USA's NASA, Kicks Off Student Challenge in 3-D Printing Contest

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USA's NASA, Kicks Off Student Challenge in 3-D Printing Contest
By Sean Lennox

Click on this link the see NASA's Cool Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZCvEOEd30c

TORONTO – A 3-D printer is a new breakthrough device that is capable of manufacturing actual physical objects from design specifications. This past week marked the delivery of the high-tech device to the NASA Space station orbiting the earth. To commemorate the event and spur interest in a new generation of mechanical engineers, NASA and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Foundation have announced a contest called “Future Engineers 3-D Space Challenges”. Students ages 6 to 19 may participate in the event. The objective is to come up with tools they believe will prove vital to astronauts while in outer space.

NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock, who formerly spent half of 2010 aboard the space station, spelled it out plainly when he said that there exist no concept of “overnight” shipping in outer space. This is where the 3-D printer would shine by allowing the crew to simply create or “print” the tools they need. As far as Wheelock’s comment about shipping goes, he couldn’t be more right. The printer itself had to be shipped to the station aboard a NASA SpaceX Dragon capsule along with other cargo that weighed in excess of 2,268 kg (5,000 lbs). This past resupply mission was the fourth for this capsule. Needless to say, resupply missions can’t be ordered on a whim and the click of a mouse button.

The 3-D printer was designed and built by Made in Space. It will now be field tested in outer space to see how viable it works aboard the space station. The student contest will help serve a vital purpose in testing the full range of the product. Those interested in taking part in the event must submit their entries by December 15. On January 15, NASA will announce the semifinalists with the winners being selected by the 30th. Usefulness, creativity, and compliance with the strict guidelines are the criteria judges will use in selecting winners. For this first generation in 3-D space printers, tools must be made of plastic. The winner in the 5 to 12 age group will win a 3-D printer for their school. The winner in the 13 to 19 age group will travel to Huntsville, Alabama, to visit NASA’s Payload Operations and watch the printer making their tool aboard the space station. Students interested in participating in the event may get more information about the contest at the website http://http://www.futureengineers.org.

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October 9, 2014 at 11:33 AM