Jump to content
Join the Alien Search, login or register FREE on Aliens and Space Forum
Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site

NASA Glenn Announces 2025 Drop Tower Challenge Winners 

NASA

By NASA
in NASA

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Publishers
NASA Mentor

NASA

Posted
  • Publishers
Posted
Looking down into the drop tower, two workers in hard hats stand on a platform halfway down. They watch a large red box suspended on a thick wire land into a black pillow-type material at the bottom of the test area.
On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, technicians at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland help lower student experiments in the 2.2 Second Drop Tower.
Credit: NASA/Jef Janis 

Nineteen teams of students from across the nation in grades 8-12 worked for months in classrooms, labs, basements, and garages for the opportunity to test their projects at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. This spring, the teams’ hard work was put to the test in the 2.2 Second Drop Tower facility at NASA Glenn.  

The “2025 Drop Tower Challenge: Paddle Wheel” invited teams to design and build paddle wheels that rotate in water during free fall. The wheels could not rotate by mechanical means. A better understanding of fluid behavior in microgravity could improve spacecraft systems for cooling, life support, and propellants.

Three technicians surround a test stand containing an experiment. One technician holds a hook to place at the top of the stand, and another holds a large yellow cord with controls at the end. A large American flag is on one wall while electrical boxes and other equipment sit on another wall.
On Thursday, May 6, 2025, NASA Glenn Research Center technicians — left to right, John Doehne, Jason West, and Moses Brown — prepare the 2.2. Second Drop Tower for testing student experiments during the 2025 Drop Tower Challenge.
Credit: NASA/Jef Janis 

Based on test performance, analyses, reports, the students’ approach to the challenge, and more, the following teams have been identified as the winners:  

  • First Place: Arth Murarka, Umar Khan, Ishaan Joshi, Alden Al-Mehdi, Rohnin Qureshi, and Omy Gokul (advised by David Dutton), Bellarmine College Preparatory, San Jose, California  
  • Second Place: Emma Lai, Keaton Dean, and Oliver Lai (advised by Stephen Lai), Houston, Texas  
  • Third Place: Chloe Benner, Ananya Bhatt, and Surabhi Gupta (advised by SueEllen Thomas), Pennridge High School, Perkasie, Pennsylvania 

“We’re impressed with the variety of designs students submitted for testing in Glenn’s drop tower,” said Nancy Hall, co-lead for the 2025 Drop Tower Challenge. “The teams showed significant creativity and background research through their paddle wheel designs and analysis of results.”  

Students from Bellarmine College Preparatory shared how they navigated through the process to earn first place. Using NASA guidelines and resources available to assist students with the challenge, the team submitted a research proposal, including two 3D designs. Learning their team was selected, they reviewed feedback from the NASA staff and set to work.  

Five high school students in a classroom stop working on their project to look at the camera. They are wearing T-shirts and hoodies and stand around a high worktable containing a plexiglass box, a roll of glossy material, markers, rulers, and other items needed for their experiment. Several other tables surround them along with a large television on the wall.
NASA Glenn Research Center’s 2025 Drop Tower Challenge first place winners, left to right, Ishaan Joshi, Umar Khan, Rohnin Qureshi, Omy Gokul, and Arth Murarka of Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, California, prepare their experiment for testing in NASA Glenn’s 2.2 Second Drop Tower on Friday, May 30, 2025.
Credit: Courtesy of Bellarmine College Preparatory 

To start, students stressed that they conducted a large amount of research and testing of materials to use in their paddle wheels before deciding on the final design.  

“I learned that something doesn’t need to be super expensive or complex to work,” said student Umar Khan. “We found that white board sheets or packing peanuts — just household items — can be effective [in the design].”  

Student Arth Murarka added, “Our original design looks a lot different from the final.” 

Bellarmine staff member and team advisor David Dutton helped the students get organized in the beginning of the process, but said they worked independently through much of the project.  

A NASA researcher, left, adds liquid to a small, Plexiglass container and an intern arranges an experiment in another. They both wear purple gloves. Other items such as scissors, pens, and markers sit on the cluttered worktable.
Nancy Hall, left, co-lead of NASA Glenn Research Center’s 2025 Drop Tower Challenge, and intern Jennifer Ferguson prepare student experiments for testing in the 2.2 Second Drop Tower on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
Credit: NASA/Jef Janis 

Once the design was finalized, the team shipped their hardware to NASA Glenn. NASA technicians then tested how the paddle wheels performed in the drop tower, which is used for microgravity experiments.

