Spacecraft Structures pdf - ER - NASA

NASA Engineering Design ChallengesDear Parent:Your child is beginning an exciting unit, in science class, entitled the NASA EngineeringDesign Challenge. This unit will connect students with the work of NASA engineers byengaging them in a related design challenge in their classroom. Students will design,build, and test their own solutions to a design problem similar to one faced by NASAengineers.Spacecraft StructuresNASA is currently designing the Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles to replace the SpaceShuttle as a way to put people and satellites into orbit. One challenge faced by designersof the Ares rockets is how to build a lightweight yet strong vehicle. For every poundlighter the engineers can make the structure, about eight pounds of fuel is saved oneach launch. This adds up to huge savings for what might seem like insignificant weightreductions. At the same time, the structure has to be strong enough to withstand thetremendous thrust of the engines.The ChallengeYour child’s challenge in class is to build a thrust structure for a model rocket that canwithstand the force of three launches. The structure will be built from such commonmaterials as craft sticks, cardboard, and glue. The design will be tested and then thestudent will have the opportunity to revise the design based on the test results. Designswill go through a number of revisions to try to reduce the weight and increase thestrength of the thrust structure. As a culminating activity, students will create postersdocumenting their design process and results.Questions to Ask Your Child about the ProjectThis is an inquiry-based activity. This means that much of your child’s learning dependson hands-on experimentation. It is important, however, that your child reflects on thehands-on work and tries to understand why certain design features were or were notsuccessful. You can encourage this reflection by asking your child about the activity. Askyour child to:• Explain the challenge and the design constraints.• Describe the design and how it survived the testing.• Explain why the design did or did not work well.• Explain whether other students in the class tried different designs and how thosedesigns tested.• Explain the next design and why it will be an improvement.Ares I