Lunar Rover Design

Designing the Ultimate Lunar Explorer 

Lesson Objective:

Students will brainstorm, design, and virtually build a moon rover equipped with scientific instruments that could be used for exploration and research on the moon.

Instructions For Students:

 Your goal is to create the ultimate moon rover. 

1. Work in a group or by yourself to create a list of instruments that would be useful on a lunar rover. If you need help look at this list.

2. Use SketchUp or TinkerCad to design and build you rover. Make sure you include and label you instruments

3. This will need to in your Google Site.

Materials Needed:

• Computers with internet access

• TinkerCad accounts for each student or group

• Projector or smart board for demonstrations

• Reference materials on space exploration (books, articles, videos)

Lesson Duration:

3-4 class periods (approximately 45 minutes each)

Lesson Outline:

Class Period 1: Introduction and Brainstorming

• Introduction to the Moon Rover Project (15 minutes)

  • Briefly discuss the history and importance of moon exploration.

  • Introduce the concept of a moon rover and its role in space exploration.

  • Show examples of real moon rovers and their instruments.

• Brainstorming Session (30 minutes)

  • Divide students into small groups.

  • Each group brainstorms instruments and tools a moon rover could carry. Encourage thinking about the moon's environment and scientific objectives such as geological studies, atmospheric analysis, and search for water or ice.

  • Possible instruments include:

    • Cameras (for navigation and photography)

    • Spectrometer (for analyzing soil composition)

    • Drill (for collecting subsurface samples)

    • Thermal probe (to measure temperature)

    • Seismometer (to study moonquakes)

    • Communication antenna (for data transmission)

  • Groups present their ideas to the class.

Class Period 2: Design Phase

• Introduction to TinkerCad (10 minutes)

  • Provide a brief tutorial on using TinkerCad, focusing on the tools and features relevant to the project.

• Designing the Moon Rover (35 minutes)

  • Students log into TinkerCad and start designing their moon rover based on their brainstormed ideas.

  • Encourage them to think about how each instrument will be mounted and used on the rover.

  • Assist students as needed, providing guidance on design considerations.

Class Period 3: Build and Refine

• Continued Work on Rover Designs (40 minutes)

  • Students continue working on their designs, refining and adding details.

  • Encourage peer feedback and collaboration to improve designs.

• Discussion (5 minutes)

  • Discuss the challenges faced during the design process and how students overcame them.

Class Period 4: Presentation and Reflection

• Rover Presentations (30 minutes)

  • Each group or student presents their moon rover design to the class, explaining the choice of instruments and the design rationale.

• Class Discussion and Reflection (15 minutes)

  • Discuss what was learned about the moon's environment and how it influenced the design of the rover.

  • Reflect on the importance of each instrument chosen and how the design process could be applied to other engineering challenges.

Assessment:

• Evaluate students based on their participation in brainstorming, the creativity and feasibility of their rover design, and their presentation.

• Provide feedback focusing on their application of scientific knowledge to their designs and their ability to work collaboratively.