23 October 2025
Earlier this year the Western Australian Space Science Education Centre (WASSEC) celebrated the outstanding success of its inaugural Mission to Mars Mission Patch Design Competition (2025–2026).
With a vision to inspire creativity and foster STEM engagement among students, the competition captured imaginations across the state, attracting more than 2,500 entries from 87 WA schools. The designs showcased an incredible blend of artistic talent and passion for space exploration, reflecting the enthusiasm of young Western Australians for the future of science and discovery.
Celebrating the Winner
On Friday 26 September our Director Phil Wass congratulated Jasmine Barton (Year 12, Kalamunda Senior High School) whose winning design was selected from the thousands of entries. As a part of Jasmine’s prize she received a free class pass to our Mission to Mars program, which she enjoyed alongside 22 lucky Year 11 and 12 students. Guided by Kalamunda Senior High School staff Ian McMullen and Matthew Millan, the students experienced hands-on simulations of interplanetary exploration, including astronaut briefings, mission control simulations and collecting real data and samples from our Mars surface.
Jasmine’s passion for STEM has been evident in her wide-ranging interests. She has attended presentations from the Australian Female Astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, participated in Curtin University robotics initiatives with Meg Berry and her team from the Binar Space Program, and her post school pathway is leading her to pursue a double degree in Science and Engineering at University of Western Australia majoring in Physics and Robotics. After university she wants to have a career in the space industry. Alongside her academic interests, Jasmine is also a highly talented artist—qualities that came together in her winning patch design.
Bringing the Patch to Life
To honour Jasmine’s achievement, WASSEC has produced 10,000 stickers and more than 200 woven patches, now proudly worn on our Astronaut suits and displayed at the Centre. Every student visiting WASSEC receives a sticker of the patch as a reminder of their journey.
On Friday, 26 September, WASSEC Director Phil Wass personally presented Jasmine with copies of her patch at her final school assembly—recognition of her creativity, leadership, and commitment to the future of STEM.
Inspiring the Next Generation
The Mission Patch Design Competition has not only celebrated artistic expression but has also deepened student engagement with space science and exploration. WASSEC looks forward to building on this momentum in future competitions and programs, continuing to inspire the next generation of innovators, explorers, and problem-solvers.
