StellarXplorers IX Semifinal Round (SFR) 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 the Semifinal Round 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. The Semifinal Round will become available on February 16 at 12:01 AM ET and will expire on February 19 at 11:59 PM ET.
- Important Note: The scenario materials will be removed from the Portal on February 9 at 6:00 PM ET, however the Portal will remain open until 11:59 PM ET for teams to submit their SFR solution. The quiz will be unavailable after 11:30 PM ET on
- When your team is ready to compete, click Semis Unlocked!
STEP 3: Download the SFR Scenario Files
- On the Semifinal Round page, click SFR Scenario. All the necessary files (scenario booklet and VDF file) will be found in the SFR 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: Upload your team's VDF solution file
- Teams will be uploading a VDF solution file AND taking a quiz to submit their equipment selections.
- Once a team is finished working on the scenario, they may upload their VDF file for submission. Either drag and drop the files in to the designated area on the portal, or click the "down" arrow to select the files. Remember to use the correct file naming convention to avoid any penalties.
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- In the File Picker window, select Choose File to find the solution file on the computer.
- Click Upload this file to complete the upload process. Then click Finish Attempt
- 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 submit a different file, or click Submit all and finish if you are ready to submit your final solution.
- Click Submit all and finish on the confirmation pop-up to officially submit your solution.
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STEP 5: Complete and Submit the Selections Quiz
- 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.
STEP 6: Complete the Academic Quiz
Note: The is a "team quiz" and teams may elect to take the quiz anytime during the full competition window (February 16, 2023 at 12:01 AM ET to February 19, 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 page, click the SFR 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.
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- 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.
WE CANNOT REPEAT THIS ENOUGH... MAKE SURE YOU ARE SUBMITTING YOUR ANSWERS by clicking Submit all and finish.
Teams that do not send us a solution via their Portal will receive a score of ZERO for their scenario. It is fully the team’s responsibility to verify that the correct, completed files and responses are submitted. For SFR, this includes the VDF file AND the Selections Quiz. 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).
Teams that do not send us a solution via their Portal will receive a score of ZERO for their scenario. It is fully the team’s responsibility to verify that the correct, completed files and responses are submitted. For SFR, this includes the VDF file AND the Selections Quiz. 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).
