Orange pumpkins inscribed with ghoulish faces and illuminated by candles are a must during the Halloween season. But what happens when robotics and mechanical engineering are thrown into the mix? /VCG Photo

NASA engineers held a special contest at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California on Monday, during which they had one hour to execute their designs, some six months in the making. /VCG Photo

The contest has been the team's tradition for seven years. Over the years, the engineers' various Jack-o’-lanterns concoctions included pumpkins with robotic arms, an air blower, and a mini-parachute. This year’s elaborate creations are still out of the ordinary ideas. /VCG Photo

Highlights included a planet eating a satellite, a cookie-loving pumpkin monster, a Banksy-style stencil display, and a pumpkin-headed, Day of the Dead-inspired guitar player. /VCG Photo

The contest takes place during the engineering section’s lunch break. The rules are simple as well as the prize: no planning, carving or competing during work hours and getting the bragging rights if you win. /VCG Photo