October 31, 2018 at 1:13 pm

When NASA Has a Pumpkin Carving Contest Expect Over-Engineered Goodness

by twistedsifter

 

Once a year, engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California take a break from building robots that explore the solar system to building over-engineered jack-o’-lanterns.

 

nasa pumpkin carving contest 2018 3 When NASA Has a Pumpkin Carving Contest Expect Over Engineered Goodness

from NASA JPL’s 2016 pumpkin carving contest


 

Now in its seventh year, the unofficial pumpkin carving contest gives engineers a chance to flex their creative muscles and bond as a team. The rules are simple: no planning, carving or competing during work hours.

Below you will find some highlights from this year’s contest as well as some interesting entries from years past. You can see the full album on NASA JPL’s Flickr page.

 

nasa pumpkin carving contest 2018 2 When NASA Has a Pumpkin Carving Contest Expect Over Engineered Goodness

NASA/JPL-Caltech

 

 

nasa pumpkin carving contest 2018 4 When NASA Has a Pumpkin Carving Contest Expect Over Engineered Goodness

NASA/JPL-Caltech

 

 

nasa pumpkin carving contest 2018 3 When NASA Has a Pumpkin Carving Contest Expect Over Engineered Goodness

NASA/JPL-Caltech

 

 

nasa pumpkin carving contest 2018 1 When NASA Has a Pumpkin Carving Contest Expect Over Engineered Goodness

NASA/JPL-Caltech

 

 

 

 

nasa pumpkin carving contest 2018 2 When NASA Has a Pumpkin Carving Contest Expect Over Engineered Goodness

A pumpkin flies, after being engineered by Mike Meacham and his JPL team in the 2017 contest

 

nasa pumpkin carving contest 2018 1 When NASA Has a Pumpkin Carving Contest Expect Over Engineered Goodness

JPL engineers created a spinning pumpkin carousel in the 2016 Halloween contest.