NASA 3D Space Container Challenge

NASA and cosponsor ASME launched the 3D Space Container Challenge asking that students ranging in age from five to fifteen design useful and innovative containers that could be 3D printed in space. They have now announced the designs and students chosen as challenge finalists. The four finalists in the 5 to 12 Junior Category include 12-year-old Sarah Daly who entered a fruit fly enclosure that would make the feeding and care easier for the astronauts. The other three finalists included a Space Terrarium, a Zero G tea cage and a cap that allowed liquids in two separate bottles to be mixed. You can read more about the designs over on 3DPrint.com: http://3dprint.com/99641/nasa-3d-challenge-junior/
http://3dprint.com/wp-content/upload...ah-169x300.jpg

Nice contest. Poor decisions. They seem to have grouped the contestants into only 2 groups, Teen and JR. Not seeing any defined groups, I must presume Teen is the 13 to 15 group and Jr is everyone else. If thats the case, poor choices.

I can't imaging any kindergartener I know competing on a level field with any 12yr old I know. Their mental faculties, their skill, and their experience level is way out of whack. Most 5yr olds can't read well (if at all) while most 12yr olds have likely already read all of the Harry Potter books. Simply, unless the contest was flooded by moronic 12yr old kids, there was simply no way for a 5-7yr old could remotely compete.

They should have broken it up into at least 3 groups, 13-15, 9-12, and 5-8.

In any event, grats to the winners. I liked the idea of the fluid mixer cap, great thinking.