Why NASA Is Asking a Bunch of Kids for Help

— -- It turns out even rocket scientists need help from students sometimes.

Everything in space needs a container so it won't float away in zero gravity. NASA and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Foundation are turning to students to help solve the problem.

Everything at the International Space Station has a container, including tools, trash and other daily necessities, ensuring the items don't float away.

NASA is asking students ages 5 to 19 to submit a 3-D design for a container that could be used on a future mission. As NASA pursues deep space missions, the goal is for the design to be something astronauts can create using a 3-D printer in space.

The goal is for the winning submissions to be used on future missions, perhaps to Mars or an asteroid, allowing astronauts to collect items and have a place to store them.