Moon Bases

Objectives: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the history of the development of lunar bases over the last several decades of space flight. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the vision for space exploration from the Moon to Mars and beyond.
Focus Question(s): 1. Why build a lunar base? Who will use it? 2. What industries will it create? 3. What nations will be involved? 4. Is it a good place from which to build new interplanetary spacecraft? 5. Can we mine the moon for important minerals? 6. Can we construct colonies on the Moon and in outer space (at Earth-Moon Libration Points?) 7. What kinds of accommodations are needed for humans (life support, waste management, recreation, transportation, dust management and contamination, radiation protection)?
Length:	45-90 minutes
Grade Level:	5-12
NASA Enterprise:	Space Operations, Exploration Systems
National Science Standards:	Science As Inquiry Understandings About Scientific Inquiry (5-12) Science And Technology Understandings About Science and Technology (4-12) History And Nature Of Science History Of Science (5-8) Historical Perspectives (9-12)
NASA Presenter:	Bryan Palaszewski - Bryan.A.Palaszewski@nasa.gov
Advanced Preparation (Required): Grades 5-12: Use the following URLs to explore Focus Question 7. Divide the class into teams, assigning each team a moon base topic to research: life support, waste management, recreation, transportation, dust management and contamination, and radiation protection. The teams should be prepared to briefly share their findings on the topics during the DLN event. The teams should also develop questions for the presenter as they conduct their research. Space colonies: http://www.nas.nasa.gov/Services/Education/SpaceSettlement/70sArt/art.html http://lifesci3.arc.nasa.gov/SpaceSettlement/75SummerStudy/Chapt.1.html#Overall Space mining: http://lifesci3.arc.nasa.gov/SpaceSettlement/scenarios/alternative.html Lunar mining: http://fti.neep.wisc.edu/neep602/neep602.html http://silver.neep.wisc.edu/~neep602/LEC22/IMAGES/Wisconsin.GIF Human Mars mission sites: http://web99.arc.nasa.gov/~vgulick/MSLS99_Wkshp/PostWkshp99/JWHeadMarsSite.pdf Completion of the pre-conference activity is recommended: Grades 5-8: Survivor on the Moon, NASAexplores When Pictures Aren’t Enough, NASAexplores Grades 9-12: Create a Moon Base and Spaceship, The Moon Post-Conference Activity Man’s Lunar Progress Over Machines, NASAexplores View images from a typical Moon Base presentation.
This event focuses on the early history, development, and future of moon bases and the related transportation vehicles for space exploration. It covers moon base concepts and proposed developments from the early days of lunar exploration to the uses of moon bases for the future of human exploration of the rest of the Solar System. The event is augmented with photographs of historical, current, and future moon base ideas and their past and proposed uses. The event also includes: • Illustrative scale models of transportation vehicles, such as the Apollo Lunar Module and proposed Crew Exploration Vehicle and related space systems. • Discussions and demonstrations of moon base construction, using small paper models created with NASA materials. The event can be geared to certain grade levels. Post-Conference Activities: Grades 5-12: Design a Lunar-Based Mission to Mars and Beyond, NASA Student Involvement Program (NSIP), http://www.nsip.net/competitions/mission/index.cfm Other Sites of Interest: Exploring the Moon Moon Base Alpha Moon Base Alpha – Extended Mission Vision for Space Exploration Oxygen from the lunar soil Back to the Moon Back to the Moon – Extended Mission Hotel on the Moon The Moon Videoconference The Moon Ice on the Moon? No Ice on the Moon?: http://fti.neep.wisc.edu/FTI/POSTERS/hhs_space2000.pdf http://fti.neep.wisc.edu/FTI/pdf/fdm1120.pdf http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/moon99/pdf/8013.pdf http://whyfiles.org/060moons/qna.html http://www.plymouthschools.com/Science/Planetarium/9_98/ Moon Exploration Thoughts
Advanced Notice Recommended:	4 weeks
Frequency of Presentation:	Once a week
Availability of presenters:	Varies
Close Window