Seventh graders impress TI and NASA with innovative solutions to support a mission to Mars

Winners of mISSion imaginaTIon propose creative ideas for astronauts living in space

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May 19, 2016, 01:00 ET

DALLAS, May 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A team of five seventh graders from Hyde Park Middle School in Las Vegas, Nevada has won the mISSion imaginaTIon design challenge from Texas Instruments (NASDAQ: TXN) (TI) and NASA. The national competition asked students from across the country to propose solutions to challenges astronauts would face on a journey to Mars. The questions were based on the challenges International Space Station (ISS) commander Scott Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko encountered in the first year-long mission aboard the ISS.

Five seventh graders from Las Vegas, Nevada win TI and NASA's mISSion imaginaTIon design challenge with innovative solutions for a journey to Mars.

The problems ranged from what to eat in space for optimal strength and nutrition to how to detect and prevent potential collisions with orbital debris. The winning team of students proposed a vertical garden to capitalize on limited space to feed the astronauts and developed intricate plans for reinforcing the spacecraft's outer hull to protect against space debris.

"Competitions like this excite and capture the imagination of students," said Camille Alleyne, Ed.D., associate ISS program scientist for education and communication with NASA. "The challenge also provides students an opportunity to think critically about their natural world, engaging them more effectively in their studies of science, math, technology and engineering (STEM) and preparing them for being a part of the future STEM workforce."

Robin Hill, the students' teacher, said he didn't even know his students were entering the contest until they asked for help submitting their project on the deadline day. "I was flabbergasted when I found out they won," said Hill, science teacher at Hyde Park Middle School. "I feel like the luckiest teacher in the world to get to work with such smart, curious and driven students every day."

As a prize, winning team members, Subhan Wade, Caitlyn Coloma, Jaiden Reddy, Isha Shah and Nicholas Ho receive assorted space goodies and their choice of either a TI-Nspire™ CX or TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator and software. The team will also have the opportunity to chat with a NASA astronaut about their wining submission.

"At TI, we are constantly looking to create opportunities for students to fall in love with STEM subjects," said Peter Balyta, Ph.D., president of TI Education Technology (@pbalyta). "Our world needs more problem-solvers and innovators and we believe that STEM education holds the key to a brighter future."

TI Education Technology Media Relations:

About Texas Instruments:

Education Technology, a business of Texas Instruments, provides a wide range of tools connecting the classroom experience with real-world applications, helping students and teachers to explore mathematics and science interactively. TI's products and services are tested vigorously against recognized third-party research, which shows that the effective use of graphing calculators improves the mathematical skills of students and their attitudes toward mathematics. For more information, visit www.education.ti.com.

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is a global semiconductor design and manufacturing company that develops analog ICs and embedded processors. By employing the world's brightest minds, TI creates innovations that shape the future of technology. TI is helping more than 100,000 customers transform the future, today. Learn more at www.ti.com.

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SOURCE Texas Instruments