© 2016, Astronomical Society of the Pacific No. 90 • Winter 2016 www.astrosociety.org/uitc 390 Ashton Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94112 Planetary Exploration in Science Education by Christine Shupla (Lunar and Planetary Institute) Exploring the Big Questions in Planetary Science ine its structure and composition, and OSIRIS-REx Planetary missions are giving us insight into a launches to the asteroid Bennu. variety of bigger questions—how did the Earth and Solar System form? How do planets change over time? What are the conditions for life, and where might we find life? Why is Earth so different from the other planets? Educators can engage students of all ages in planetary exploration, connecting them to current research and the reasons for exploring. To answer these big questions, we have sent Planets can evolve over time. Cold Mars may have had a much robotic missions to explore our Solar System and thicker atmosphere early in its history, protected by a global planetary systems beyond our own. Recent NASA magnetic field. MAVEN is studying how Mars’ atmosphere was eroded over time, making Mars became the frozen world we see missions include New Horizon’s 2015 flyby of Pluto, today. (NASA/GSFC) the Dawn mission’s exploration of the dwarf planet Ceres and the asteroid Vesta, and MAVEN’s ongo- ing survey of the Martian atmosphere and climate. Planetary Exploration and Technology Continuing missions include several Mars orbiters Beyond what we are learning about the planets and the Curiosity and Opportunity rovers exploring and asteroids, we are also developing new tech- Mars’ geologic history. The Kepler mission has cre- nologies to gather the data needed to answer these ated a treasure trove of data regarding planets orbit- The Dawn mission’s observations indicate that Ceres may have questions. Different types of missions and instru- ing other stars, which is still being mined. Other originally formed much farther from the Sun. There is other evidence ments are needed to pull together the pieces to the that the planets may have migrated to their current positions early countries have sent and are planning robotic mis- in the history of our Solar System. (NASA/JPL-Caltech) puzzles we face. sions to the Moon, Venus, and Mars. In 2016, the After telescopes, the earliest planetary missions NASA Juno mission will arrive at Jupiter to exam- were flybys—these take less power and require less Universe in the Classroom No. 90 • Winter 2016 Page 1 advanced knowledge of a world than an orbiter. Planetary Exploration and the Nature of Flybys are still employed today as a means of mak- Science: Strange New Planet ing initial observations of distant worlds, like the One critical aspect of science education is teach- New Horizons’ flight past Pluto and its upcoming ing what science fundamentally is and how it is rendezvous with a Kuiper Belt Object. conducted. The Nature of Science includes explor- Orbiters require more time and energy, but ing the relationship between science and technol- provide more extensive observations. The Dawn ogy (see the Next Generation Science Standards mission has an innovative ion propulsion engine below.) The history of planetary exploration can be that allows it to adjust its acceleration and altitude, used to demonstrate this relationship. As scientists which allowed it to enter into orbit around Vesta, make new discoveries, they form new questions. then to travel to and orbit the Ceres. Sometimes these questions inspire the design of The earliest instruments on flybys and orbiters new instruments. As new technology extends our included television cameras; today’s missions include capabilities, it gathers data that often surprise us, more advanced cameras and sensors to map out answering questions we didn’t even know we had. planetary features at a variety of wavelengths, and The activity Strange New Planet can be used and spectrometers to help determine composition. They modified to demonstrate this relationship between can also have magnetometers to examine a planet’s science and technology. The activity was devised magnetic field, transponders on different frequencies by Mars Education at Arizona State University, to measure how a planet’s gravity is affecting signals building on a teacher’s initial design, to model the from the spacecraft, radiometers, and more. variety of missions such as Earth-based telescopes After a planetary body has been examined to landed missions. The original version is available enough, scientists may send a lander to take mea- at https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/docs/Strange_New_ surements from the ground, or even use a robotic Planet.pdf, and a revised 5 E version is at https:// rover to maneuver on the surface. The final step in marsed.mars.asu.edu/strange-new-planet. robotic exploration would be to return a