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PSA: The Astronaut's Helper
Students will be introduced to the Personal Satellite
Assistant (PSA), a small, spherical robot that assists astronauts
with their chores on space-based vehicles. Students will learn about
different types of robots and the mechanical systems on the PSA
that must work together for the PSA to function. In the web activity,
students interact with a simulation of the PSA and learn how forces
affect motion in a low-friction, microgravity environment.
Students learn that scientists need to shrink the
PSA, and they engage in a hands-on activity where they find the
maximum surface area of a computer component that must fit into
a smaller PSA. By conducting inquiry-based and web activities, students
will make connections between NASA research and the mathematics,
science, and technology they learn in their |
