NASA Teams With LEGO To Offer Model Competition 34
coondoggie writes "NASA today said it would team up with Lego to offer a competition to see who can build the coolest models of future airplanes and spacecraft. The 'NASA's Missions: Imagine and Build' competition is open now 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."
Spaceballs Winnebago (Score:4, Funny)
Oh, I wish I had pics of the Winnebago I built when I was a kid... It was complete with a toilet, a ladder that extended down from a hatch in the bottom, and of course the ludicrouspeed drives that flipped out from a compartment in the back.
Why LEGO when we have 3D raytracing programs ? (Score:2)
I mean, why NASA has to go the LEGO route when free and opensource 3D raytracing programs are available to all ?
Furthermore, constructing space crafts using LEGO means people are unnecessarily being restricted by availability of the shape/size/color of the LEGO blocks
On 3D programs people get to create whatever shape/size and use whatever color they want, on their creations
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I mean, why NASA has to go the LEGO route when free and opensource 3D raytracing programs are available to all ?
My impression from reading the article is that LEGO is very involved in organizing and funding this contest, and they have no interest in promoting something that is not their product.
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Lego learning curve is virtually non existent. It takes ages to build something meaningful, the amount of detail is very limited, but literally anyone with hands can do it.
There is also brand name. People love popular brands. Do you think this
Finally,
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Because with Lego there's still some semblance of engineering involved. With 3D ray tracing it just becomes an art contest instead.
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perhaps that's exactly what NASA is looking for...a future spacecraft that looks like an old Winnebago. oh imagine the aerodynamics of that puppy!
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Luckily spacecraft dont need aerodynamics.
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To be fair he seemed to be able to spell just fine, it was the inability to form meaningful sentences that was the problem.
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Don't build toys, Build real rockets. If you haven't already forgotten how to.
If you read the article, you will see the the prize is just a set of legos and some NASA memorabilia. There is no cash prize, and the Lego sets are donated by Lego. This is costing the taxpayers nothing, is not taking any funds away from NASA's "real" missions, and just might inspire some kids to do something meaningful with their lives.
Relevancy? (Score:2)
On the other hand ... (Score:2)
Kids make models => kids want to become engineers => kids grow up and work for NASA and build future ships
On the other hand, with the use of open sourced3D ray-tracing programs ...
Kids make 3D models on screen
=> kids can test out their 3D models with simulation programs available online (many open sourced) while learning about aerodynamics at the same time
=> kids fine-tuning / enhancing / modifying their 3D models
=> kids get all excited and learn more about various rocket engine designs
=> kids unknowingly become very knowledgeable in things that will open a lot of doors for them
=> kids become space craft designers on their own rights
=> profit !
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That is really not how kids work. They want immediate results, they do not want to fiddle with a program for a week to get their design to a stage they are happy with. If that happens they will find other stuff to do.
This exercise is about getting kids interested, not weed out the majority because they don't have the patience for 3D modelling. Come time when they do, and stand in front of the choice "do I become an engineer?" you want them to remember their brush with NASA fondly, not as a week of endless t
+1 Insightful Virtual Mod Point (Score:1)
'cause I got no real mod points...
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Because young kids building space ships keeps them interested in space such that they may become future scientists or engineers in the field.
Just use CAD... (Score:2)
nice information (Score:1)
How the mighty has fallen.... (Score:1)
In the 60's (with SLIDE RULES) NASA built the Apollo program and put men on the moon. Today we can't lift our own astronauts into space and NASA's 'move ahead' plan is to play with Legos. Pathetic
Lego Digtial Designer - Free 3D-ish (Score:2)
Lego has their own free 3D-ish design program. I have played with it a bit - it can be finicky, but it's pretty cool.
...but this was a contest for children! (Score:2)
Dear Lego, please bring back Classic Space (Score:2)
Maybe this will inspire Lego to bring back a line like the old Classic Space series. The space sets they make are fine, but I wish they'd bring back a "pure" space series: no aliens to fight, no giant space bugs, no space police and villains -- just exploration, discovery, and settling. For a nice example of how to update the line, check this out. [brothers-brick.com]