WASHINGTON — NASA and the LEGO Group are partnering to inspire the
next generation of aerospace engineers by offering a new design
competition. The competition will spur students of all ages to use
the toy bricks in building models of future airplanes and spacecraft.
The “NASA’s Missions: Imagine and Build” competition opens Wednesday
with an entry deadline of July 31. Winners in each category will be
selected by a panel of NASA and LEGO officials and announced Sept. 1.
The first category in the contest is “Inventing our Future of Flight.”
In this challenge, participants will design and build their idea for
an aircraft of the future based on real concepts and new technology
NASA’s aeronautics innovators are working on to increase fuel
efficiency and reduce harmful emissions and noise.
In addition to building a model from LEGO bricks or using the LEGO
Digital Designer computer program, participants in this category also
must prepare and write a technical paper. The paper will explain how
the contest design takes advantage of NASA’s ideas and potentially
improves on them.
This category divides entrants into two groups: young student builders
ages 13 to 18 and an open group for anyone age 13 and older. The two
winners will receive a custom-made LEGO trophy and a collection of
NASA memorabilia.
The second contest category is “Imagine our Future Beyond Earth.” In
this challenge, participants will use their imaginations to design
and build a futuristic vehicle from LEGO bricks that might travel
through the air or in space. It could be an airplane, rotorcraft,
rocket, spacecraft, satellite, rover or something else. The design
can be based in reality or purely a flight of fancy. This competition
is open to entrants 16 or older. The grand prize is a LEGO set signed
by the set’s designer and a collection of NASA memorabilia. There
also is a runner up prize.
To read the complete rules and guidelines for submitting the LEGO
model and technical paper, visit:
LEGO Systems, Inc. is the North American division of The LEGO Group, a
privately-held, family-owned company based in Billund, Denmark. The
company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of creatively
educational play materials for children. For more information and to
visit the virtual LEGO world, go to:
For more information about NASA aeronautics research and space
exploration, visit: