Jump to content

Students Create Elaborate Homemade Machines for JPL Competition


Recommended Posts

  • Publishers
Posted

To compete in a race against the clock and each other, 18 student teams built complicated contraptions for the annual Invention Challenge at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Some 250 students hauled homemade machines they’d spent weeks honing to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on Friday, Dec. 8, for the 24th annual JPL Invention Challenge.

The rules for the creative engineering competition change every year, but the overall goal is the same: Build a device capable of accomplishing a specified task within 60 seconds. This year, teams needed to come up with machines that could accomplish seven consecutive steps, ultimately dropping a crumpled piece of paper in a wastebasket. Students employed trebuchet catapults, crossbows, small motors, and “things with a bit of oomph,” said mechanical systems engineer Paul MacNeal, who has been organizing the competition since it began in 1998.

“The Mouse Trap game from when I was a little kid is what it’s patterned after,” MacNeal said, referring to the board game in which players would construct elaborate traps for each other’s plastic rodents. “It was such a tough competition this year. It’s almost like unfolding the James Webb Space Telescope: Every action has to go right.”

JPL’s Paul MacNeal started the Invention Challenge so that students could experience the fun of hands-on engineering and of STEM learning while developing team-building skills.
JPL’s Paul MacNeal started the Invention Challenge so that students could experience the fun of hands-on engineering and of STEM learning while developing team-building skills.
NASA/JPL-Caltech

And in this competition, fast. Every team that completed the task did so in under five seconds.

Team Pink, the winning student team from Oakwood High School in North Hollywood, California, sank its paper ball in the basket in just 1.25 seconds, using a launcher at the start to knock over a series of five dominoes. The last domino hit a switch that turned on a conveyor belt to push the paper ball into the basket.

“I was a little nervous at the beginning,” said Team Pink member and Oakwood High senior Midori Bonner. “There are a lot of good teams that were going really fast, but we’ve been training so hard for almost four months, I had faith in our team and the work we had put in.”

Team Roman Bridge from Los Angeles Senior High School and Team Green from Oakwood High School took second and third place, respectively.

Eighteen of the student teams competing in Friday’s finals had survived two regional events in November involving 40 school teams from Los Angeles and Orange counties. Four JPL-sponsored teams of professional engineers separately battled it out.

Having professional engineers compete is part of MacNeal’s larger goal of inspiring students: He started the free competition so that they could experience the fun of hands-on engineering and of STEM learning while developing team-building skills along the way. He provides participants with nothing but the rules; teams have to figure out the rest themselves.

“Even if they don’t do well, they worked hard to get where they were,” MacNeal said. “It’s just satisfying to see all the inventions they come up with.”

News Media Contact

Melissa Pamer
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
626-314-4928
melissa.pamer@jpl.nasa.gov

2023-179

View the full article

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Similar Topics

    • By NASA
      Download Press Kit (PDF) Return to CLPS Homepage
      View the full article
    • By NASA
      Caption: The Intuitive Machines lunar lander that will deliver NASA science and technology to the Moon as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign is encapsulated in the fairing of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Credit: SpaceX Carrying NASA science and technology to the Moon as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, the Intuitive Machines IM-2 mission is targeted to launch no earlier than Wednesday, Feb. 26. The mission will lift off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

      Live launch coverage will air on NASA+ with prelaunch events starting Tuesday, Feb. 25. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. Follow all events at:
      https://www.nasa.gov/live
      After the launch, Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander, Athena, will spend approximately one week in transit to the Moon before landing on the lunar surface no earlier than Thursday, March 6. The lander will carry NASA science investigations and technology demonstrations to further our understanding of the Moon’s environment and help prepare for future human missions to the lunar surface, as part of the agency’s Moon to Mars exploration approach. 

      Among the items on Intuitive Machines’ lander, the IM-2 mission will be one of the first on-site demonstrations of resource use on the Moon. A drill and mass spectrometer will measure the potential presence of volatiles or gases from lunar soil in Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau in the Moon’s South Pole. In addition, a passive Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) on the top deck of the lander will bounce laser light back at any orbiting or incoming spacecraft to give future spacecraft a permanent reference point on the lunar surface. Other technology instruments on this delivery will demonstrate a robust surface communications system and deploy a propulsive drone that can hop across the lunar surface.
      Launching as a rideshare with the IM-2 delivery, NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft also will begin its journey to lunar orbit, where it will map the distribution of the different forms of water on the Moon.

      The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. The agency’s media accreditation policy is available online. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.

