
Columbiat to offer community attributes that citizens of Earth's small cities might enjoy. Assure
that natural sunlight and views of Earth and the Moon below are readily available to residents.
4.1 Columbiat will provide services that residents expect in comfortable modern communities
(e.g., good food, education, entertainment, medical, parks and recreation), variety and quantity of
consumables and other supplies, and public areas designed with open space and long lines of sight.
Show locations and relative sizes of buildings and facilities
Minimum requirement: map(s) of overall community design, including locations of amenities and
services; specify numbers and types of restaurants, stores, and other community services.
4.2 Provide designs of typical residences--single family, connected in rows, and condominiums,
clearly showing room sizes. Offer residents differentiated neighborhoods to suit a variety of
preferences for architectural design and lifestyle choices. Anticipated demographics of the original
population are: Married adults 70% (average age 40, median age 35)
Single Men 15% (average age 33, median age 34)
Single Women 10% (average age 40, median age 35)
Children (under 18) 5% (average age 11, median age 9)
Estimate numbers of different types of furniture (e.g., chair, table, sofa, desk) that will be required
for residential and office areas, and identify source(s) of furniture items.
Minimum requirement: external drawing and interior floor plan of at least six home designs, the
area (preferably in square feet) for each residence design, and the number required of each design.
4.3 Specify spacesuit features, types, quantities, and donning / doffing locations(s) required to
enable work and recreation outside of pressurized volumes; and safety systems enabling crew
inspection and repair of exterior surfaces of rotating volumes. Provide protection from radiation
and severe solar flares. Define how residents and visitors are informed of emergency situations.
Estimate number of crewmembers who will work outside of pressurized volumes during different
construction phases.
Minimum requirement: describe accommodations for evacuees from a compromised volume.
4.4 Columbiat will be the flagship of Foundation Society settlements and the most-visited single
place in space. Guests must have a favorable first impression upon arrival. Show passenger arrival
/ departure facilities. Show location(s) and design(s) of hotel(s) or other visitor accommodations.
Describe security measures to unobtrusively monitor visitors and assure that their activities do not
interfere with lives of permanent residents.
Minimum requirement: floor plans of arrival / departure areas and public areas of hotels, e.g.,
lobby, restaurant(s), and shop(s).
4.5 Describe allocation of total population between the three structures that comprise Columbiat at
each phase of construction, with rationale for these decisions.
Minimum requirement: list demographics of populations, e.g., office workers or maintenance staff.

5. Automation Design and Services - For each subparagraph, specify numbers, dimensions,
and types of computer systems, robots, and other computing and information processing devices,
multi-function personal electronic tools, servers, network devices, and/or drones required to operate
the settlement, run its community and businesses, and provide convenience, entertainment, and
safety for residents and visitors. Describe types and capacities of data storage media, data collection,

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data distribution, data security, and user access to computer networks. Specify capabilities and
monitoring systems for robots, drones, and settlement automated systems. Identify automated
processes that require monitoring; provide control rooms and show consoles / displays for
automated systems that require human oversight; list and describe types of alerts to get human
attention for problem resolution, and specify reason(s) for each type of of alert.
5.1 Describe uses of automation for construction of settlement structures. Show designs of
robots and other automation systems created uniquely for building this project. Consider
automation for transportation and delivery of materials and equipment, hazardous tasks,
constructing interior buildings, installing utilities and infrastructure, and finishing interior spaces
and surfaces. Specify applications appropriate for fixed-base, articulating, mobile, and/or other
robot types. Show how jigs hold robots in position to perform construction tasks in zero g.
Minimum requirement: drawings showing automated construction and assembly devices--both for
exterior and interior applications (e.g., homes)--and illustrating how they operate.
5.2 Specify automation systems for settlement industry, agriculture, port, maintenance, repair, and
safety functions; show how automation works together with crew to perform these tasks. Describe
when and how human intervention in automated functions is required. Describe means for
authorized personnel to access critical data and command computing and robot systems; include
descriptions of security measures to assure that only authorized personnel have access, and only for
authorized purposes. Robots required for emergency external repairs must survive and accomplish
tasks during solar flare activity.
Minimum requirement: chart or table listing anticipated automation requirements for operation of
the settlement, and identifying particular systems and robots to meet each automation need.
5.3 Describe features of automation devices to enhance livability in the community, productivity
in work environments, and convenience in residences. Emphasize use of automation to perform
maintenance and routine tasks, and reduce requirements for manual labor. Describe access to
community computing assets and robot resources from homes and workplaces. Provide for privacy
of personal data and control of systems in private spaces. Describe devices for personal delivery of
communications services, entertainment, information, computing, and robot resources.
Minimum requirement: define features of robots and computing systems that people will encounter
in Columbiat, and diagram(s) of network(s) and bandwidth requirements to enable connectivity.
5.4 Provide automated cargo handling systems for cargo ships that will completely unload and
load, warehouses for temporary storage of goods and bulk materials, and inventory management.
Anything moving in near-Earth space may transfer between vehicles at Columbiat.
Minimum requirement: illustration, chart, or matrix showing inventory management system; and
illustration of automated unloading/loading system(s).
5.5 Computing center(s) and capabilities must enable secure networked internal communications
for each resident company while providing interconnectivity for transferring data between
companies. Facilities of companies resident at Columbiat will primarily be district offices
responsible for remote operations, and must have reliable connectivity with corporate headquarters
and other company offices on Earth, on Luna, and/or in space.
Minimum requirement: describe differences between systems providing connectivity between
company offices at Columbiat and other corporate locations.

