StellarXplorers IX Qualification Round 3 (QR3) Competition Instructions

Please review these steps prior to the competition round. Questions regarding the process should be sent to competition@stellarxplorers.org.

STEP 1: Log in to the STLX Portal with your assigned team account credentials

​​Every team director has been sent login credentials for their team (stlx09-xxxx). Team Directors with more than one team will be given an individual account for each team. NOTE: This account is different from your personal/team director account that you used to register. The "team account" is the account you must use to access the documents and submit your solutions to be graded for each round. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO VIEW THE COMPETITION ROUND IF YOU LOG IN USING A PERSONAL ACCOUNT. 
​
  • Log in to the STLX Portal with your team account credentials. Organizations with multiple teams must have each team log into the Portal and access the scenario materials so that an official start time can be established for every team. Failure to do so will result in a team penalty.
  • Once logged in, you will see the screen pictured below. Click Enter Here​ to access the rounds

STEP 2: Access Qualification Round 3 on the STLX Portal

  • After you've entered the "course," you'll see a box for each competition round. They will appear as restricted until the date/time that each round is set to begin. Qualification Round 3 will become available on January 26 at 12:01 AM ET and will expire on January 29 at 11:59 PM ET.  
    • ​Note: The competition materials will be removed from the Portal on January 29 at 6:00 PM ET, however the Portal will remain open until 11:59 PM ET for teams to submit their QR3 solution
  • When your team is ready to compete, click Qualification Round 3.​

STEP 3: Download the QR3 Scenario Files

  • On the Qualification Round 3 page, click QR3 Scenario. All the necessary files (scenario booklet and VDF file) will be found in the QR3 Scenario section. ​​
  • Click Attempt Quiz Now to gain access to the PDF Competition Scenario Booklet (PDF) and the STK VDF file. Note: Clicking Attempt Quiz Now will start your team's 6-hour time limit.
  • Click the file links to begin the downloads.

STEP 4: Submit your team's QR3 selections

  • Teams will NOT be uploading any files to the portal for QR3.  Instead, they will be taking a quiz to make their equipment selections.  For example, question #1 might read

Which Launch Vehicle do you wish to use?

A. Vehicle #1 
B. Vehicle #2 
C. Vehicle #3
​​
  • Fill in your selections for each question, and submit the quiz. 
  • A team may submit up to three attempts. Note: the last attempt submitted is the one that will be graded.
    • Click Return to attempt if you need to change your selections, or click Submit all and finish if you are ready to submit your final selections.
  • Click Submit all and finish on the confirmation pop-up to officially submit your solution.
WE CANNOT REPEAT THIS ENOUGH... MAKE SURE YOU ARE SUBMITTING YOUR ANSWERS by clicking Submit all and finish.

Several teams have failed to submit solutions in past rounds because they have not followed these instructions. Teams that do not send us their selections via the Portal will receive a score of ZERO for the scenario. ​Submissions received after the closing of a team’s six-hour period will be subject to the StellarXplorers time penalty rules (1% scenario score reduction for every minute after a five-minute grace period).

STEP 5: Complete the Academic Quiz

Note: The is a "team quiz" and teams may elect to take the quiz anytime during the full competition window (January 26, 2023 at 12:01 AM ET to January 29, 2023 at 11:30 PM ET). It does not have to be taken during the team's six-hour competition period for completing the scenario problem. For best results, we recommend reviewing the provided quiz study guide, and using the Understanding Space text book as a resource during the quiz (open-book).
  • From the main Qualification Round 3 page, click the QR3 Quiz link. Click Attempt Quiz Now. A pop-up with a time-limit warning will appear.
  • Click Start Attempt to begin. Teams are only allowed 1 attempt for the quiz.
  • Once are the questions have been answered, click Finish Attempt... to being the quiz submission process
  • You will see a summary of the questions and answers (saved), with options to Return to attempt or Submit all and finish.
  • Click Submit all and finish (and again on the confirmation page) to submit your team's completed Academic Quiz.