Prior to submitting a proposal, please check back on this web page for any rule changes.
UPDATE: November 30, 2005
The DIME 2006 program has been drastically modified due to no funding available for continuing the program as for the initial five years. In conjunction with a few dedicated educators, four teams will participate in DIME 2006 where the teams will raise the travel funds necessary to visit NASA Glenn.
The availability of DIME beyond the 2005-06 school year is still highly doubtful.
Check the NASA web page (text-only page) for possible opportunities for students and educators.
Richard DeLombard
NASA Glenn Research Center
- Teams located in the fifty United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are eligible to participate in DIME.
- Team members must be students in grades 9 to 12.
- The team member roster may contain no more than one student who has attended DIME Drop Days at NASA Glenn in a previous year.
- None of the DIME team members, including the adult advisor, may have worked at any NASA facility within the last three (3) years, or may have immediate family members who have worked at any NASA facility within the last three (3) years, with the exception of an internship lasting no more than three months.
- An organization may submit a maximum of four proposals in any one year. However, no more than one proposal will be selected from a single organization.
- A DIME entry comprises an Entry Form (parts A and B), an Entry Checklist Form, and six identical and complete copies of the proposal, all in a single package.
- Late entries, entries sent by facsimile or electronic mail, and entries not complying with competition rules will be disqualified.
- Entry materials will not be returned; retain a copy for your records.
- The student team must conceive and develop the experiment and proposal.
- Proposals must follow preparation guidelines and format requirements as listed on page 4 of this announcement.
- The DIME entry must be postmarked by the date given on page 1 and addressed to:
NCMR / DIME Proposal
NASA GRC, MS 110-3
21000 Brookpark Road
Cleveland, OH 44135- Proposed experiments must conform to the requirements contained in the DIME Experiment Design Requirements document.
- Safety rules for experiments:
- Dangerous or hazardous chemicals (including radioactive materials) or chemical reaction products must not be used in the experiment.
- The following fuels shall not be used in DIME combustion experiments: flammable gases, flammable liquids, explosives, fireworks, model rocket engines, metals, and powders.
- Liquids and all other materials and components (with the exception of harmless gases), shall be contained within the experimental apparatus.
- Biological samples, for the most part, may not be used in the experiment, except for common household products (e.g. cotton, wood, etc.). Live animals, even insects, are not acceptable.
- Experiment pressures may not exceed 15 psig (pounds per square inch as measured on a gauge, relative to ambient pressure).
- Lasers must not be used in an experiment.
- The maximum voltage allowed in an experiment is 28 volts.
- A waiver, granting an exception to a safety rule above, may be requested by sending such a request to dime@grc.nasa.gov with an explanation of how any associated hazards will be controlled. Such waiver requests must be submitted no later than October 15. Note that waivers will not be granted for exceptions to the bans on lasers or radioactive materials.
- Up to four student team representatives and one adult advisor from each selected team may attend DIME Drop Days at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
- All visitors to NASA GRC for DIME Drop Days must be U.S. citizens. (Team members at home locations may be non-U.S. citizens.) [This item was modified 4/15/2005]
- All DIME committee decisions are final.
This page maintained by
Richard DeLombard, NASA Glenn Research Center.
richard.delombard-1@nasa.gov
Last Updated on April 15, 2005.