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NASA contest challenges kids to imagine a trip to the moon

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NASA is encouraging K-12 students to let their imaginations run wild in a new contest that comes with some awesome prizes.

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With the space agency currently preparing an ambitious Artemis mission for 2024 that will see the first woman and next man set foot on the lunar surface, NASA’s Moon Pod contest challenges students to imagine leading a one-week expedition to our nearest neighbor and to write about it in a short essay.

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“Tell us about the types of skills, attributes, and/or personality traits that you would want your Moon Pod crew to have and why,” NASA says in a message on its website announcing the contest. “How many would be in your pod? And of course, you’ll need high tech gear and gadgets! In your essay, also describe one machine, robot, or technology that you would leave on the lunar surface to help future astronauts explore the moon.”

Essay length depends on the student’s age, with the youngest entrants only required to write up to 100 words, and the oldest no more than 300.

NASA encourages participants to do a spot of research prior to penning their piece by checking out some moon-focused resources provided by Future Engineers, which is helping to run the contest.

The top prize, awarded to winners in each grade division, is a family trip to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 2021 to watch the first Artemis test launch involving the most powerful rocket in the world.

Other prizes include trips to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Artemis prize packs, and invitations to virtual Artemis Explorer Sessions hosted by NASA experts.

Every student who submits an entry will receive a certificate from the space agency and will also be invited to a special NASA virtual event with an astronaut among the distinguished guests.

The contest is free to enter and closes on December 17.

Check out Future Engineers’ website for more information on how to enter.

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