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Adventure to Mars!

NASA Quest and the
Johnson Space Center's
Distance Learning Outpost celebrate

link to Space Day website

Space Day 2002
with Design Challenges WEBCASTS

These webcasts are designed to provide help with your Space Day challenges -- from real NASA experts!

Join us in participating in the 6th annual Space Day. Celebrated on the first Thursday in May, each year Space Day focuses on a different theme. This year's theme is Adventure to Mars! Design challenges are created, by the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, to encourage students to find solutions to real problems encountered by people living and working in space.

This project is perfect for budding scientists, inventors, designers, robotics or spacecraft engineers, journalists, communication specialists, and webpage designers in Grades 4 - 8, but can easily be adapted for other-aged explorers. Several different participation ideas are offered, besides the design challenges, and all lead to a celebration of space -- Space Day. Visit the Space Day website to learn about all the events planned for May 2, 2002.

Inventors, robotics and spacecraft engineers/designers, and journalists/communication specialists are needed . . .

Design Challenge #1
Inventors Wanted

Design Challenge #2
Mission: Explore

Design Challenge #3
Space Day Star

link to design challenge #1
link to challenge #2
link to challenge #3
Research how humans will explore Mars and then invent, design and build an item that could make life or work on Mars easier and/or more enjoyable. The invention must be compact, lightweight and easy to use. Develop a mission to send a rover to one of the planets or moons to learn more about it. Decide which planet or moon to explore and what to learn about it. Then invent, design and build a rover that collects data about three aspects of the planet or moon. Create an electronic newspaper that vividly describes what it's like to live and work on Mars. Students must include a story about living on Mars, a comic strip and pictures or animations of Mars.
January 22, 2002
11 am PST
1 pm CST
2 PM EST
January 23, 2002
8 am PST
10 am CST
11 am EST
January 23, 2002
10 am PST
12 PM CST
1 PM EST

NASA expert -- bio for
Susan Ramsey

NASA expert -- bio for
Chris Culbert
NASA expert -- bio for
Kelly Humphries
View the Archive
Read the Script 		View the Archive
Read the Script 		View the Archive
Read the Script

Teacher's Mission Prep

Student's Mission Prep

Before the Webcasts

Go to the Space Day webpage and read about this year's theme and design challenges, and all the other info you will need to know to participate. Decide which challenge sparks your interest the most and get to work. About half way into the project, we will have these webcasts to help with any problems you might be having.

During the webcasts you will have the opportunity to ask NASA experts your questions and receive your answers live via the Internet. From these webcasts, a FAQ (frequently asked questions) list will be posted to also help you in your endeavors. It will be linked off this page when available.

For first time participants, please prepare ahead. You will need to download and install Real Player to see and hear the webcast.

DON"T FORGET -- Deadline to submit design challenges is March 1, 2002.

Celebrate Space Day 2002 -- May 2, 2002

with celebration and educational activities throughout the United States and around the world with millions of students, teachers and space enthusiasts in 21 countries. More than 70 Space Day partners will organize local events.

Websites to check out for info and other activities

ROVer Ranch -- Build, test and run Remote Operating Vehicles in simulated environments. Get primed with the Rover Ranch Qwhiz! or jump right in and check it out.

Center for Mars Exploration -- Great place to get Mars info like concept maps, atlas, calendar, image gallery, mission info, surveyor landing sites, movies and more.

The Great Mars Debate -- Check out the archive from the event February 5 - February 9, 2001.

Distance Learning Outpost Expeditions
  • Space Farming -- Plants are an important component for space-based and extraterrestrial life support systems.
  • Robotics -- Learn how NASA defines robotics, see how robotic systems are already widely used in the space program and what plans there are for future robotic applications.
  • BIO-Plex -- Earth's unique atmosphere creates a biosphere on the planet that provides the air, water, food, and other environmental necessities required for human existence. As humans venture away from planet Earth, to explore the vastness of space, they will continue to require these vital resources if they are to survive.
  • Effects of Space on the Human Body -- As humans explore further into space, it is vitally important that we understand the effects of spaceflight on the human body and prevent or mitigate the adverse effects so that astronauts can spend longer periods of time in space.

Destination Mars -- Lessons designed to increase knowledge, awareness and curiosity about the process of scientific exploration of Mars.

Space Educators' Handbook -- a great place to find all kinds of space-related information. (Link to index.)

You can also find all kinds of ideas and information just by using the "Search" feature on the Quest site.

"I'm thoroughly convinced that the first person to set foot on Mars is participating in Space Day . . ."

-- Dr. Sally Ride, America's first woman astronaut in space

  
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