The ETO Engineering Design Challenges Program connects students in their classrooms with the challenges faced by NASA engineers as they design the next generation of aerospace vehicles. Students in grades 6-9 work on design challenges with their teachers. These design challenges help students achieve national goals in science, mathematics, and thinking skills.
Students employ the same analytical skills as engineers as they improve their designs.
The design challenge culminates in the classroom with each student team preparing a poster that describes the process and results of their work. All the design challenges have been field tested to insure that they are educationally appropriate and valuable. The educator guide also includes a reproducible handout for parents to inform them of their child's work along with suggested activities to conduct at home. The Earth to Orbit Engineering Design Challenge program has been designed as an integral part of classroom work. Teachers who wish to participate in the program with their students should download the Educator Resource Guide for the challenge they wish to conduct and use it as a guide for carrying out the challenge with their students.