ATMOSPHERE

Mars Rover Information

• On November 26th, 2011, NASA launched the Curiosity rover to replace the Spirit and Opportunity

• Curiosity landed on August 5th, 2012 and has been sending pictures and data back since

• The project cost the US $2.5 billion, and Germany contributed an additional $3.1 billion.

Rover Family Reunion

Sojourner (1996)

Spirit & Opportunity(2003)

Curiosity (2011)

Robo-Vision

A dollar from 10 feet away

Hitting the Mark

Flight Plan

Watch the mission simulation

Lift Off!

Watch the rocket take flight

Rover Starts Roving

Rover Self Portrait

Mosaic of ‘Rocknest’ scoop site

Unconformity on Mt. Sharp

Base of Mount Sharp

will.i.am a Solar System Star!

MARS ROVER INFORMATION• Explore more about the Mars Space

Laboratory at NASA’s mission control page• Follow the Mars Rover Mission Page link on

Mr. A’s website and find the ‘Fact Sheet’ – What is the Rover’s mission?– How long will it be on Mars?– What is one piece of equipment the rover has?– Using the ‘Latest image gallery’ explain what

Abraham Lincoln has to do with the rover• When finished, get Rocket Science 101 app

MECHANICS OF FLIGHT• Rover traveled through atmosphere and

space, which takes careful understanding of the mechanics of flight…

• How do planes fly?• Forces of flight?

Thrust

Lift

Weight

Drag

THE WING

• Plane wings have a distinct, curved shape• The shape is lets them achieve lift. How?• Diffusion! Air moves from high to low pressure

Space and the Atmosphere• Earth’s atmosphere plays a large role for life

on the planet, as well as objects leaving or entering the planet

• Meteors burn up in atmosphere – Why?– Force of friction on air particles.

Meteor explodes in atmos

Cop cam catches meteorite

Your Goal• Explore the effects of atmosphere on the

mechanics of flight!

1. Research the conditions of another planet in the solar system and explain how it would affect a probe of your creation using PowerPoint

2. Design your own mission and a rocket to escape from a specific planet in the solar system, then estimate its cost on a poster

3. Create a newspaper or blog story or news report about an imaginary space mission and shuttle launch that was unsuccessful and why.

Your Goal

• Research the atmosphere and terrain of a planet in the solar system and explain how it would affect a probe of your design sent there to explore– What are the gases present? What is the terrain like?– How does the atmosphere compare to Earth’s?– What is the weather like there? Wind speed? Etc.– Design a probe (like Curiosity) that can navigate the

obstacles on this planet.

Your Goal• Design your own mission and a rocket to escape

from a specific planet in the solar system and estimate its cost on a poster– Why did we come to this planet (to collect samples,

find a rare metal, explore) and why are we leaving?– What is the gravity like on the planet? Atmosphere?– What are we leaving with (people, equipment, etc.)

and what does our rocket weigh?– Design a rocket using Rocket Science 101 app as a

resource guide– Estimate how much power the rocket needs to leave

the planet and how much it would cost to make

Your Goal• Create a newspaper or blog story or news report

about an imaginary space mission and shuttle launch that was unsuccessful and why– What is the point of this mission? (Put a satellite into

orbit, explore a planet, etc.)– What were atmospheric conditions like? Were they

abnormal? (Air pressure, wind speed, direction, etc.)– Which part(s) of the rocket malfunctioned? (Rocket

Science 101 app)– Have quotes from an interview with a NASA official– Compare to the Challenger and Columbia Disasters