NASA launches youth contest to design space mission; winners to receive trip for 2 to research center

ST. GEORGE — NASA is looking for the next generation of space explorers as part of the Power to Explore Challenge youth contest. Grand prize winners for each age group will win a trip for two to NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Carl Sandifer II, program manager for NASA’s Radioisotope Power Systems Program, introduced the Power to Explore student contest, Location and date unknown | Photo courtesy of NASA, St. George News

The Power to Explore Challenge, in partnership with Future Engineers, launched in October but was recently re-announced as the contest’s closing date is coming up on Jan. 17.

Carl Sandifer II, program manager of NASA’s Radioisotope Power Systems Program, told St. George News that through this contest they hope to gain a further understanding of youth perceptions of space science.

“It takes a special kind of power to explore the extremes of our solar system, and NASA wants to hear how students would energize their space exploration dreams,” Sandifer said. “If you could plan a mission in our solar system or beyond, where would you go, and what would you explore?” 

The contest is open to all grades of kindergarten to 12th, with age categories broken into kindergarten to fourth, fifth through eighth and ninth through 12th. A full list of rules can be reviewed online.

This year’s theme is exploring radioisotope power systems, which serve as a nuclear “battery” that has powered NASA missions for over 60 years. This power system harnesses the heat of the natural decay of plutonium-238 to produce continuous electric power for operating and heating spacecraft and science instruments.

Though three winners will receive the grand prize, other prizes are available. All participants will receive a digital certificate and an invitation to a virtual event with NASA experts where students will learn what powers the NASA workforce.

Fifteen national semifinalists in each grade category (45 semifinalists total) will receive a NASA radioisotope power systems prize pack, and three national finalists in each grade category (nine finalists total) will receive a virtual session with a NASA radioisotope power systems expert.

The contest is part of the organization’s efforts to enhance and engage student learning within the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Sandifer said the contest is an effort to promote innovation and inspire the next generation of space explorers. The contest is aimed especially at youth who do not have NASA centers nearby.

Carl Sandifer II, program manager NASA’s Radioisotope Power Systems Program, introduced the Power to Explore student contest, Location and date unknown | Photo courtesy of NASA, St. George News

“We were blown away by the responses from students who participated in the inaugural challenge last year,” he said. “Perseverance, curiosity, flexibility and passion were among the highest qualities that these students share with NASA. Other students even turned their disabilities into their superpowers that help them to be their very best.”

Last year the state was represented by Liam Gustavson of Farmington, who was a winner in the kindergarten through fourth-grade category. Read his winning essay here.

Using comic book terminology as youth nowadays have seen a growth in the superhero genre, Sandifer was asked if the comic book fad decreased interest in space exploration.

“With missions such as the Mars Perseverance rover and Dragonfly’s octocopter on Titan, the children of today are more excited than ever,” Sandifer said. “This will likely be the generation to find life within our solar system if it exists. This future generation of explorers is our superheroes.”

He said the youth today are part of the “Artemis generation,” which is expected to land the first woman and first person of color on the moon and use innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.

“Then, we will use what we learn on and around the moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars,” Sandifer said. “The youth of today will be the astronauts on Mars.”

He added that contests like this one help bring students into the workforce for NASA when they are older and help fill the various positions and field experts needed for a large variety of careers to fulfill its mission. Though most people in radioisotope power systems programs have engineering degrees, there still is a significant need for all STEM personnel to help “rocket science” work.

Sandifer said he was happy to see how educators are incorporating the “Power to Explore” contest into their classroom curriculums. In fact, most of the entries last year were from classrooms, all led by “amazing” educators teaching their students about radioisotope power systems. Participating teachers have shared that the competition was a great opportunity to improve their students’ teamwork skills, leadership, critical thinking and analysis.

Teachers can really create the spark that inspires their students to explore careers in STEM,” Sandifer said.

Teachers may sign up an entire class. And, Sandifer added, it makes a great class project that teaches a variety of scientific, mathematical and other studies principles, as well as helps to discover the next generation of space explorers.

“Space science gets to the essence of exploration,” he said. “For many of us, we seek to learn more, go farther and discover.”

For the YouTube video about the contest, click here.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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