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This
challenge is brought to you by the NASA
Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD). In
order to prepare for exploration on the Moon and Mars, NASA utilizes
sites on Earth to simulate living and working on extra-terrestrial
surfaces. Students, primarily in grades 5 – 8, will be
challenged to design and build a full- or scale-model of an Earth-based
research station that will support living adaptively and working
efficiently on the Moon.
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Students should plan on locating their research
station in their immediate area (e.g. classroom, schoolyard, nearby
community). Part of the challenge is to identify in what ways
the selected location is a good analog (i.e. similar to the lunar environment)
and ways that it falls short (i.e. is different from the lunar environment),
and how this effects what and how research can be done.
Considerations that need to be addressed with the research station design
are:
- Location
- Energy and life support
- Human factors
- Communications
- Exploration and EVA activities
- Research station architecture and materials
- Contamination protection of explorers and the Moon (e.g. dust, radiation,
outgassing detection and control)
- And anything else you might think of!
Preparing to explore the Moon using sites on Earth (called “analog
studies”) is much safer, more accessible, and less expensive. Plus,
it can be a lot of fun! The knowledge and expertise gathered from
analog studies are an important and necessary step towards our future
exploration of the Moon and beyond.
Simultaneous to this Challenge, via the NASA
ESMD Spaceward Bound program and in partnership with The
Mars Society,
university students will be conducting research at the Mars
Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah alongside NASA scientists.
At MDRS, crews of people live in a confined spacecraft-like environment,
conduct scientific research, use robots, perform extra-vehicular activities
in mock spacesuits, plan and schedule their work with support from scientists
and engineers on Earth, analyze their data and write daily reports to
inform Earth support teams of their progress; just like Martian explorers
will someday. As
their work is conducted, their actions are recorded and their experience
is analyzed, providing useful information to refine crew operations and
mission designs.
Challenge participants will be able to follow this research online,
discover what makes MDRS an exceptional analog environment, learn what
it’s like to live and work in such an environment, and understand
the differences between Martian and lunar research station requirements.
During the mid-Challenge webchat, students will be able to chat online
with crew members. The final Challenge webcast will be produced
and broadcast live from MDRS.
Good luck and thank you for your assistance in the development
of lunar analog sites NASA’s Exploration Mission!
(It is anticipated that this design process will not occupy your entire
class schedule. This challenge has been stretched out to allow for maximum
participation.)
Prepare for the Challenge with some background
reading to learn more about the Moon.
Instructors see Teachers' Page.
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