Competition to Take Place at Universal Orlando® Resort
- Registration Deadline May 7, 2010-
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (March 25, 2010) – Space Florida, NASA-KSC and the Florida Department of Education have partnered to provide an opportunity for Florida elementary, middle and high school students to participate in an innovative Planetary Lander ‘Egg-Drop’ Competition at Universal CityWalk®, Saturday, May 29, 2010.
The competition is open to all Florida schools and home-schoolers, and invites Florida teachers and students to register teams through Space Florida. Each team will design and build their own Lander, in which a raw egg will serve as the payload and must survive a drop of nearly 20 feet (just as a real NASA Lander should on the Moon, Mars or an asteroid). Teams must build their Planetary Landers so that they can fit into a 10” x 10” x 10” container, and the Landers may be constructed of aluminum, plastic, wood and/or soft foam. Complete guidelines, prize information and judging criteria are available at Space Florida’s website. Prizes will be awarded in all three categories – Elementary, Middle and High School. Awards will be distributed on the day of competition and include:
- Free admission to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for each of the three group winners, for the date of their choice
- Invitation to attend a Space Shuttle launch (arrangements to be made through Space Florida)
- One complimentary 1-Day/2-Park ticket to Universal Orlando for each member of the three winning teams
- A recognition plaque for each winning team
- Signed certificates from the event sponsors, including one copy for each student
NASA-KSC will provide FREE special Teacher Workshops on May 1 at the Center for Space Education Building in the NASA Exploration Station, offering NASA materials and guidance from aerospace professionals regarding the building of Planetary Landers.
“This is a wonderful, interactive opportunity for teachers and students – to get them excited about science and engineering experiences as they pertain to space exploration,” said Tony Gannon, Space Florida Director of Education. “All the partners – NASA-KSC, Department of Education and Universal are throwing their weight into this engineering project, so it will be an entertaining and rewarding experience for everyone.”
The deadline for Florida schools teams to register with Space Florida is May 7, 2010. Due to the enormous interest in this competition however, team leaders are advised to register ASAP. Applicants should apply for a Registration Package by contacting Space Florida Education Manager Emma Rader, at erader[at]spaceflorida[dot]gov
The Planetary Lander ‘Egg-Drop’ Competition is being offered to Florida students by Space Florida and NASA-KSC to help generate student interest in and promote their understanding of aerospace technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as increase their awareness of organizations that help promote the space industry.
Tickets into the Universal Orlando Theme Parks are not included in the registration fee; however, competitors may purchase discounted tickets directly from Universal Orlando Group Sales by calling 1-800-YOUTH-15. A special application form providing a discounted rate for this competition will be provided upon request.
About Space Florida: Space Florida was created to strengthen Florida’s position as the global leader in aerospace research, investment, exploration and commerce. As Florida’s aerospace development organization, we are committed to attracting and expanding the next generation of space industry businesses. With its highly trained workforce, proven infrastructure and unparalleled record of achievement, Florida is the ideal location for aerospace businesses to thrive – and Space Florida is the perfect partner to help them succeed. http://www.spaceflorida.gov/.
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