To celebrate the launch of BEAM, the first expandable habitat to the International Space Station, as well as the second AMF commercial 3-D printer in space, NASA and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers are challenging K-12 students to think outside the box with 3-D printing – literally.

The Future Engineers Think Outside the Box asks students to design an object that assembles, telescopes, hinges, accordions, grows, or expands to become larger than the printing bounds of the AMF 3-D printer (14cm long x 10cm wide x 10cm tall). The assembled or expanded item should be useful for an astronaut living in microgravity on the International Space Station. Click HERE for design guidelines.

GRAND PRIZE: Trip to Las Vegas for a VIP tour of Bigelow Aerospace

FOUR FINALIST PRIZES: A Heimplanet Inflatable Tent for your family

TEN SEMIFINALIST PRIZES: A $50 Shapeways 3-D Printing Gift Certificate

The deadline for submissions is August 1, 2016, with winners will be announced October 6. Click HERE for contest rules.

Filed under: Competitions and Contests

Tags: 3-D printing, ASME, Competitions for Students, Contest, Mechanical engineering, NASA, Space