Instructions
(read carefully)
This
assignment includes an essay and graphic that must
be submitted along with the answer to a math problem.
You must submit the text section and the math answer
as one text document via the Comm
Link . You can type
your essay in a Word document and then copy and paste
it into the Comm Link Text Box. Make sure you
show your work for the math problem and list the sources
that you used.
Attach
your drawing separately using the Comm Link. The Comm
Link will not accept your graphic if it does not meet
the following requirements:
•
It must be saved as a .jpg of a
.gif.
•
The maximum size limit is 300kb.
•
There can not be any spaces in
the title.
Read
the rubric carefully to see how your assignment will
be graded. You will have points deducted if you do
not follow the rubric or if your assignment is late.
Along
with this assignment, you must also complete the Quick
Quiz! for this lesson if you have not already
done so.
Your
teacher reviewer will grade your assignment and send
comments to you via e-mail within 1 week of the assignment
due date. You may also go to your profile see
your current grades.
Mission
Part
One: Mars Robotics Essay and Graphic
Your assignment
is to design a robotic spacecraft to be sent to the
planet Mars. Using the information you have learned
about robotic spacecraft and the planet Mars, put on
your engineering design hat and let your imagination
go!
Remember that space missions arise from questions that people ask
about a planet. You have already generated several questions in previous
assignments about Mars. Consider what kind of a mission could be designed
to answer one or more of your own questions.
Your mission can be an orbiter or a lander, and it can include whatever
experiments you wish. Be creative! It is the innovations and
ideas of today that inspire the investigations and solutions of tomorrow.
Plan which year you would like your spacecraft to be launched in,
and develop a series of mission objectives based on your questions
about the planet.
Consider different methods of propulsion, electrical power, communications,
entry and/or landing methods and experiment packages (science experiments,
cameras, rovers, drills, balloons, planes, etc.).
Click
here to review some of the parts of a robotic spacecraft.
You can use this map
to click on various regions of Mars to choose a landing
site.
For more information on types of robotic Mars spacecraft use these
links:
Lander
designs
Orbiter
designs
Rovers
Upcoming optimal
launch times for future Mars missions include:
- November 2009
- November/December 2011
- December 2013
- January 2014
- February/March 2016
- May 2018
Submit the following two items with
the answer to the Mars Math questions via the Comm
Link:
- A labeled drawing of your spacecraft design
- A one-page summary (500 words) that includes:
- Mission timeline
- Landing site
- Mission objectives
- Spacecraft components (propulsion, energy, communications,
guidance)
- Instruments and experiments
List all your
sources.
Part
Two: Mars Math
In order to send a spacecraft to the
planet Mars you will need to complete some basic orbital
equations using Kepler's law of orbits. In the next
few Mars Math Questions, we will look at ways engineers
calculate this by introducing you to some basic equations
and formulas.
1. The
Earth is 150 million km from the sun. It completes
one orbit in a period of approximately 365.25 days. Calculate
the orbital speed of Earth in mph.
2. Mars
is 230 million km from the sun. It completes one
orbit in a period of approximately 687 days. Calculate
the orbital speed of Mars in mph.
The equation
to determine orbital speed is 2*Pi*r/Period.
r = Distance from the planet to the sun. Circumference
= 2*Pi*r
You may use
Pi to the value of 3.1416.
Thank you
to Joe Kolecki and NASA's Learning Technology Project
at the Glenn Research Center for use of these questions
and activities.
Here are a few on-line Math
sites that might help you!
Ask
Dr. Math
The
Math Forum
Quick
Math
The
Math Help Desk
and check out, Interactive
Algebra!
Rubric
Assignment 8
Your
assignment will be graded on your essay, graphic, answer
to the math problem and quiz score using the following
rubric. If your assignment is late, points will be deducted
as follows:
•
If assignment is one day
late, 1 point will be deducted.
•
If assignment is two or
three days late, 2 points will be deducted.
•
If assignment is four or
five days late, 3 points will be deducted.
•
If assignment is six or
more days late, 4 points will be deducted.
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
Essay
Content
•
Timeline
•
Landing site
•
Mission
objectives
•
Spacecraft components
•
Instruments and experiments
•
Sources |
Meets
all content requirements of the essay. |
Did
not meet one of the content requirements of the
essay. |
Did
not meet two of the content requirements of the
essay. |
Did
not meet three of the content requirements of
the essay. |
Did
not meet more than three of the content requirements
of the essay. |
Did
not submit an essay. |
Essay
Quality
(Writing
Style, Grammar, Creativity, Length)
|
Excellent
essay. Correct grammar always used. Integration
of multiple scientific terms. Excellent creativity
of assignment. Meets 500 word length requirement.
|
Good
essay. Correct grammar used most of the time.
Integration
of several scientific terms. Good creativity of
assignment. Meets 500 word length
requirement.
|
Fair
essay. Correct grammar used sometimes. Integration
of several scientific terms. Some creativity of
assignment. Meets 500 word length requirement.
|
Weak
essay. Correct grammar not always used. Integration
of some scientific terms. Little creativity of
assignment. Does not meet 500 word length requirement.
|
Poor
essay. Correct grammar not used. No use of scientific
terms. No creativity of assignment. Does not meet
500 word length requirement. |
Did
not submit an essay. |
Graphic
|
Graphic
is very clear. Every item that needs to be identified
has a label. It is clear which label goes with
which item. |
Graphic
is clear. Almost all items (90%) that need to
be identified have labels. It is clear which label
goes with which item. |
Graphic
is somewhat unclear. Most items (70-80%) that
need to be identified have labels, but it is not
clear which label goes with which item. |
Graphic
is unclear. Less than 70% of the items that need
to be identified have labels OR it is not clear
which label goes with which item. |
Graphic
is unacceptable. |
Did
not submit a graphic. |
Math
Problem |
Math
problem is correct. |
Math
problem is partially correct with one mistake.
|
Math
problem is partially correct with two mistakes.
|
Math
problem is partially correct with more than two
mistakes. |
Math
problem is incorrect but attempted. |
Did
not attempt math problem. |
Quiz
|
Answered
10 questions correctly on quiz. |
Answered
8-9 questions correctly on quiz. |
Answered 6-7 questions correctly on quiz. |
Answered
4-5 questions correctly on quiz. |
Answered
2-3 questions correctly on quiz. |
Did
not complete the quiz or answered 0 or 1 question correctly.
|
|
