Walk to the Moon Challenge
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Speed of Light
Your MissionIn preparation for space travel, astronauts invest many...
Agility Astro-Course
Your MissionWhen astronauts go into space and return to...
Robotic Arm
Your MissionTo help out in space, scientists have designed...
Reduced Gravtiy, Low Fat
Your MissionAs astronauts travel to the moon, Mars, and...
Astro Farmer
Your MissionAll the things we take for granted on...
Crew Assembly Training
Your MissionWhen working with objects in space, astronauts must...
Get on Your Space Cycle
Your MissionOne exercise device that is regularly used by...
Energy of an Astronaut
Your MissionAstronauts living on the International Space Station need...
Bonus Activity: Liftoff Languages
Your MissionAstronauts need brains and brawn! Using your coordination,...
Bonus Activity: Skip to the Moon
Your MissionDid you know that jumping might be a...
Taste in Space
Your MissionFor astronauts, all their food and drink needs...
Astro Food
Your MissionFood is one of the most important parts...
Space Rock-n-Roll
Your MissionIn the microgravity environment of the International Space...
Microbial Box 1
Your MissionMicrobes live everywhere, including outer space! Scientists have...
Bonus Activity: Venus Volcanoes
Your MissionVenus is the most volcanic planet in our...
2021
Building an Astronaut Core
Your MissionAstronauts in space must be able to twist, bend, lift, and carry massive objects. They must have strong core muscles so they can perform their tasks efficiently and avoid injury. In order to maintain muscle strength while in space, astronauts practice core-building activities before, during, and after their missions.
In this activity, your team will perform the Commander Crunch and Pilot Plank to improve the strength in abdominal and back muscles.
Skills
Strength, Endurance, Balance
Learning Objectives
- perform the Commander Crunch and Pilot Plank to improve abdominal and back muscle strength
- record observations about improvements in core muscle strength during this physical experience in the Mission Journal
Equipment
- Watch or stopwatch
- For students: Mission Journal and pencil
Time
10-15 minutes per class
Agility Astro-Course
Your MissionWhen astronauts go into space and return to Earth, they experience challenges with balance and body control due to changes in gravity. The agility course is used to measure balance, footwork skill and agility in response to gravity changes.
In this activity, your team will complete an agility course as quickly and as accurately as possible to improve agility, coordination and speed.
Skills
Balance, Agility, Spatial Awareness, Laterality, Directionality
Learning Objectives
- complete an agility course as quickly and as accurately as possible to improve movement skills, coordination, and speed
- record observations about improvements in agility during this physical experience in the Mission Journal
Equipment
- Eight marking cones, or other small, steady objects
- Measuring tape or meter stick
- Paper and pencil
- Watch or stopwatch
- (Optional) Swimming noodles
- For students: Mission Journal and pencil
Time
15-30 minutes per class
Base Station Walk-back
Your MissionWhen exploring space, astronauts complete many physical tasks. When on a planetary surface, if their vehicle breaks down astronauts must be able to walk a distance of up to 10 km (6.2 mi) back to their base station. To be physically prepared to complete their mission tasks or perform a walk-back procedure, astronauts train by running and lifting weights to improve their overall physical fitness.
In this activity, your team will perform a walk, progressing to 1600m (1 mi) to improve lung, heart, and other muscle endurance.
Skills
Endurance, Strength, Orientation, Mobility, Spatial Awareness
Learning Objectives
- perform a walk, progressing to 1600 m (1 mi) to improve lung, heart, and other muscle endurance
- record observations about improvements in this walk-back physical endurance experience using their lungs, hearts, and other muscles in the Mission Journal
Equipment
- Optional equipment:
- watch or stopwatch
- heart rate monitor
- pedometer
- walking wheel
- For students: Mission Journal and pencil
Time
15-30 minutes per class
Let’s Climb a Martian Mountain
Your MissionSpace explorers in a far future might need to be good and stable climbers to explore mountainous landscapes on planets in our Solar System, like the impressive volcanoes on the Martian surface.
In this activity your team will perform a climb training activity on wall bars or a rock wall to improve your sense of balance and coordination and strengthen your muscles.
Skills
Agility, Balance, Coordination
Learning Objectives
- perform a climbing activity to improve balance, coordination and strengthen muscles
- record observations about improvements in balance, coordination and strength in the Mission Journal
Equipment
- Wall bars or rock wall
- Mat for the base of the climbing wall
- (Optional) climbing rope
- For students: Mission Journal and pencil
Time
15 minutes per class
Crew Assembly Training
Your MissionWhen working with objects in space, astronauts must have good dexterity and hand-eye coordination and work as a team. They must also be able to manipulate tools and objects while wearing a pressurized spacesuit that includes gloves over their hands. These gloves, worn to protect astronauts from the space environment, can be thick and bulky. Astronauts must have strong muscles and endurance to overcome the bulk and pressure inside the suit.
As a team you will assemble a puzzle quickly and correctly to understand the importance of dexterity and hand-eye coordination; you will also practice communication and problem-solving skills.
Skills
Teamwork, Communication, Problem-solving, Dexterity, Hand-eye coordination, Endurance
Learning Objectives
- Assemble a puzzle quickly and correctly to demonstrate the importance of dexterity and hand eye coordination while also improving communication and problem-solving skills
- Record observations about improvements in dexterity and hand-eye coordination during this skill based experience in the Mission Journal
Equipment
- Containers large enough to hold at least 25 labeled pieces of one floor puzzle
- Two pairs of gloves per team member: tight fitting children’s gloves and adult size working gloves. Note: gloves can also be shared.
