The Arecibo Observatory Space Academy encourages high school students to research on diverse topics involving the development and design of a Space Settlement, a habitable colony for the human race to live in space. The students, during an intense 10-week program are able to evaluate today's and future technology in order to apply it to their own adaptation of BANA Space Settlement. 

 

BANA Space Settlement, is a new life style, that offers future generations the ideal Utopia. BANA, by its Taíno origin, meaning great or grand place is an innovative space settlement that contains both the latest technologies and necessary basics for human life in space. This project was started on August 2012, later on submitted to the NSS-NASA Ames Space Settlement Design Competition on March 1st, 2013. The project obtained Third Place world wide on the 12th and 11th grade category and Honorable Mention in Literary Merit. BANA Space Settlement is continuing to evolve and expand through the future pioneers and crew members.