Derby Teenager Wins UK Space Agency Competition

A teen from Derby won £3,000 in the UK Space Agency SatelLife competition. The agency initiated the competition to find innovative ideas on how satellites can enhance life on Earth.

Awais Ali, a 16-year-old pupil from Derby Grammar School, receives the £3,000 as well as expert assistance on how to make his winning idea a reality. 

Ali’s suggestion focused on an app aimed at cyclists. The app assists them with selecting routes and automatically send alerts if they were involved in an accident. 

UK Space Agency SatelLife Competition inspires the next generation

This was UK Space Agency’s fifth annual SatelLife Competition. It asks for young people to provide their suggestions on how data collected from space can enhance daily life. Winners receive a share of £50,000. 

Some of the ideas this year included improving earthquake predictions, carbon absorption protect plans, and helping energy consumers. 

Dr. Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said:

“The countdown is on for Britain to become the first nation in Europe to offer small satellite launch, building on our world-leading satellite manufacturing industry. Seeing satellites launch from the UK for the first time will be a huge moment and one that I hope will inspire people to think about the opportunities in our growing space sector.

It is fantastic to see young people so passionate about using space tech to improve our lives, and my congratulations go to Awais, the team from the University of Leicester, and all the runners-up. It is this imagination and creativity that will ensure the UK space sector continues to grow.”

Awais Ali commented on his win, saying:

“When I heard I had won, I was ecstatic. My idea started when I read up about the eCall technology in cars, which automatically calls emergency services with your location in the event of an accident, but I couldn’t find any similar products made especially for cyclists, like myself. Cyclists regularly ride in rural areas and often in isolation, so a design feature to ensure their safety is paramount.

“I would be thrilled to have my idea taken into production as it would be so rewarding to be part of a product that could save a life.”