翻译
Applying Engineering Skills from Launch to Landing
This fall, Clairbourn students set out to tackle our Mission to Mars Engineering Design Challenge. They were asked the question, 'How might we design a device to safely land a water balloon falling from a very high height?" to model the challenge faced by NASA scientists and engineers when trying to land the Mars Rovers Sojourner, Spirit, Curiosity, Opportunity, and Perseverance.
Each grade began by putting their creativity and engineering skills to the test by tackling a smaller problem, allowing them to rapidly prototype and test multiple iterations of their design per class period. Their initial challenge was to land a roll of tape from the ceiling of the I-Lab without making a sound. There were many crinkles, crunches, and thuds as students tested designs using a variety of materials ranging from inflated bags, table cloths, straws, springs, cardboard, paper, and tape. During this rapid prototyping phase, we also researched a wide range of possible solutions, watched the methods used by NASA during their Mars missions, and learned from experts who worked to create them.
Next, the difficulty was elevated, both by raising the drop height from the ceiling of the I-Lab to the second floor of the building, and by replacing the very sturdy roll of tape with a far more fragile water balloon. Students took all of the data they gathered from their prior tests and used that information to design a new landing vehicle for their precious cargo. Some made parachutes to slow the fall speed while others used padding to lengthen the collision time, both of which could lead to less force being applied to the water balloon. As students created more sophisticated and successful designs, they were given the option to attempt landing multiple water balloons during one drop or to design a landing vehicle using only paper towels and masking tape.