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Long Endurance Space Flight

Boeing

As in-training members of NASA’s mission control staff, students will explore the principles of scale, proportion, time and distance to gain an understanding of the problems that could arise on a long endurance space flight or when rovers need to communicate issues back to mission control. To accomplish this, students will first engage in a series of questions related to scale, proportion and quantity to activate prior knowledge before watching a video that takes them on a journey from the subatomic level to the edge of the universe. They will then explore several maps as they discuss how the scales vary, which will lead them to learn about the units of distance used by astronomers. Next, students will research the ways long endurance space flights put stress on space travelers’ bodies and how these effects can be tempered and monitored. In a final exploration of the effects of long-distance flights, students will participate in a simulation of communication delays that occur during such journeys and will evaluate other lessons that mission control staff have learned in the past. Students will ultimately apply what they have learned as they write a personal statement that outlines how they believe NASA should approach these perilous but important voyages

Boeing and Discovery Education have launched FUTURE U. to inspire and equip the next generation of STEM professionals in aerospace. FUTURE U. offers hands-on learning experiences to help students in grades 6–12 embrace their potential to make an impact and innovate for the future.

View the Lesson Plan

Objectives: Students will be able to:

  • Compare and contrast how distance is measured and scales are created
  • Explain the effects of space travel on the human body
  • Analyze lessons learned from a simulation to consider space’s effects on communication
  • Develop a personal statement regarding long endurance space flights that integrates information learned from past mistakes, as well as current risks and complications

This lesson focuses on:

Engineering Design Process

      • Defining the Problem
      • Designing Solutions
      • Communicating Results

21st Century Skills

      • Communication
      • Collaboration
      • Critical Thinking

Timing: Three 45–60-minute class periods

View the Lesson Plan


Age: 10—14
Cost: FREE
Type: Online

Date + Time

Date(s): 04/01/2020 - 12/31/2023

Time: See Schedule

Registration deadline: n/a

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