Sending Astronauts on a Mission to Mars!
Students explore potential of manned missions to marsCopyright 2004 NASA http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/
Students are immersed in the details for a possible future mission to Mars. They learn about the human safety risks that are evaluated and addressed to minimize danger to astronauts. They examine a specialized launch schedule and the varied backgrounds and professions of the crew. Students find out about the crew's activities and living conditions once on the Martian surface, as well as how to make enough fuel to make it off the Red Planet to return home.
Engineers know that risks are always present in the exploration of space — just as in our daily lives. Are you at risk when you take an escalator, elevator, airplane, bus or amusement park ride? Are you safe when you use your washing machine, blender, drill, furnace or lawn mower? While some level of risk will always exist in our daily activities, safety engineers do their best to minimize risks through smart design and extensive testing transportation, appliances, equipment and products.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Explain the varied risks and environments of a planetary mission.
- Recognize the different professions of the crew.
- Describe advantages and disadvantages to planning missions to Mars.
- Explain how future missions to Mars may affect science and society.