Space 100 | Design Experiments for the ISS with NASA’s Method

Space.100

ISS Inspiration Station

Grades: 5-6

12 Hour Curriculum

Coding + Heating Experiments

100

Introduce Your Students to Space.

On Earth and Beyond.

Key Experiences

Students are challenged with designing a new Astro lounge for the Astronauts on the ISS. They are specifically tasked to determine the best way of heating and cooling the lounge. Using NASA’s scientific method, students are first challenged to guess a design based on what they currently know and then test and repeat until they reach a conclusion.

Key Outcomes

Ask

What is the ISS? How hot / cold is it? What is thermal energy and why does it matter?

Think

I wonder how thermal energy is different on the ISS? Could Radiation and Conduction be used together? How does my design compare to the actual design?

Imagine

Convection doesn’t work on the ISS, how do I heat a whole room? Conduction needs material so it doesn’t work in space but it does work on the ISS. What if radiation is key to heat distribution and dissipation? How did the Engineers figure this out?