Instructions Instrucciones 3e3w4a
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1
Here are some of the materials you can use
- 3 index cards (3 x 5 in. [8 x 13 cm])
- 10 marshmallows (miniature size)
- 2 marshmallows (regular size)
- 1 piece of cardboard (4 x 5 in. [10 x 13 cm])
- 8 plastic straws
- 3 rubber bands
- scissors
- 1 small paper cup
- tape
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2
Prepare ahead of time
- Have paper and a pencil ready to write down ideas and sketches as you design.
- Think of things that might absorb the shock of an impact, or the force of a crash in a landing. How does the material absorb the shock?
- Think of things that have shock absorbers. (Cars, spacecraft, running shoes, your body)
- TIP: Soft, springy things, like balloons, marshmallows, cotton balls, foam, and air-filled packing material make good shock absorbers.
- TIP: Your body has its own shock absorbers. When you jump off a high step, you bend your back and knees to absorb some of the energy and break your fall. That’s what a shock absorber does—it absorbs the energy of an impact.
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3
Think about the challenge
- How will you make sure the spacecraft doesn’t tip over as it falls through the air? When it lands?
- What forces, or pressure or impact, will affect the spacecraft as it falls?
- TIP: Due to the increase in speed because of gravity (the force that pulls things down), the spacecraft will gain more energy as it falls.
- TIP: The spacecraft will slow down because of the air resistance. This is a force that acts in the opposite direction when something falls.
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4
Think about and write down ideas
- How will you arrange the shock absorbers so they absorb the most impact?
- What things other than shock absorbers do you need to think about to help protect the astronauts? (The regular size marshmallows will act as the astronauts.)
- How will you position the astronaut’s cabin on the flat platform at the top of the spacecraft?
- TIP: If you evenly distribute the weight on top of the platform, it will help keep the spacecraft from tipping over as it falls.
- TIP: Inventors’ and engineers’ first ideas rarely solve a problem. They brainstorm ideas, try different ideas, learn from mistakes, and try again––this is part of the design process.
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5
Look at the materials
- What types of materials will absorb the shock of an impact, or force of the crash?
- How many shock absorbers will your spacecraft need to make a softer landing?
- How will you keep the astronauts (marshmallows) from falling out of the cabin?
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6
Design and build the shock-absorbing system
- Decide what materials you will use to make your shock absorbers.
- Think about cushions and springs.
- Choose your materials.
- TIP: Mini-marshmallows can serve as soft footpads. Cards can be folded into springs. Straws can provide a flexible structure. Rubber bands can flex and hold things together.
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7
Design and build the shock-absorbing system (continued)
- Decide if your spacecraft will have more than one type of shock absorber.
- Choose your materials and build the shock absorbers.
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8
Assemble the shock-absorbing system
- Choose the material you will use as a platform, or the surface where the astronaut’s cabin will sit.
- Decide how you will attach the shock absorbers to the bottom of the platform.
- Attach the shock absorbers.
- TIP: If you make the parts below the platform weigh more than the parts on the top, it will help the spacecraft fall straight down.
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9
Test the shock-absorbing system
- Check the springiness of your shock absorbers.
- Drop the spacecraft to see if it bounces.
- TIP: Test a design at different steps along the process of working through the challenge. This way you can spot a problem when it happens instead of at the end of the process. This is part of the design process. Engineers use information they learn from tests to improve a design before going any further.
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10
Design and build a cabin
- Decide what materials you will use to make a cabin.
- Think about how you will attach the cabin to the spacecraft.
- Build the cabin and attach it securely to the platform.
- TIP: If you distribute the weight evenly on top of the platform, it will help prevent the spacecraft from tipping over as it falls through the air.
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11
Design and build a cabin (continued)
- Decide how you will keep the astronauts (marshmallows) inside the cabin (cup) when your spacecraft lands.
- Finish building the cabin.
- TIP: You have just built a prototype, which is an early version of a product. Prototypes help engineers understand a product’s strengths and weaknesses and how the product might be improved.
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12
Test your design
- Place two astronauts (marshmallows) into the cabin.
- Drop your spacecraft from 1 foot (30 cm) above the table or floor.
- Make adjustments if needed and then retest.
- TIP: If the cabin (cup) tips over as it falls through the air, make sure it’s level when you release it. Or check that it is centered on the platform.
- TIP: If the astronauts (marshmallows) bounce out of the cup, try changing the number or position of the shock absorbers. Or try making the springs less springy.
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13
Did you know?
- Risky Landing
The first people who landed on the moon took a big risk. That's because the moon is covered with a think layer of fine dust. No one knew how deep or soft this laery of dust was. Would a spacecraft sink out of sight when it landed? Now we know— the layer is firm. The Apollo 11’s lander pads sank only about 2 inches (5 cm) into the dust. What a relief! This helped NASA figure out the kinds of shock absorbers and landing systems its spacecraft needed.
- Risky Landing
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14
Try this next!
- How high can you go? Drop your spacecraft from 2 feet (0.6 m), 3 feet (0.9 m), or as high as you can go. You can also increase the challenge by adding a third marshmallow “astronaut” to your cup.
- Change the spring sizes. See if the number of folds in an index card makes a difference in the amount of force the spring can absorb. Fold index cards with two, four, and six folds. Test them to see how much of a difference these springs make in how softly a spacecraft touches down.
