Teachers & Parents

Spinoffs are like OPTIMUS PRIME- they come from Space to solve problems on Earth!

NASA spinoffs are technologies originally created for space and modified into everyday products used here on Earth. These include memory foam, invisible braces, firefighting equipment, artificial limbs, scratch-resistant lenses, aircraft anti-icing systems, shoe insoles, water filters/purification, cochlear implants, satellite television, long-distance telecommunications, and many more.

Through this challenge, students become aware of NASA Spinoff technology in their everyday world and use their imagination, creativity, and engineering skills to change an everyday object into something that will make the world a better place (grades 3 – 6) or develop ideas for Spinoff use of NASA technologies (grades 7 – 12)!

Engineering Design Packets guide students through the entire process.

To get started, students must first register on this website and receive parental consent. The NASA OPSPARC Design Packet and Coach Guides are available upon registration.

The student’s registered username and password also provide the students access to an account with Glogster.com where they will create a multimedia poster, a Glog. A NASA OPSPARC Glog template is provided for students to showcase their innovative ideas using a combination of text, images and videos.

Completed Glogs are submitted through Glogster and reviewed by NASA professionals. Ten finalist Glogs, from each grade category, are selected and posted for an online Public Vote.

Glogs submitted by students registered for Track 2, the Glog + InWorld Track, are reviewed by college engineering and business mentors. Twenty teams are selected to work with the mentors to develop their ideas further in a 3D multi-user virtual world for InWorld OPSPARC.

Winners

Following Public Voting, Glog first place winners are chosen by a team of NASA professionals. Finalist Track 2 InWorld teams present their work to a panel of NASA engineers and scientists to determine the winning InWorld team.

Winning teams are invited to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for an Award Ceremony and hands-on NASA workshops.