      Full coverage of this mission is as follows (all times Eastern):

      Tuesday, Feb. 25

      11 a.m. – Lunar science and technology media teleconference with the following participants:
      Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Niki Werkheiser, director, technology maturation, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Jackie Quinn, Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment 1 (PRIME-1) project manager, NASA Kennedy Daniel Cremons, LRA deputy principal investigator, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Bethany Ehlmann, Lunar Trailblazer principal investigator, Caltech Trent Martin, senior vice president, space systems, Intuitive Machines Thierry Klein, president, Bell Labs Solution Research, Nokia Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website:
      https://www.nasa.gov/live/
      Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 10 a.m. EST Tuesday, Feb. 25, at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

      Wednesday, Feb. 26


      11:30 a.m. – Lunar delivery readiness media teleconference with the following participants:
      Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Clayton Turner, associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Trent Martin, senior vice president, space systems, Intuitive Machines William Gerstenmaier, vice president, build and flight reliability, SpaceX Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website:
      https://www.nasa.gov/live/
      Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 10 a.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 26, at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

      Launch coverage will begin on NASA+ approximately 45 minutes before liftoff. A specific time will be shared the week of Feb. 24.

      NASA Launch Coverage
      Audio only of the media teleconferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, or -7135. On launch day, the full mission broadcast can be heard on -1220 and -1240, while the countdown net only can be heard on -7135 beginning approximately one hour before the mission broadcast begins.

      On launch day, a “tech feed” of the launch without NASA TV commentary will be carried on the NASA TV media channel.

      NASA Website Launch Coverage
      Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning Feb. 26, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468.

      NASA Virtual Guests for Launch
      Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. Registrants will receive mission updates and activities by email, including curated mission resources, schedule updates, and a virtual guest passport stamp following a successful launch. Print your passport and get ready to add your stamp!

      Watch, Engage on Social Media
      Let people know you’re following the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtag #Artemis. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:

      X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAArtemis, @NASAMoon

      Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, NASAArtemis

      Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAArtemis

      Coverage en Español
      Did you know NASA has a Spanish section called NASA en español? Check out NASA en español on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for additional mission coverage.

      Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo o Messod Bendayan a: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov o messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov.

      For more information about the agency’s CLPS initiative, see:
      https://www.nasa.gov/clps
      -end-
      Karen Fox / Jasmine Hopkins
      Headquarters, Washington
      301-286-6284 / 321-432-4624
      karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov

      Natalia Riusech / Nilufar Ramji
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-483-5111
      nataila.s.riusech@nasa.gov / nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov
      Antonia Jaramillo
      Kennedy Space Center, Florida
      321-501-8425
      antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Feb 21, 2025 Related Terms
      Missions Artemis Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Science Mission Directorate Space Technology Mission Directorate View the full article
    • By NASA
      NASA astronauts Don Pettit and Nick Hague are at the controls of the robotics workstation.
      Credit: NASA
      Students from Rocky Hill, Connecticut, will have the chance to connect with NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Don Pettit as they answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related questions from aboard the International Space Station.
      Watch the 20-minute space-to-Earth call at 11:40 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 18, on NASA+ and learn how to watch NASA content on various platforms, including social media.
      The event for kindergarten through 12th grade students will be hosted at Rocky Hill Library in Rocky Hill, near Hartford, Connecticut. The goal is to engage area students by introducing them to the wide variety of STEM career opportunities available in space exploration and related fields.
      Media interested in covering the event must contact by 5 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 14, to Gina Marie Davies at: gdavies@rockyhillct.gov or 860-258-2530.
      For more than 24 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network.
      Important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lay the groundwork for other agency missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars; inspiring Artemis Generation explorers and ensuring the United States continues to lead in space exploration and discovery.
      See videos and lesson plans highlighting space station research at:
      https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation
      -end-
      Abbey Donaldson
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1600
      Abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov
      Sandra Jones 
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-483-5111
      sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Feb 11, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
      Humans in Space Astronauts International Space Station (ISS) Space Communications & Navigation Program View the full article
    • By NASA
      As part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, Intuitive Machines’ second delivery to the Moon will carry NASA technology demonstrations and science investigations on their Nova-C class lunar lander. Credit: Intuitive Machines NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EST Friday, Feb. 7, to discuss the agency’s science and technology flying aboard Intuitive Machines’ second flight to the Moon. The mission is part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term lunar presence. 

      Audio of the call will stream on the agency’s website at:
      https://www.nasa.gov/live
      Briefing participants include:
      Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Niki Werkheiser, director, technology maturation, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Trent Martin, senior vice president, space systems, Intuitive Machines To participate by telephone, media must RSVP no later than two hours before the briefing to: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.

      Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander, Athena, will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The four-day launch window opens no earlier than Wednesday, Feb. 26.

      Among the items on Intuitive Machines’ lander, the IM-2 mission will be one of the first on site, or in-situ, demonstrations of resource utilization on the Moon. A drill and mass spectrometer will measure the potential presence of volatiles or gases from lunar soil in Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon’s South Pole. In addition, a passive Laser Retroreflector Array on the top deck of the lander will bounce laser light back at any orbiting or incoming spacecraft to give future spacecraft a permanent reference point on the lunar surface. Other technology instruments on this delivery will demonstrate a robust surface communications system and deploy a propulsive drone that can hop across the lunar surface.

      Launching as a rideshare with the IM-2 delivery, NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft also will begin its journey to lunar orbit, where it will map the distribution of the different forms of water on the Moon.

      Under the CLPS model, NASA is investing in commercial delivery services to the Moon to enable industry growth and support long-term lunar exploration. As a primary customer for CLPS deliveries, NASA is one of many customers for these flights.

      For updates, follow on:
      https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis
      -end-
      Alise Fisher / Jasmine Hopkins
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-2546
      alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov / jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov

      Natalia Riusech / Nilufar Ramji
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-483-5111
      nataila.s.riusech@nasa.gov / nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov

      Antonia Jaramillo
      Kennedy Space Center, Florida
      321-867-2468
      antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Jan 31, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
      Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Artemis Missions Science Mission Directorate Space Technology Mission Directorate View the full article
    • By NASA
      Caption: As part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, Intuitive Machines’ second delivery to the Moon will carry NASA technology demonstrations and science investigations on their Nova-C class lunar lander. Credit: Intuitive Machines For the second time, Intuitive Machines will launch a lunar lander to deliver NASA technology demonstrations and science investigations to the Moon for the benefit of all. Media accreditation is open for the IM-2 launch, part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term presence on the Moon. 

      The Intuitive Machines Nova-C class lunar lander will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and carry NASA science, technology demonstrations, and other commercial payloads to Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon’s South Pole region. Liftoff is targeted for a multi-day launch window, which opens no earlier than late February, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

      Media prelaunch and launch activities will take place at NASA Kennedy and are open to U.S. citizens and international media. U.S. media must apply by Wednesday, Feb. 12, and international media must apply by Wednesday, Feb. 5.

      Media wishing to take part in person must apply for credentials at:
      https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

      Credentialed media will receive a confirmation email upon approval. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation or to request special logistical support, such as space for satellite trucks, tents, or electrical connections, please email by Wednesday, Feb. 12, to: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other questions, please contact NASA Kennedy’s newsroom at: 321-867-2468.

      Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo o Messod Bendayan a: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov o messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov.

      Among the items on its lander, the IM-2 mission will deliver one of the first on-site, or in-situ, demonstrations of resource utilization on the Moon, using a drill and mass spectrometer to measure the volatiles content of subsurface materials. Other technology instruments on this delivery will demonstrate a robust surface communications system and deploy a propulsive drone mobility solution.

      Launching as a rideshare alongside the IM-2 delivery NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft also will begin its journey to lunar orbit, where it will map the distribution of the different forms of water on the Moon.

      A successful landing will help support the CLPS model for commercial payload deliveries to the lunar surface, as another step toward a sustainable lunar future. As a primary customer of CLPS, NASA is investing in lower-cost methods of Moon deliveries and is one of multiple customers for these flights.

      NASA is working with several U.S. companies to deliver science and technology to the lunar surface through the agency’s CLPS initiative. This pool of companies may bid on task orders to deliver NASA payloads to the Moon. Contract awards cover end-to-end commercial payload delivery services, including payload integration, mission operations, launch from Earth, and landing on the surface of the Moon. These contracts are indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a cumulative maximum value of $2.6 billion through 2028.

      For more information about the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, see:
      https://www.nasa.gov/clps
      -end-

      Alise Fisher / Jasmine Hopkins
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1600
      alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov / jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov

      Natalia Riusech / Nilufar Ramji
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-483-5111
      natalia.s.riusech@nasa.gov / nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov  

      Antonia Jaramillo
      Kennedy Space Center, Florida
      321-867-2468
      antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Jan 24, 2025 LocationJohnson Space Center Related Terms
      Missions Artemis Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) View the full article
  • Check out these Videos

×
×
  • Create New...