Etsy partners with NASA. Gives away prizes.

You’ve been reading these updates for some time, so of course you know of my deep and profound love for bringing scientific research and homemade creative stuff together. Of course — of course — I’d get all gleeful for any kind of public science art competition. But this… this is crazy. Etsy and NASA have teamed up to create a tribute to the final space shuttle mission:

Three, two, one…blast off!

NASA and Etsy invite you to celebrate artistic exploration and commemorate the end of the NASA Space Shuttle Program with a creative challenge: Share an original handmade item or work of art inspired by the NASA Space Shuttle Program and space exploration at large.

You could win a trip to an upcoming launch as NASA’s VIP guest, Etsy shopping sprees, and cool merchandise from NASA and Etsy. Your artwork might even be flown on the Space Shuttle!

I realize this makes me, well, a laughable little obsessive, really, but I am so looking forward to seeing what comes out of this. Apollo XIII decoupage plates. Cassini image quilts. Mars Rover lithographs. Dude.