Mission to Mars
Marsbound!
Mission to the Red Planet
…a STEM learning activity created by NASA
Presented by…
What is Marsbound!?
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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!
Why Mars?
• Mars is near Earth
• Elliptical orbit like Earth
• Potential for colony
Why MARS?
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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