At NASA VIPS, we are experienced in working with NASA HUNCH competitions from inside high schools. As such, we are specifically qualified to ensure the best experience for high school students as they tackle some of the most interesting projects in space travel and colonization. For high school students, we provide unique resources in developing NASA HUNCH projects. We provide a key link between competing students and NASA engineers, previous participants, and field experts. We create a web between competing students of schools across North Texas to encourage collaboration between projects and forge networks for years to come.
At NASA VIPS, we see high school as the first big step in the journey of learning and finding a career in S.T.E.M.. Our personal experience and relationships with NASA HUNCH and its leaders has given us the skills and knowledge needed to guide students through the creation of their projects and into success in S.T.E.M. careers.
We're excited to involve more schools in our program, which can be used to match TEXAS TEKs as part of a club, as part of a home school team, and more!
Additionally, we provide opportunities for high school students to take part in a limited number of NASA HUNCH Design and Prototype projects in the course of a 9-week summer internship. Students can team up to begin their project, present to NASA HUNCH leaders, and interact with NASA engineers for key insight in developing projects for the competition.
We're always looking for teachers, organization leaders, parents, and students to be involved in our team and programs!
Past High school Projects
Interactive Resource Impact Simulation
Virtual Reality Simulation – Artificial Gravity
Virtual Reality Simulation – Artificial Gravity
Landing materials on the moon and Mars is difficult. This team simulated and analyzed the possibility of dropping supply pods from orbit onto the surface for inexpensive resource delivery.
2020 National Finalist
2021 National Finalist
Virtual Reality Simulation – Artificial Gravity
Virtual Reality Simulation – Artificial Gravity
Virtual Reality Simulation – Artificial Gravity
In many science fiction movies, rotating spacecraft are used to simulate gravity. This team made a virtual reality "practice zone" so astronauts can see what life would be like in this environment.
2021 National Finalist
No Heat Shield
Virtual Reality Simulation – Artificial Gravity
Mars Trash Ejector
Returning objects to Earth from space usually requires durable heat shields to protect from the friction of the air. This team designed an orbital speed payload that doesn't require one.
2021 National Semi-Finalist
Mars Trash Ejector
Generic Agriculture Lab
Mars Trash Ejector
Astronauts will continually accumulate garbage on their trips to Mars. This team developed a trash ejector to allow astronauts to dispose of their trash containers mid-flight!
Generic Agriculture Lab
Generic Agriculture Lab
Generic Agriculture Lab
Growing plants on the International Space Station is difficult because specialized containers must be built per experiment. This team developed a universal nano-lab to grow plants in microgravity.
Lunar Food Dispenser
Generic Agriculture Lab
Generic Agriculture Lab
Astronauts on the Moon will often be in their space suits for hours at a time and need to keep up their energy. This team developed a dispenser for "food bites" to be integrated into the helmets of new space suits.
Lunar Baffles/Waffles
Lunar Baffles/Waffles
Lunar Baffles/Waffles
Lunar regolith is a cheap and plentiful material for radiation protection. This team developed an attachment to keep this regolith on the exterior of lunar habitats to keep the astronauts safe.
Lunar Baffles/Waffles
Lunar Baffles/Waffles
Lunar Baffles/Waffles
2022 Adds 7 new National Winners