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JPL Annual Invention Challenge - 2010

Ping Pong Ball Climb Contest

Under beautiful blue skies and a light wind, the JPL Invention Challenge was held on the 180 Mall with more than 300 spectators and participants.  This year's contest objective was to build a device that could transport a ping pong ball from near the ground upwards towards a ceiling located 2 meters above the ground and have the ball remain in contact with the ceiling for at least 5 seconds.  Times were stopped after first contact of the ball and the ceiling.  The device performing this task in the fastest time was declared the winner.

A total of 19 school teams and 12 JPL teams came up with different ways to accomplish this task.  The high speed entries used a "bow-and-arrow" method with either suction cups or magnets utilized to hold the ball to the ceiling.  Others used sticks that rotated up to the ceiling, or scissor jacks that grew in height.  Some entries utilized helium balloons or compressed air to propel the ball upwards.  Many of the entries failed to perform the task.  This year, the overall fastest time was posted by a team from Magnolia Science Academy Middle School with a blistering time of 0.20 seconds!

Entry No. School or JPL Lead Name Team Name or other members Entry Title Bridge Wt.(lbs) Time (seconds) Award Comments
1 So. Pasadena HS Alpha None Given 22.3 DQ Held less than 5 seconds
4 Diamond Bar HS NP COMPLEX None Given No Show
5 Magnolia Science Academy - 3 CATAPULT CATAPULT 10.9 0.2 1st - School
8 Pacific Technology School The Levitators Levitator 5000 22.8 DQ Ball didn’t hold
14 Monroe Magnet MS Defying Gravity Blast Off 1 32.5 DQ Ball didn’t hold
15 Monroe Magnet MS Gravity Fighters Gravity Fighter 29.2 DQ Ball didn’t hold
16 Temple City HS Just Plain Light Mochi 21.3 DQ Ball didn’t hold
19 Morningside HS The Crazy Tacos The Zoom Machine 32.3 0.3 2nd - School
20 Morningside HS The Monarchs The Turbo 10.1 0.37
23 Savanna H S Rebel Engineers None Listed 6 DQ Ball didn’t hold
28 Mayfield Senior School Mayfield 1 None Listed 15.9 1.37 Most Artistic
32 Crescenta Valley HS CVHS#2 The Bungi Dart 7.6 0.33 3rd - School Most Unusual
36 Monrovia HS MHS B 11 0.7
40 Alexander Hamilton HS None Given None Given 8.5 0.56
42 Los Angeles HS A+ None Given 13 DQ Did not contact
43 Los Angeles HS Mesa Kings None Given >40.0 DQ Did not contact
47 Alhambra HS Hawk Alhambra Moors 12 0.4 3.3
50 Saddleback HS 7 chicks & 1 dude The glenninator 14.2 6.4 Most Creative
55 Culver City HS Team 2 CCHS None Given >40.0 DQ Did not contact
58 South East HS Rawrr The Tornado 4.6 0.66
101 Richard Goldstein Jumping-Jack 7.5 0.3 3rd - JPL
104 Kristan Ellis MSL:Magnificent Scissor Lift >40.0 DQ Heaviest Did not contact
105 Kristan Ellis King Pong 0.5 DQ Ball didn’t hold
106 David Van Buren Rocket Ball 3.7 0.23 1st - JPL
107 Bob Krylo Bob’s Quick Flip >40.0 0.33 Largest
108 Ricky Ma Luke Dahl Balloon Time Fun 0 DQ Lightest and Smallest Did not contact
109 Hannah Goldberg and Friends Goldberg’s Groupies 57 DQ Did not contact
110 Hannah Goldberg and Friends Black’s Bunch >40.0 DQ Did not contact
111 PC Chen Jack Kanholm Rockette 8.6 0.23 1st - JPL
112 Paul MacNeal UP 3.1 DQ Did not contact
113 Dr. Louis Giersch Brant Cook, Kevin Knarr Balls of Fury 9.2 DQ Ball didn’t hold
114 Alan DeVault Zip Zartz 9.3 DQ Held only 2 seconds
115 Hasan Akkaya LION No Show
NA Richard Fretz 0.47 Unofficial entry
111 PC Chen Jack Kanholm
112 Paul MacNeal
113 Dr. Louis Giersch Brant Cook, Kevin Knarr
114 Alan DeVault
115 Hasan Akkaya
NA Richard Fretz

Contact Information

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Located in Building 126-336
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Paul MacNeal
paul.d.macneal@jpl.nasa.gov
Phone: (818) 354-7824