Student Project .

Create a Halloween Pumpkin Like a NASA Engineer

Subject

Engineering

Time Required

Varies

Want to make an out-of-this-world Halloween pumpkin? Take a cue from the engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It’s their job to design and build robots that can travel millions of miles to study other planets – and sometimes even land and drive around on the surface. So on Halloween, they can’t help but bring some of that same creative thinking to designing stellar pumpkins inspired by space exploration.

Check out some of their pumpkin creations, and get tips on how to make your own pumpkin like a NASA engineer! Explore our Flickr album for more pumpkin designs from NASA/JPL.

Important safety note! Do not create your pumpkin without adult supervision. Follow all general and listed safety precautions when using sharp objects and those with electrical components. If your design involves carving, ask an adult to help and use tools designed for safe pumpkin carving.

For younger students, try this Halloween pumpkin activity from NASA's SpacePlace.

Materials

Pumpkin
(Optional) Paint, construction paper, string, clay, LED lights, motor, pump, old toys, wired or wireless speaker, programmable microcontroller ... anything that inspires you!

Project Steps

Give your pumpkin a theme
Give your pumpkin a theme
Lots of the most creative pumpkins have a theme based on a NASA mission, a science discovery or scientist, a science fiction movie or a video game!
Think outside the pumpkin
Think outside the pumpkin
While you’ll still most likely need to hollow out your pumpkin, think about what might be attached to the outside, orbiting, surrounding, covering or emerging from within your pumpkin.
Make the most of it
Make the most of it
Instead of discarding the “guts” and roasting the seeds, think about how you can use those elements to add to your design.
Strength in numbers
Strength in numbers
Who says you can only use one pumpkin? A second or third small pumpkin might be just what your creation needs!
Orange you glad you used color?
Orange you glad you used color?
Use paint, construction paper, string, clay and other colorful additions to make your pumpkin stand out!
Light it up
Light it up
Traditional jack-o’-lanterns use a candle or tea light, but is there another way to bring light to your creation? LED and fiber optic lighting can bring a dazzling glow to your creation.
Make it move
Make it move
Nothing makes a jack-o’-lantern come to life more than movement! Add motors, pumps or other devices that create motion to make your pumpkin stand out. Take apart old toys and repurpose their motors and gears, like a mechanical Dr. Frankenstein!
What's that spooky sound?
What's that spooky sound?
Add a small wired or wireless speaker to give your pumpkin volume.
Programmable Pumpkin
Programmable Pumpkin
Using a small programmable microcontroller like an Arduino, LaunchPad, Pinguino, Teensy or Discovery Board with output devices and sensors can make your pumpkin an engineering design masterpiece.
Just go for it!
Just go for it!
There’s no wrong answer in pumpkin engineering. Get an idea and try it out!