CosmoQuest

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

CosmoQuest provides a platform that enables citizen scientists and space enthusiasts to learn astronomy and planetary science, contribute to real NASA-related projects, access podcasts and videos, and engage with a global science community.

Target Customer

{"Citizen scientists","Astronomy/space enthusiasts","Educators and students interested in astronomy and planetary science","Researchers and science communicators"}

Key Differentiator

NASA-funded/collaborative citizen science platform with real mission work (e.g., Bennu Mappers for OSIRIS-REx), a broad suite of podcasts and live streams, multilingual content (Visión Cósmica), and an active community (Discord, forums) hosted by a non-profit scientific institution.

Implementation Timeline

Not specified in the provided content

Pain Points

1Lack of funding for research and education programs in science communication
2Barriers for the general public to participate in real space science
3Fragmented science content and outreach without a centralized, community-driven platform

Key Features

1World Mappers and Bennu Mappers citizen science projects (NASA OSIRIS-REx contract) for image annotation and science collaboration
2A suite of podcasts and video content (365 Days of Astronomy, Astronomy Cast, Escape Velocity, Daily Space) and live streams on Twitch/YouTube
3Community platforms including Discord and forums for discussion, collaboration, and real-world engagement
4Educational onboarding: login to credit contributions, tutorials, and guided participation
5Patreon and Kindful-based funding model to support ad-free content and exclusive content

Target Customer Industries

Client Results

1Bennu Mappers: over 3,500 volunteers made more than 14 million annotations of rocks, boulders, and craters across thousands of images from the OSIRIS-REx mission
2Successful integration of a citizen science workflow into a NASA mission support project
3Continued production and distribution of multiple ongoing science shows and live content across multiple platforms

Competitive Advantages

1Direct involvement in real space missions and data analysis (Bennu Mappers) rather than purely educational content
2Strong partnerships with NASA missions and institutional backing (Planetary Science Institute)
3Multi-channel content ecosystem (podcasts, videos, live streams) and multilingual expansion (Visión Cósmica)
4Community-driven with active forums, Discord, and the Weekly Space Hangout network
5Non-profit model with donor-supported funding (Patreon, Kindful) and tax-deductible contributions where allowed

Key Benefits

1Contribute to real space science projects (e.g., Bennu Mappers) and gain credit for contributions

2Access a broad library of educational podcasts, videos, and live streams

3Engage with a global community via Discord and forums

4Support and sustain science communication through Patronage and donations

Case Studies & Success Stories

Bennu Mappers (OSIRIS-REx mission)

Case #1

Over 3,500 volunteers contributed more than 14 million annotations of rocks, boulders, and craters across thousands of images to help identify a safe sampling site for the Touch and Go sample return mission (sample collection occurred in October 2020).

Additional Product Information

Product Description

CosmoQuest is an independent science and science communications platform produced by the Planetary Science Institute, focused on learning astronomy and planetary science, and enabling community-driven space science projects and content.

Target Market

Public-facing science enthusiasts, educators, students, and citizen scientists who want to learn, contribute to real space science projects, and engage with a global science community

Unique Value Proposition

A NASA-backed, non-profit citizen science platform that combines hands-on data annotation projects with rich educational content and a vibrant community, enabling meaningful public participation in real space missions

Technical Requirements

Pricing Model

Patreon memberships and one-time donations (Kindful); contributions can be tax-deductible where allowed by law

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