Mission to Mars

Marsbound!Mission to the Red Planet

…a STEM learning activity created by NASA

Presented by…

Donna Kenestrick

NCDPI Science Consultant

NBCT, Presidential Awardee

NASA Endeavor Fellow

North Carolina DPI

301 North Wilmington Street

Raleigh, North Carolina 27699

dkenestrick@dpi.state.nc.us

What is Marsbound!?

• project-based STEM activity• students in grades 4-12• plan an unmanned mission• use reality-based science goals,

engineering constraints, and economic guidelines

Endeavoring Marsbound!

• Mars is near Earth• Elliptical orbit like Earth• Potential for colony

Why Mars?

Why MARS?

• Surface conditions

• Similar geology

• Availability of water

• Atmosphere (thin)

• Natural conditions similar to arctic and Antarctic

Mars is like EARTH

24.6 hour rotation

Similar axis tilt Polar ice caps Magnetic field

Mars is like EARTH

• Large river valleys

• ‘Super’ grand canyon

Mars is like EARTH

• Volcanoes

Mars is like EARTH

• Climate range similar to Earth

• Sky and clouds, dust storms

Endeavoring Marsbound!

Introductory Activity:

Generate interest in MARS

PowerPoint presentation

Web quest

Symphony of Science

NASA Marsbound

Activity 1:

Exploring Mission Science Goals(page 4 TG, page 4 SG)

• Students become familiar with the “Follow the Water” strategy/goals for exploring Mars

• Students match goals to Mars features

NASA Marsbound

Activity 2:

Choosing Mission Science Goals(page 5 TG, page 7 SG)

• Students discuss possible Science goals for their mission

• Students choose 5 Science goals for their mission

NASA Marsbound

Activity 3:Engineering Constraints

(page 5 TG, page 7 SG)

• Students learn about the concept of engineering constraints

• Students examine engineering constraints of a mars mission and generate solutions to them

NASA Marsbound

Activity 4:

Building the Spacecraft(page 5 TG, page 10 SG)

• Students construct a spacecraft to carry out their planned mission

NASA Marsbound

Activity 5:

Mission Design Report(page 6 TG, page 12 SG)

• Students write up their mission design for submission to NASA

Endeavoring Marsbound!

Stand-Alone Activity: Design Challenge(Activity 4 modified, page 6 TG)

• Student groups complete Building the Spacecraft as a design challenge competition

Mars Design Challenge

• Note* mass requirements and allotments on cards

• Note* energy requirements for a mission• Note* budget requirements for a mission:

One million dollars

Mars Design Challenge

Using your Mission Cards, Design mat, and Design Log, plan a Mission to Mars.

When your Mission is ready to submit (you have calculated within budget, power and mass limitations), ask for your problem card. Discuss in your group how your problem card will impact your Mission.

(As time allows.) Choose someone from your group to report out to the group at large.

Resources

• Explore Mars …..basic information http://www.astrodigital.org/mars/index.html• Haughton Mars Project…analogue for Mars http://www.arctic-mars.org/• ExploreMarsNow….interactive habitat http://www.exploremarsnow.org/• ASU Mars education program (NASA) http://marsed.mars.asu.edu/

Resources

NCDPI at NCWiseOwl: http://science.ncwiseowl.org/

…the PowerPoint and the pdf files to pursue MARSBOUND will be posted here

Symphony of Science: Mars is a World of Wonders