Students said they studied concepts including capillary physics and fluid dynamics. They also learned how to write a research paper, which they said they will appreciate in the future.  

The team dedicated a lot of time to the project, meeting daily and on weekends. 

“We learned a lot of useful skills and had a lot of fun,” Murarka said. “It was definitely worth it.” 

Return to Newsletter

View the full article

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Similar Topics

    • NASA
      NASA Invites Media to Marshall’s 65th Anniversary Celebration July 19
      By NASA
      2 min read
      Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
      NASA NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center will host astronauts for a media opportunity as the center celebrates its 65th anniversary during a free, community event on Saturday, July 19, from noon to 5 p.m. CDT at The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama.
      Marshall, along with its partners and collaborators, will fill the amphitheater with space exhibits, music, food vendors, and hands-on activities for all ages. The summer celebration will mark 65 years of innovation and exploration, not only for Marshall, but for Huntsville and other North Alabama communities.
      The event will kick off with a program at 12:30 p.m. led by Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA Marshall, and will include a presentation from some of the Expedition 72 crew members who recently returned from their mission after dedicating more than 1,000 combined hours to scientific research and technology demonstrations aboard the International Space Station. The crew will share their experiences in space with the community.
      The official portrait of the International Space Station’s Expedition 72 crew. At the top (from left) are Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin, NASA astronaut and space station Commander Suni Williams, and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore. In the middle row are Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Don Pettit. In the bottom row are Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Aleksandr Gorbunov and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Nick Hague. NASA/Bill Stafford and Robert Markowitz Media are invited to attend the event and participate in a news conference with the astronauts after the presentation but must confirm their attendance by 4:30 p.m., Thursday, July 17, to Lance D. Davis – lance.d.davis@nasa.gov – in Marshall’s Office of Communications.
      Media should arrive at the front entrance of The Orion Amphitheater by 11:45 a.m., Saturday, July 19, to be escorted by the Office of Communications.
      Founded July 1, 1960, in Huntsville, Marshall has shaped or supported nearly every facet of the nation’s ongoing mission of space exploration and discovery, solving the most complex, technical flight challenges, and contributing to science to improve life and protect resources around the world.
      Learn more about Marshall’s 65th anniversary celebration at:
      https://www.nasa.gov/marshall65/
      Lance D. Davis
      Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 
      256-640-9065 
      lance.d.davis@nasa.gov
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Jul 16, 2025 EditorBeth RidgewayLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms
      Marshall Space Flight Center View the full article
    • NASA
      NASA Software Catalog Puts Agency Solutions at Innovators’ Fingertips
      By NASA
      Andy Burroughs (left) and Paul Friz in the roles of air taxi pilots running through air taxi integration simulations focusing on urban air space at NASA’s Langley Research in Hampton, Virginia on Sept. 25, 2024.Credit: NASA NASA’s latest open Software Catalog, released Wednesday, offers more than 1,200 downloadable codes developed by agency engineers that could enable faster solutions to energize the space economy and stimulate American ingenuity. The catalog is part of NASA’s effort to place advanced technologies, including agency software, into the hands of businesses, researchers, and entrepreneurs to foster economic growth and innovation.
      Agency developers will provide more information about the Software Catalog, the only repository of its kind in the federal government, during NASA’s summer software webinar series beginning Tuesday, July 22.
      “NASA has droves of talented experts creating software to automate elements of agency missions,” said Dan Lockney, program executive, Technology Transfer at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The resulting efficiency benefits humankind, and its public value increases exponentially when the agency provides access to those software programs for companies, enabling them to save time and money, improve commercial offerings, and build their businesses.”
      The four webinars accompanying this year’s NASA Software Catalog feature developers of popular programs for mission planning, systems design, propulsion analysis, and more, each consisting of a presentation followed by a live question-and-answer session.
      Programs offered in NASA’s 2025-2026 Software Catalog are grouped into 15 categories that may be useful for organizations working with spacecraft and aircraft. For example, the Vehicle Management category includes a tool for designing satellite constellations and a software library for minimizing public safety risks around expendable launch vehicles. The Aeronautics section includes several programs that are widely used by industry for creating, modifying, and analyzing aircraft designs.
