Breaking Boundaries: Celestium Wins the 2025 InVenture Prize IronCAD High School Mechanical Design Award
Mar 26, 2025 |
The future of engineering is in great hands, as young innovators continue to push the limits of technology and creativity. At the 2025 InVenture Prize, the Mechanical Design Award (sponsored by IronCAD), which highlights teams for their use of 3D Computer-Aided Design, recognized an exceptional project that demonstrated cutting-edge design, analysis, and cost-effective solutions. This year, the prestigious honor in the high school category was awarded to Celestium, a solo competitor who reimagined space exploration technology with remarkable ingenuity.
Celestium: Reinventing the Rover Perseverance
Raaga Sundar, the brilliant mind behind Celestium, set out to revolutionize the construction of planetary rovers. Utilizing open-source NASA designs, she remodeled the Mars Rover Perseverance, replacing the traditional Aluminum Alloy 6061 with an alternative FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D-printed Aluminum 6061 which can then be extruded. Her objective? To explore a more cost-effective and efficient method of manufacturing space exploration vehicles without compromising their strength or durability.
To validate her approach, she conducted Finite Element Analysis (FEA) on the newly designed rover, ensuring that its structural integrity remained intact. Her findings were nothing short of extraordinary—
- Cost Reduction: She successfully reduced the production cost by almost 56% ($1.5 billion)
- Strength Retention: The new design maintained a similar tensile strength to the original Aluminum 6061 structure
- Weight: The resulting weight of the design was less than that of the original AA6061 structure
By demonstrating that affordable and effective space technology is within reach, Celestium’s work paves the way for more accessible innovations in aerospace engineering and engineering as a whole.
IronCAD Mechanical Design Award Winner Celestium Poster
Celebrating Innovation and Achievement
Winning the Mechanical Design Award is a testament to Celestium’s exceptional engineering skills and problem-solving abilities. In recognition of her achievement, she received:
- Cash Prize: A well-earned financial award to support her future endeavors
- Merchandise: Exclusive IronCAD gear as a token of appreciation
- Tri-Ball Trophy: Her school was honored with the esteemed Tri-Ball trophy, symbolizing excellence in design and engineering
IronCAD Mechanical Design Award Winner Celestium
A Visionary for the Future
Celestium’s groundbreaking project is a reminder of the limitless possibilities that exist within STEM fields. By combining open-source knowledge, advanced manufacturing techniques, and rigorous analysis, she has demonstrated that the future of aerospace innovation is bright—and that students today are already shaping it.
IronCAD and the InVenture Prize team proudly celebrate Celestium’s achievement and the brilliance of all young engineers who participated. As we look ahead, we can only imagine what future breakthroughs will arise from the next generation of visionaries.
Take Your Ideas to the Next Level with IronCAD
Inspired by Celestium’s success? Start designing your own innovations today! IronCAD offers solutions to help aspiring engineers bring their ideas to life. Try IronCAD’s Free Trial or get a Student License and see where your creativity can take you!