6. Schedule and Cost - The proposal will include a schedule for completion and occupation of
Columbiat, and costs for design through construction phases of the schedule.
6.1 The schedule must describe contractor tasks from the time of contract award (1 May 2059)
until the customer assumes responsibility for operations of the completed settlement. Show
schedule dates when Foundation Society members may begin moving into their new homes, and
when the entire original population will be established in the community.
Minimum requirement: Gantt chart showing durations and completion dates of major tasks, with
increments no larger than monthly.
6.2 Specify costs associated with Columbiat design through construction in U.S. dollars, without
consideration for economic inflation. Do not include costs of consumables shipped and delivered
in CASSSCs; do specify number of CASSSC-loads of each commodity required to be shipped to
the construction site. Do not include costs of Subcontractor-supplied goods and services; do
specify what is required from Subcontractors (including for capabilities not listed) so that the
Foundation Society can separately contract with them.

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Minimum requirement: spreadsheet(s) listing separate costs associated with different phases of
construction, and Subcontractor contracts required to be arranged by the Customer

7. Business Development - Columbiat will host various commercial and industrial ventures,
which may change with time. The original configuration must, however, accommodate three major
business pursuits:
• Transportation Node and Port Serving Companies Doing Business in Space
- Most cargo will arrive and ship out in CASSSCs
- Docking, warehousing, and cargo-handling capability to transfer freight between
spacecraft; visiting ships may be crewed passenger transports with limited cargo,
crewed freighters with limited passengers, or autonomous freighters
- Terminal facilities to handle passenger traffic between Earth, Earth orbit destinations,
the Moon, and other locations in the solar system
- visiting ships may require refueling, limited repair services, and tugs to assist with
docking; include a base for operating a fleet of up to 10 tugs and tow / rescue vehicles
- When the Foundation Society initiates operations of settlements near and on Mars,
numbers of visitors in transit may temporarily reach 5000
• Space Commerce, Financial, and Tourism Center
- Office facilities to enable businesses to establish a presence in space
- Industrial Park(s) for manufacturing, assembly, and other industrial operations
- Facilities for offices of banks that plan to establish centers to service financial needs
of space-based companies, space settlement residents, and ships’ crews
- Stock Exchange for non-terrestrial companies
- New Foundation Society headquarters, with staff managing businesses and
investments, researching new settlement locations, and providing member services
- Offer a wide variety of activities to visitors: ships’ crews will expect “rest and
recreation” options in a city environment away from the confines of their ships; in-
transit vacationers will expect resorts, restaurants, theaters, museum, and amusements
• Space Governance, Legal, and Defense Services
- Columbiat governance / management: control center for Captain and crew; and
offices for Mayor, City Council, Police, and staff
- Maintain space property records, and courts to resolve legal disputes
- Embassies of terrestrial governments
- Garrison for U.S. and allied Space Forces

8. Appendices - although required to be included, will NOT count against the 40-page limit.
A. Operational Scenario - List skills / job functions required for running the community, and
justify the number of individuals who will be employed in each skill (e.g., electricians, plumbers,
hotel and restaurant workers, police, firefighters, hospital staff, ...
B. Bibliography / References - Any text or image that is not an original creation specifically
for this proposal (e.g., artwork from a website, book, magazine, journal, or prior proposal) must be
specifically referenced to source materials listed here.
C. Compliance Matrix - Include a table that lists each requirement in the SOW, and specifies
the page in the proposal where that requirement is addressed.

EVALUATION STANDARDS

Evaluation of each design presentation considers four general categories of factors:

A. Thoroughness - Design meets depth and diversity of requirements in the entire SOW.
Graphs, tables, drawings, and compliance matrices aid evaluation of this factor.
B. Credibility - Design addresses requirements, safety, physical laws, and cost/schedule in a
believable manner. Errors, impossibilities, omissions, and illogic are penalized.
C. Balance - Proposal places equal emphasis on four technical areas: structural design,
operations, livability, and automation. Proposal is organized in a logical, easy-to-follow manner.
D. Innovation - Design demonstrates original thinking to address SOW requirements.
Technologies are applied and combined in unique and creative ways.

© Aerospace Education Competitions 2023