Patch Design Competition
Be part of our journey!
Creatives in the Azores have the opportunity to be part of our mission.
Competition Objective
The CAMões Patch Design Competition aims to engage aspiring artists, space enthusiasts, and students across all of Portugal in creating a symbolic mission patch for this inaugural analog.
Patch Design Criteria
Designs for the mission patch should reflect the core themes and objectives of the Azores CAMões research mission: a focus on exploring the potential of lava tube caves in the Azores, Portugal for geosciences, sustainable human habitation research, human performance, and astrobiology.
Participants are encouraged to incorporate elements related to caves, geological features, microbiology, and space exploration – capturing the spirit of scientific exploration and innovation.
The patch design should also honour the location: Gruta do Natal, or Natal Cave. Symbolism related to the cave’s unique characteristics, geological significance, and potential as a habitat for human habitation in space exploration should be integrated into the design.
Format and Technical Requirements
Patch designs must adhere to the following format and technical specifications:
- Size: The patch design should be a circle with a minimum diameter of 3 inches (7.62 cm) and a maximum diameter of 5 inches (12.7 cm).
- Resolution: A minimum resolution of 300 DPI (dots per inch) is required to ensure high-quality reproduction.
- File Format: Designs must be submitted digitally, preferably as a high-resolution JPEG or PNG file.
Participant Eligibility
The competition is open to individuals who meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Age: Participants must be 13 – 17 years old at the time of entry.
- Student Status: The Competition welcomes submissions from students enrolled in educational institutions, including grammar school, middle school, and high schools.
- Geographic Restriction: The Competition is open to individuals residing in both the Azores, Madeira and mainland Portugal.
Submission Guidelines: Participants can submit their designs at the link below. The submission period begins on August 25, 2023 and ends on December 20, 2023.
Each participant is allowed to submit only one (1) entry.
NOTE: Given the submission dates have been amended, those applicants who have submitted their designs already are allowed more time to update them if they wish. If you choose to update your submission, please indicate it is your “UPDATED” version.
Teams can also submit. A team can submit only one (1) entry. Individual members of a team cannot submit separate designs from their team.
Evaluation Process: A panel of experts, including scientists, artists, and space industry professionals will evaluate the patch designs based on the following criteria:
- Relevance to the CAMões mission goals and objectives.
- Creativity and originality.
- Visual impact and composition.
- Symbolism and representation of the CAMões mission themes.
- Clarity and attention to detail.
- Craftsmanship and execution.
The Evaluation Committee will determine the winning design based on the total scores assigned to each criteria.
Award: The Competition offers exciting awards for the winning design, including:
- A certificate of achievement signed by the CAMões team;
- Printed patch for the winning individual or team (one per team member);
- Printed patches that the CAMões analog crew will wear during their analog simulation;
- Printed patches that the CAMões analog crew;
- Feature of their design and patch on CAMões social media and photos;
- Signed photo of the CAMões analog crew wearing the patch;
- Feature of their design and patch on CAMões social media and photos taken in mission;
- Signed photo of the CAMões analog crew wearing the patch during the lava tube cave analog;
- Feature of their winning design and the artist in a CAMões Press Release;
- Use of the winning design for CAMões promotional materials; and
- Winning design and artist featured on the CAMões website.
Important Dates:
Competition Start Date: August 25, 2023
Competition End Date: December 20, 2023
Winner Announcement Date: January 10, 2024