      Although the categories have specific themes, the codes are meant to be useful to various innovators. Companies can use aircraft programs NASA wrote to design cars, trucks, and countless other products. The catalog’s Business Systems and Project Management section includes software for estimating project costs, building and assessing complex schedules, and uncovering root causes of mishaps. Other popular programs support 3D rendering for simulation and virtual reality, bring hyper-accuracy to GPS tracking, and analyze electrical power system architectures.
      NASA released its first Software Catalog more than a decade ago in 2013, and since then, the agency’s annual rate of software downloads has skyrocketed, reaching up to 5,722 downloads in a single year.
      The Software Catalog is a product of NASA’s Technology Transfer program, managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. NASA routinely makes improvements to the Software Catalog website, ensuring the process is fast and easy. Access restrictions apply to some software that may be limited to use by U.S. citizens or for U.S. government purposes only.
      View and learn more about NASA’s Software Catalog by visiting:
      https://software.nasa.gov
      -end-
      Jasmine Hopkins
      Headquarters, Washington
      321-432-4624
      jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov   
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Jul 16, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
      Space Technology Mission Directorate Ames Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center Glenn Research Center Johnson Space Center Kennedy Space Center Langley Research Center Marshall Space Flight Center NASA Headquarters Stennis Space Center View the full article
    • Amazing Space
      Latest Solar Activity Update: 24 Hours of Sunspots, Flares & Auroras (July 16, 2025)
      By Amazing Space
      Latest Solar Activity Update: 24 Hours of Sunspots, Flares & Auroras (July 16, 2025)
    • NASA
      NASA Funds Early Career Employee Research
      By NASA
      Sylvie Crowell Credit: NASA  Sylvie Crowell, a materials researcher at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, has received a NASA Early Career Initiative (ECI) award for a research proposal titled “Lunar Dust Reduction through Electrostatic Adhesion Mitigation (L-DREAM).” The research focuses on developing a passive lunar dust mitigation coating for solar cells and thermal control surfaces. 
      Operated under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate, the award will fund Crowell’s research in fiscal year 2026, beginning Oct. 1, 2025.  
      NASA’s ECI is a unique opportunity for the best and brightest of NASA’s early career researchers to lead hands-on technology development projects. The initiative aims to invigorate NASA’s technological base and best practices by partnering early career NASA leaders with external innovators. 
      Return to Newsletter View the full article
    • NASA
      NASA Glenn Experts Join Baseball Fans in Omaha
      By NASA
      NASA Glenn Research Center’s Heather Brown, left, and NASA Flight Director Brandon Lloyd greet visitors before they enter NASA’s Journey to Tomorrow traveling exhibit on Friday, June 13, 2025, during an event in Omaha, Nebraska. Credit: NASA/Shauntina Lilly  Thousands of baseball fans travel across the country annually to watch teams compete in Omaha, Nebraska, during the NCAA Men’s College World Series in June. This year, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland swung for the fences to celebrate the city’s Diamond Anniversary of hosting the event and to highlight the intersections of sports and STEM.  
      NASA Glenn Research Center’s astronaut mascot greets visitors at the Kiewit Luminarium in Omaha, Nebraska, on Thursday, June 12, 2025, during an event at the RiverFront celebrating the city’s Diamond Anniversary hosting the NCAA Men’s College World Series. Credit: NASA/Shauntina Lilly  As part of a larger outreach program across the region, NASA Glenn, the only NASA center in the Midwest, continues to meet audiences where they are to make space relatable to all.  
      “We brought NASA to Omaha during the College World Series to connect with a broader audience through one of the country’s most celebrated sporting events,” said NASA Glenn Public Engagement Specialist Heather Brown, who led the event. “Our goal was to spark curiosity, inspire the next generation, and demonstrate how science and exploration intersect with everyday passions — like baseball.” 
      Guests enjoy exploring science through an interactive kiosk in NASA Glenn Research Center’s Journey to Tomorrow traveling exhibit on Friday, June 13, 2025, during an event in Omaha, Nebraska. Credit: NASA/Shauntina Lilly  Situated next to the Kiewit Luminarium on the Lewis and Clark Landing of Omaha’s RiverFront, NASA Glenn engaged fans with Artemis-themed displays, interactive kiosks, a Space Launch System inflatable rocket, and the 53-foot Journey to Tomorrow traveling exhibit. In addition, Omaha-born NASA Flight Director Brandon Lloyd greeted visitors and participated in an event at the Branched Oak Observatory, where a large crowd of space enthusiasts asked questions and learned more about NASA’s missions.  
      “This was an incredible opportunity to tell NASA’s story and showcase our work in a setting that was already energized and ready to engage,” Brown said. 
      Back to Newsletter View the full article

  • Check out these Videos

×
×
  • Create New...