Student Spotlight: Juniors Recognized in Puerto Rico for NASA Competition
This past December, juniors Alex Chng and Liam Harju were invited to the American Society for Gravitational Space Research’s conference (ASGSR) in Puerto Rico after finishing as runner-ups in NASA’s 2024 Drop Tower Challenge.
The Drop Tower Challenge is an annual challenge hosted by NASA. Participants are asked to design and build objects that behave differently in microgravity. “We tried to create objects that would float in water in normal gravity, and then be expelled from water in microgravity,” said Harju.
After creating their objects, Chng and Harju submitted them to the NASA research center in Ohio to be tested in the NASA facilities. They were then sent back videos of their objects which they used to write a report.
Chng and Harju worked on the project over the past year, creating and testing the object, writing the report, making a poster, and submitting the project for testing. When asked about the challenges they faced during the project, the team said that a lack of resources hindered their progress. They solved this issue through videos and research. “…We didn’t have advanced manufacturing processes,” Chng said. “We were working out of Liam’s house and had to use household objects to complete the challenge.”
Although their object was unsuccessful, their report garnered merit that was formally recognized at the ASGSR conference, along with four other teams. During the student high school poster session, a meeting held during the conference, the team was able to present their project to those interested. “There were a lot of smart people there so I was pretty humbled,” said Harju. “…But we got recognized in front of 500 people which was pretty cool.”
Along with presenting their project, the team had the opportunity to listen to NASA professionals who shared their latest research in biological and physical sciences. They were also able to receive feedback on their project from those attending.
When asked about future ambitions and goals, Chng and Harju say they plan on competing in this year’s NASA Drop Tower Challenge with Harju’s club, The Campo Space and Science Club. Those interested in participating with the club can reach him through the club’s Instagram or email account.