sample Jaclyn Allen and Kay Tobola from Johnson Space for study here on Earth, where our larger variety Center’s ARES education have modified this activity of instruments can study it at length and in greater to emphasize this relationship between develop- detail than a lander. NASA has samples of the ing new questions with new data. The Lunar and Moon returned by the astronauts, particles of a Planetary Institute (LPI) education team has worked comet returned by the Stardust mission, particles with them to incorporate this activity into work- from the Sun returned by the Genesis mission, shops for teachers and has incorporated this activity meteorites from Antarctica which originated from a into both workshops and family science events. Volcanism is pervasive throughout the Solar System. MESSENGER found extensive volcanic flows on Mercury, Mars has the largest variety of sources (including the Moon and Mars), The materials are simple: volcanoes in the Solar System, and Jupiter’s moon Io has the most and cosmic dust gathered high in Earth’s atmo- • Paper towel tubes for each team frequent. Scientists were surprised by New Horizons’ images of features resembling typical volcanoes on Pluto, shown here. sphere from aircraft. • Blue plastic wrap to cover one end of each tube (NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI) (and rubber bands to temporarily hold them into place) Universe in the Classroom No. 90 • Winter 2016 Page 2 • A place to put the planets (a small table or ets are elevated on a box or a cup, to make it Step 2: Observing from an Earth-orbiting raised platform) easier to observe the entire hemisphere. telescope. • Material to cover the planets • For each of the steps below, the teams select a • One to three designed worlds with features new student to make the observations (while that can be observed and from which infer- the others look away). That student shares the ences can be made observations with the team; this mimics the ° If you create 3 “planets” your teams can science process in which scientists receive data have different targets. from an instrument/observer; not all scientists ° We have found sculpting clay (not play- are involved in the initial gathering of data. dough) around a Styrofoam ball will • Teams then record their data, their inferences, result in a planet that can be re-used over and the new questions they have about the months and years. Different colors and planet(s). After each step, each team must have landscaped features can be used to simu- and report out scientific questions in order (LPI) late ice, volcanoes, oceans, craters, and to continue with a new mission; NASA never even green life. sends a mission without science questions they A new student from each team observes the ° Make sure that at least one planet does want answered. new planets from the same distance through a not look like those we have seen before— Note: Classroom discussion at each step can in- paper towel tube without the blue plastic wrap. with recognizable features like craters clude sharing each team’s new questions, and their Observations will now include colors but will or ice caps or volcanoes but not closely thoughts on the next logical step to answer these still be limited. Teachers should not try to resembling Earth. These should be strange questions. What technology would be cost-effective limit the students’ observations and may be “new” planets. and appropriate for the next step? For instance, surprised by the variety of resulting reports. ° Very thin cotton or batting material can after the planets are first observed in Step 1, would • Step 3: Planetary flyby. be used to simulate clouds or gas from an it be appropriate to send a spacecraft to go land on eruption. the planet(s)? (They don’t have enough information ° If you intend for your students to select to justify the expense, nor enough data to deter- items for a return sample, add materials mine where the best spot to land would be, etc.) that can be used to interpret characteris- • Step 1: Observing from a ground-based tics; for instance, Jaclyn Allen frequently telescope. added whole cloves as an indication of One student from each team observes the organic material. newly discovered planet(s) from a distance Procedure: (such as 6 meters), through a paper towel tube In the classroom, students usually work in teams covered with blue plastic wrap, for a short of 4. Let them know that they will make observa- time (such as 5 seconds) before the objects are (LPI) tions and infer characteristics of “newly discovered” covered again. (Typically the observers can’t planet. distinguish colors or features and may not be A new student from each team walks past • Set up one or more planets, covered, in a clear able to distinguish whether there is one planet the planet(s) in a short period of time (e.g. 7 area away from the students.