Lunar Landings

Bit of Space History… Click on the picture to launch video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLcE3AI9wwE Click on the picture to launch video.

Future Needs… NASA is looking for safe landing sites on the moon, so we can begin to build a colony there. Once we find a suitable site for colonization, we will need to build spacecraft which can deliver supplies to build a station, and people to work there. That spacecraft must be able to safely deliver cargo and astronauts.

Future Needs… NASA wants to build a colony on the moon by 2022 that will house about 10 astronauts. This colony would be used as a launching port to go to Mars. They propose to make the parts for the station by 3-D printing them. The astronauts would also be “vertical farmers” and produce their own food, water & oxygen.

Remember Newton? You are going to use your knowledge of all 3 of Newton’s Laws to help solve a real-world problem. You are going to help design and build a shock-absorbing system that will protect two astronauts when they land on the moon.

Newton’s 1st According to Newton’s 1st Law, the lander is going to be pulled toward the center of the moon by the moon’s gravity. What direction will the lander’s force push when the lander touches the moon’s surface? downward

Newton’s 2nd Law According to Newton’s 2nd Law, the force that the lander hits the moon’s surface with depends on two things. What are those 2 things? (F=ma) Mass of the lander & Acceleration (speed) of the lander

Newton’s 3rd Law If the lander hits the surface of the moon with a force of 500,000 Newtons, what force will the moon push back with? 500,000 Newtons

Reduce the Force? What are some ways you could reduce the reaction force from the moon? Reduce the mass of the lander Slow down the lander Make some of the landing force go sideways, not down

Observe and apply to landers… If you bend your knees when you land a jump, it “cushions” the impact and sends some of the force in the direction of your bent knee, instead of straight down. How could you use this info in your design?

Brainstorm and Design Read through the information on your “Touchdown” worksheet. Brainstorm how you could create a lander from the materials at the front of the room. Tomorrow you’ll be making your own lander and testing it! Tonight, your homework is to dream about Lunar Landers…