Titan & Europa Essay Contest Rules
Essay Topic
The topic of the essay is either a mission to Saturn's moon Titan or to Jupiter's moon Europa. Both of these missions would study a world that is exciting for astrobiologists(*).Your assignment is to decide which of the proposed missions would be more interesting and why. Be creative, be original, and ask good questions that you hope the mission would answer.
The Titan mission would include a Titan orbiter and a Titan balloon. The Europa mission would include a Europa orbiter and a Europa lander. The orbiters, balloon, and lander would each have science instruments to study either Titan or Europa.
In your essay, you can include information about what science instruments you would put on the orbiter and balloon or lander, if you wish, based on what you hope to find on Titan or Europa.
(*) Astrobiologists are scientists that study the origins, evolution, future and distribution of life in the universe. The main question astrobiologists are trying to answer is: is there life beyond Earth?
Deadline: Essay contest entries must be received by Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013.
- This opportunity is open to all students in the United States who are in grades 5 to 12.
- Students can work alone or in teams of up to four students.
- All submissions must be students' original work. Entries containing plagiarized material will be disqualified and teachers may be notified.
- Each student may submit only one entry.
- Do not include direct contact information for students under age 18. All communication will be conducted between JPL and the students' teacher.
- Essays that are longer than 500 words will be disqualified.
- The names and contact information will not be included in the word count for the 500-word essay.
- Use only plain text (no images or attachments). Attachments will not be accepted.
- Communication skills are an important part of being a scientist. Spelling and grammar will be considered in addition to the ideas expressed in the essay.
Essay writers will be divided into three groups:
- grades 5 to 6
- grades 7 to 8
- grades 9 to 12
How to Enter:
- Entries must be submitted by teachers using the Online Entry Form
- NASA does not collect contact information for minors. Do not include direct contact information for students under age 18.
- All communication will be conducted between JPL and the students' teacher.
- Use only plain text (no images or attachments). Attachments will not be accepted.
- Entries received via email will NOT be considered
Make Sure to Include:
- Teacher's name, teacher's email address, and teacher's phone number including area code, school name and address, so we can contact the teacher.
- The name(s) and grade(s) of all students who contributed to the entry being submitted.
Prizes
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NASA will send certificates of participation to all students who enter the contest. Winning essays will be posted on a NASA website, and the winners and their classes will be invited to participate in a question-and-answer teleconference, videoconference, or web conversation with NASA scientists.
Questions should be sent to: titaneuropa@jpl.nasa.gov