Nimble Navigation

Time for a brain (and body) twisting game! Using your flexibility and agility, we want to see you navigate your way to the ISS on a course of hand and footprints. The goal is to go as fast as possible from the beginning to the end without any mistakes: at each row you must always touch the paper with either hands or feet that match the picture on the card.

Skills

Agility, Flexibility, Spatial Awareness

Note

This activity was originally created for the #TrainLikeanAstronaut Challenges as a part of ESA Education’s Expedition: Home initiative.

Set-up:

To complete this activity, start off by drawing or painting handprints and footprints on cards (or print some from the internet). We recommend 36 cards: 8 from left hand, 8 from right hand, 8 from left foot, 8 from right foot. Print out or draw the ISS picture. Tape 3 cards in a row to the floor, mixing and matching the handprint and footprint cards, with the ISS at the end of the course. Have a stopwatch or cell phone ready to record how fast you complete the course.

Equipment

Drawing or painting utensils
Blank cards or paper
Printed image (e.g. of the ISS)
Tape
Stop watch

Time

Approximately 30 minutes

Resource available in:

Explore more Mission X activities!

Taste in Space

Your Mission: Explore taste sensations on the tongue and experiment to see which senses influence taste. For astronauts, all their …

HYDRATION STATION

Hydration Station

Your Mission: Explore the importance of hydration and identify the signs of dehydration. Since our bodies are made up of …

Going_the_extra_mile_to_the_stars

Para-swimming

Your mission: Perform a course immersed in water using only your arms to prepare for your future extravehicular activity! This …

Screenshot 2025-03-17 175210

Defend Yourself Against Aliens!

Your mission: Learn the basics of martial arts (karate) to defend yourself against simple attacks and, in case of emergency, …

Peake Liftoff

Your Mission: Perform an activity that blends together squats, pushups, and jumping in the air (burpees) to promote muscular strength, …

Astronaut Logbook: A week in the life of an astronaut with Samantha Cristoforetti

Your Mission: Follow Samantha’s routine on the ISS for one week and compare her daily tasks to yours. Observe your …

Astro Crops

Your Mission: Follow the development of three plants for 12 weeks to explore germination and plant growth. If astronauts are …

Mission-x-mascots_500x500-2

Venus Volcanoes

Venus is the most volcanic planet in our solar system and recent research suggests some of these volcanoes are still …

Do a Spacewalk

Your Mission: Perform the “bear crawl” and “crab walk” to increase muscular strength and improve upper and lower body coordination. …

MXmascots_Leo-abdominal-500x500-bg

Building an Astronaut Core

Your Mission: Perform the Commander Crunch and Pilot Plank to improve the strength in abdominal and back muscles. Astronauts in …

EN