Space Racer bracket, the winning entry for the 3-2-1 Liftoff! ULA Rocket Hardware Challenge. Photo: GrabCad

[Via Satellite 12-16-2016] The United Launch Alliance (ULA) has named the winners of its additive manufacturing GrabCAD design challenge, the 3-2-1 Liftoff! ULA Rocket Hardware Challenge. The challenge asked participants to design a launch support attachment bracket for ULA’s current Atlas 5 rocket. GrabCAD, a division of Stratasys, hosted the challenge.

“We could not have been more pleased with the nearly 400 innovative entries we received,” said Mark Peller, ULA’s vice president of engineering. “What could be more exciting than designing hardware that will fly on a future Atlas 5 rocket? In fact, the quality of the entries was so tremendous we’ve increased the first place award to $10,000.”

A panel of judges, including ULA CEO and President Tory Bruno as well as additional engineers and experts from ULA and Stratasys, judged the entries.

The winners are as follows:

• First place: Nic Adams
• Second place: Vishale Gandhele
• Third place: Winston Jennings
• Honorable mentions: Stanislay Petrek and Cameron Navarre

In addition to the financial award, Nic Adams’ support bracket will fly on a future Atlas 5 mission.

“It is truly an exciting time, and we are on the cusp of a space revolution,” said Bruno. “New technologies and missions we haven’t even imagined are on the horizon, and ULA is transforming the future of launch.”