NASA JPL Engineers Compete in Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest

Once a year at Halloween, hardworking JPL engineers put their skills to the test in a highly competitive pumpkin carving contest. The result: A pumpkin gently landed on the Moon, its retrorockets smoldering, while across the room a Nemo-inspired pumpkin explored the sub-surface ocean of Jupiter moon Europa. Suffice to say that when the scientists and engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory compete in a pumpkin-carving contest, the solar system's the limit. Take a look at some of the masterpieces from 2019. Now in its ninth year, the contest gives teams only one hour to carve and decorate their pumpkin though they can prepare non-pumpkin materials - like backgrounds, sound effects and motorized parts - ahead of time.

Video credit: NASA-JPL/Caltech

[Master_Therion]

Me: Carving pumpkins is easy. It's not like it's rocket science.
NASA engineer: Hold my pumpkin spice latte.

[TheRadioAteMyTV]

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, but NEVER is a pumpkin just a pumpkin when JPL does their carving contest!

[desertwhaler]

Most were pretty good, but I loved the Wizard of Oz one!

[RaytheonNublinski]

I’m more shocked and impressed by their pumpkins than the fact that they launch people into space. Idk what to think about that.

[alicemoffat]

That lunar lander was awesome! Great job guys 👍

[hornetluca]

I expected pumpkin to explode at the end....
Come on JPL 😭

[jackrabbit]

What did I think you guys would do. Your all out of your minds and I love it. Im just surprised none of you pulped a pumpkin, formed it into a rocket, then launched it I am disappointed.

[LightAmpLaserDesigns.]

Thumbs up NASA! What's in the works for a winter holiday contest?

[jonab.]

It's nice to have some fun, but I will never understand how some play with food if others don't have enough to feed