NASA STEM Challenges
NASA STEM Challenge: NASA Exploration Design
Objective: Students use the engineering design process to build a prototype radiation shield that effectively blocks simulated space radiation on a spacecraft that will carry astronauts beyond low Earth orbit and on to an asteroid or Mars.
Grade Level: 5-8
Time Required: 90 minutes
Description: Students will study the effects of radiation on human space travelers and analyze different materials that simulate space radiation shielding for a spacecraft traveling in deep space. After participating in activities guided by their teachers, students will recommend materials that best block harmful radiation.
Final Product: Student teams will create and submit a video featuring the process they followed to arrive at their best radiation shielding design for a spacecraft.
Plan Your Challenge
| Resources to Complete the Challenge | PDF or Website | Video |
| Training Overview for Educators | Watch or Download | |
| Classroom Management Training for Educators | Watch or Download | |
| How to Introduce the Challenge | Watch or Download | |
| Challenge Checklist | View [55MB] | |
| Materials for Challenge | View [41KB] | Watch or Download |
| Step-by-Step Educator Guide -- Grades 5-8 | Go to Website | Watch or Download |
| Elementary School Design Packet | View [896KB] | |
| Middle and High School Design Packet | View [620KB] | |
| Ray Shielding Activity Educator Section | View [318KB] | |
| Ray Shielding Activity Student Section | View [455KB] | |
| Ray Shielding Activity Student Section (Sp) | View [455KB] |
Deliver Your Challenge
| Resources to Complete the Challenge | Video | |
| Introductory Video for Students From Astronaut Sunita Williams | Watch | |
| Introductory Video for Students From NASA Associate Administrator for Education Leland Melvin | Watch | |
| Presentation Slides for Students | View [1.7MB] | |
| Presentation Slides for Students Discussion Guide | View [54KB] | |
| Video Criteria and Rubric | View [58KB] |
Submit Student Videos
Learn helpful video production tips and access the technical requirements and instructions for submitting videos.
Extras
Interactive Features
Buzz Aldrin’s Rocket Experience
Future of Human Spaceflight
Rocket Science 101
NASA Kids’ Club: Why Do We Explore
Websites and Printable Resources
NASA Orion
Orion Crew Vehicle Paper Model
Exploration Design Challenge Bookmark
Cosmic Radiation Comic [971KB PDF]
Related Resources
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We Are the Explorers
Introduce students to NASA with this video about NASA’s past and future exploration.
What Is Engineering?
What is engineering, and who exactly is an engineer? Learn more in this video.
Spaghetti Anyone?
Use this simple activity to introduce students to Engineering Design.
Need help with downloading the video?
Try this.
Click Control or right click on the Download video link.
Select either the Save Target As or Save Link As option.
Select where you want to save the video on your computer, and save the video.
The video will show in the player that is loaded on your computer, such as QuickTime, iTunes, etc.