Martian Landing Craft

1. Martian Landing Craft A Modified Egg Drop

2. Lab Report • Your 2 Liter Bottle Rocket Lab is due Wednesday. • If you have not launched your rocket, talk to me about other possible options

3. Introduction • Pathfinder will enter the upper atmosphere of Mars at 7.6 kilometers per second at a 14.2 degree angle (90 degrees would be straight down). It will meet its peak atmospheric shock, encountering forces 25 times Earth's gravity, at 32 kilometers above the surface. At 10 kilometers above the ground, a parachute will deploy at nearly twice the speed of sound (400 meters per second). Rockets inside the backshell will fire to further slow the lander's descent. Shortly before landing, a set of airbags will inflate to cushion the impact. After a few seconds, the tether attaching the lander to the backshell and parachute will be severed, and, with 90 percent of the fuel expended, the rockets will carry the shell and other debris away from the landing area. Then, protected (hopefully) by its airbags, Pathfinder will bounce on the Martian surface, perhaps as high as a ten-story building, before finally coming to rest after its 8-month journey.

4. Objective • Students will demonstrate an understanding of the challenges of soft landing a spacecraft on Mars by designing, building and testing their own "interplanetary lander." In the process, students will demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method.

5. KNOW, UNDERSTAND, DO

6. Problem • Your group needs to create a “Martian” landing craft that will successfully protect the cargo under the constraints given. The craft will experience a vertical drop and a downhill tumble.

7. Materials and Constraints: • Mr. Binder will provide each group with a basic set of materials. • Each group member may also bring in one additional material. • No bubble wrap or foam products may be used. • You may barter with groups for supplies • Your landing craft must fit within a 12” cube • Your craft should be as light as possible • Your cargo will consist of two passengers (raw eggs) • The passengers will be loaded into the “lander” on the test day and need to be removed the same day without destroying the craft.

8. Materials and Constraints Cont. • Brainstorm possible materials for members to bring. • Create list on white board

9. DAY ONE • Each group member will independently create a design. • The group will come together, consider all plans, brainstorm, and agree on a design. • The design, or hypothesis, will be drawn (in color). The reasoning or rationale behind the plan must be written on the back of the design. • The group will meet with Mr. Binder and submit the design for approval

10. DAY TWO: • This will be the first construction day. • The group will work together to create the “lander”. • The craft may be tested once on each of the two experiments. Water balloons will be available as test subjects.

11. DAY THREE: • Modifications will be made based on the prior tests. • Groups will work on their presentation poster. • At the end of this day, the landing craft must be ready for the final test.

12. DAY FOUR: • Final test day. • Prepare for group presentation

13. DAY FIVE • Group Presentations

14. “Warning – Science Content” • Newton’s 2nd Law – F = M*A • The force acting on an object that will impact Earth is directly connected to the mass of the object and the acceleration. • Thus, we see that for the egg to survive, we must try to minimize the egg’s velocity upon impact, and/or maximize the time (distance) over which the egg is brought to rest (meaning provide some sort of cushion around the egg to absorb the force when the egg hits the ground).

15. The Tumble • Your Craft will also be rolled down a set of steps. • What forces will act an your landing craft as they roll down steps?