Project Hail Mary Challenge
Project Hail Mary Challenge
Embedded Files
Project Hail Mary Club
Project Hail Mary Club
Students in this club are challenged to design a two-module space station that produces artificial gravity through centripetal acceleration. Students in grades 3–8 at St. John’s meet on Mondays and Wednesdays after school to explore key physics concepts and engineering design challenges. Through hands-on learning, they step into the roles of engineers and scientists while discovering what it takes to explore space. This project began with a Challenge from Space for Teachers in collaboration with many organizations. Learn more click here projecthailmary
Learning how Center of Mass works (COM) using simple materials from a hardware store
Where we are today
Where we are today
So far student have learned what center of mass is and how to find center of mass. Students have learned the difference between centripetal and centrifugal force.
Mr. Ed looking over designs with students.
Mr. Ed looking over designs with students.
Education Goals
Education Goals
Educational Goals & Learning Outcomes
Students engaged in a full engineering design process while connecting physics concepts to real-world space exploration. Key learning outcomes include:
Understanding center of mass and how mass distribution affects stability
Distinguishing between centripetal and centrifugal forces through physical demonstrations
Exploring velocity, acceleration, and force vectors in rotating systems
Applying concepts to design, model, and refine a spacecraft
Developing a strong foundation in the mathematics behind calculating partial gravity, with students spending extensive time working through how rotation, radius, and acceleration relate
Collaborating to evaluate designs and communicate ideas through models and presentations
Connecting classroom learning to current NASA research on artificial gravity
Through iterative design, mathematical analysis, model building, and mission patch creation, students developed both scientific understanding and creative problem-solving skills grounded in authentic space engineering challenges.
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