- Two pieces of cardboard large enough to cover the completed puzzles
- Marker
- Watch or stopwatch for each team, or a clock viewable in the room
- For students: Mission Journal and pencil
Time
15-30 minutes per class
Crew Strength Training
Your MissionAstronauts must perform physical tasks in space that require strong muscles and bones. In a reduced gravity environment, muscles and bones can become weak, so astronauts must prepare by strength training. They work with strength and conditioning specialists on Earth and continue to work in space to keep their muscles and bones strong for exploration missions and discovery activities.
In this activity, your team will perform body-weight squats and push-ups to develop upper and lower body strength in muscles and bones.
Skills
Strength, Balance, Endurance, Teamwork, Resistance
Learning Objectives
- Perform body-weight squats and push-ups to develop upper and lower body strength in muscles and bones
- Record observations about improvements in strength training during this physical experience in the Mission Journal
Equipment
- Optional equipment:
- Watch or stopwatch
- Wall access
- Metronome
- For students: Mission Journal and pencil
Time
15 minutes per class
Explore and Discover
Your MissionTo explore the Moon and Mars, astronauts must complete the tasks of walking to collection sites, taking samples, carrying science experiments, and safely lifting objects they discover to return to base station. In order to complete this work, astronauts must physically prepare by regularly practicing activities such as walking, running, swimming, and lifting weights.
In this activity, your team will safely carry weighted objects from the Exploration Area back to your Base Station to improve aerobic and anaerobic fitness.
Skills
Strength, Endurance, Teamwork, Coordination
Learning Objectives
- Safely carry weighted objects from the Exploration Area back to your Base Station to improve aerobic and anaerobic fitness
- Record observations about improvements in aerobic and anaerobic fitness during this physical experience in their Mission Journal
Equipment
- 12 stress balls (a small object or ball students can squeeze in their palm)
- 30 balls in five different weights and sizes, such as:
- six tennis balls
- six softballs
- six soccer balls
- six six basketballs
- six softballs
- six large yoga balls
- 3 hula hoops
- A watch, 6 stopwatches, or clock with a second hand to take heart rate.
- Optional equipment:
- heart rate monitor
- pedometer
- markers to write space object names on balls
- six six basketballs
- masking tape to write space object names on balls
- For students: Mission Journal and pencil
Time
30-45 minutes per class
Planet You Go, Gravity You Find
Your MissionAstronauts’ training takes into account the influence of gravity because during their mission they will be in a free-fall microgravity environment. When astronauts are back on Earth after a six-month stay on the International Space Station, they feel tired, as if everything is extremely heavy. Astronauts need to train to get acquainted again with Earth’s gravity and do that using medicine balls to strengthen their muscles.
In this activity, your team will perform the same exercise with balls of different weights, as if you were in different gravitational conditions, to strengthen arm and torso muscles, and improve coordination.
Skills
Strength, Coordination, Stabilisation, Teamwork
Learning Objectives
- Perform a physical activity that will improve coordination, core and arm muscles
- Record observations about improvements in coordination and core and arm muscle strength during this experience in the Mission Journal
Equipment
- 3 balls with different weights, e.g:
- 1 kg (2 lbs)
- 1.5 kg (3 lbs)
- 2.5 kg (6 lbs)
- For students: Mission Journal and pencil
Time
10-15 minutes per class
Jump for the Moon
Your MissionOn Earth, your weight on your bones provides a constant stress. You maintain your bone strength by doing regular daily activities like standing, walking, and running! In space, astronauts float – unloading that important stress and weakening their bones. Therefore they depend on nutritionists and strength and conditioning specialists to plan food menus and physical activities that will help them keep their bones as strong as possible while in space.
In this activity your team will perform jump training with a rope, both while stationary and moving, to increase bone strength and to improve heart and other muscle endurance.
Skills
Coordination, Balance, Endurance
Learning Objectives
- Perform jump training with a rope, both while stationary and moving, to increase bone strength and to improve heart and other muscle endurance
- Record observations about improvements in stationary and moving jump training during this physical experience in the Mission Journal
Equipment
- Jump rope (one per student)
- Watch or stopwatch
- Optional equipment:
- heart rate monitor
- For students: Mission Journal and pencil
Time
15-25 minutes per class
Mission: Control!
Your MissionDuring and after space flight, astronauts have challenges with balance and spatial awareness. Through astronaut reconditioning, when they return to Earth, they relearn how to use their eyes, inner ear, and muscles to help control body movement.
In this activity your team will perform throwing and catching techniques on one foot to improve balance and spatial awareness.
Skills
Balance, Coordination, Stability, Reaction-time, Teamwork
Learning Objectives
- Perform throwing and catching techniques on one foot to improve balance and spatial awareness
- Record observations about improvements in balance and spatial awareness during this physical experience in the Mission Journal
Equipment
- Practice:
- tennis ball (one per student)
- watch or stopwatch (one per student)
- Game: gym ball or similar sized/weighted ball (at least one per group)
- For students: Mission Journal and pencil
Time
15 minutes per class
Other activities
Crew Strength Training
Your MissionAstronauts must perform physical tasks in space that...
Mission: Control!
Your MissionDuring and after space flight, astronauts have challenges...
Peake Liftoff
Your MissionIn a reduced gravity environment, muscles and bones...
Planet You Go, Gravity You Find
Your MissionAstronauts’ training takes into account the influence of...
Astro Crops
Your MissionIf astronauts are going to settle on the...
Astro Farmer
Your MissionAll the things we take for granted on...
Microbial Box 1
Your MissionMicrobes live everywhere, including outer space! Scientists have...
Bonus Activity: 26.2 with Tim
Your MissionAccumulate a total of 42 km (26.2 mi)...
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