Overview

• Chrysalis, a 58-kilometer cylindrical vessel powered by helium-3/deuterium fusion, topped the contest with rotating habitats to generate artificial gravity.
• Runner-up designs WFP Extreme and Systema Stellare Proximum emphasized cultural cohesion in twin-ring modules and radiation shielding within a hollowed-out asteroid, respectively.
• Contest rules required reliance on existing or near-future technologies, barring faster-than-light travel and suspended animation.
• Nearly 100 interdisciplinary entries were evaluated by an expert panel that included NASA scientists for both technical viability and long-term psychological sustainability.
• Organizers say these conceptual blueprints will inform further research into closed-loop life-support systems and governance models for multi-generational crews.