OUTER SPACE EXPLORATION

LCROSS Mission

Mission Overview

LADEE

Your Mission• Just like on Earth, water is a crucial resource on the

Moon. It will not be practical to transport to space the amount of water needed for human and exploration needs. It is critical to find natural resources, such as water, on the Moon. The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission begins the search for water

• You are to design your own LCROSS using the resources available to you. You are to follow the specifications carefully to ensure success.

Mission SpecificationsYour mission is to design, construct, and test

an LCROSS satellite using any and all of the materials listed. Your Probe must land successfully on the surface of the moon and create a crater that you will be able to measure and analyze.

Your LCROSS must never be closer than 20 cm above the surface of the moon.

NASA is depending on your success!!!

Your Challenge: • Design and build something that can carry a

gumball, your Probe, from the top of the zip line string to the “Moon” and be able to release the Probe into the Moon.

• LCROSS cannot be any closer than 20 cm above Moon surface

Brainstorm and Design:• Using the materials, what can you design

that will carry the Probe, gumball, down a zip line?

• How will your Probe stay on the zip line as it goes from the starting point to the Moon?

• What kinds of materials should be in contact with the zip line so that the carrier slides efficiently?

• How will you release the Probe?

Resource: Design Squad

Materials:• Fishing line (10’)• Gumball• Cup• Masking tape (12”)• Straw• 3 x 5 index card (2)• Large paper clips (2)

Additional Materials for Purchase:

Your team will only have $1.00 to spend!• 3 x 5 index card = $.25• Masking tape = $.25/12”• Paper clip = $.20• Cup = $.75• Straw = $.15• Gumball = $.50 (only if broken)

Things to Keep Track of:

•Size of crater in cm (Depth and Width)•Height of Probe release•Angle of Probe release

•NOTE: Create a data table to record your information on.

Here’s what actually happened:

Water on the Moon