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Space Curriculum Module  Table of Contents Acknowledgments 3 About the American Institute of and 4 Our History: Two Pioneering Traditions United 4 AIAA STEM K–12 Outreach 4 AIAA Educator Academy Curriculum Module Overview 5 Standards Correlation Matrices 6 National Science Standards 9–12 6 National Education Technology Standards for Students (NETS·S) 7 National Math Standards K–12 8 National Language Arts Standards K–12 9 Glossary of Terms 10 Background Information for Educators 12 Engineering Design Process for Elementary Students 16 Engineering Design Process for Secondary Students 17 Space Unit Plan 18 Appendix 22 Supplemental Resources 23 3

Acknowledgments

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics STEM K–12 Outreach Committee would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their dedication to STEM education and their contributions to the AIAA Educator Academy.

AIAA STEM K–12 Curriculum Development Team: Ben Longmier Elizabeth Henriquez Tom Milnes Paul Wiedorn Edgar Bering Elana Slagle

AIAA STEM K–12 Partners and Supporters: The University of Michigan The University of Houston The AIAA Mid-Atlantic Section The AIAA Houston Section Colonel Neal Barlow 4

About the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Our History: Two Pioneering Traditions United

For more than 70 years, AIAA has been the principal society of the and scientist. But we haven’t always been AIAA, or even one organization.

In 1963, the two great aerospace societies of the day merged. The American Society and the Institute of the Aerospace Sciences joined to become AIAA. Both brought long and eventful histories to the relationship – histories that stretched back to 1930 and 1932 respectively, a time when rocketry was the stuff of science fiction and the business was still in its infancy.

Each society left its distinct mark on AIAA. The merger combined the imaginative, risk-taking, shoot-for-the-moon outlook of -era rocket, missile, and space professionals with the more established, well- recognized, industry-building achievers of the aviation community. The resulting synergy has benefited aerospace ever since.

Today, with more than 35,000 members, AIAA is the world’s largest professional society dedicated to the progress of engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. The Institute continues to be the principal voice, information resource, and publisher for aerospace , scientists, managers, policymakers, students, and educators. AIAA is also the go-to resource for stimulating professional accomplishment and standards-driven excellence in all areas of aerospace for prominent corporations and government organizations worldwide.

AIAA STEM K–12 Outreach

AIAA offers a wide range of learning, career enhancement, and employment opportunities for the aerospace community.

Our programs engage each generation of aerospace engineers. Beginning with STEM learning opportunities for K–12 students, AIAA provides the tools and resources necessary for educators and students to take their understanding of aerospace to the next level. Our growing community of university students is invited to take part in design competitions, scholarships, and internships, and receives discounts on textbooks and conferences. Additionally, aerospace professionals can participate in our many conferences and continuing education courses, and use our career development services, promoting career enhancement and professional growth.

AIAA is committed to supporting STEM education and provides complimentary lifetime memberships to K–12 educators. For more information on becoming an AIAA Educator Associate, please visit www.aiaa.org/join. 5

AIAA Educator Academy Curriculum Module Overview

What: We launch high-altitude weather in collaboration with schools to teach students physics concepts and experimental research skills, and to make accessible to students. A weather balloon lifts a specially designed payload package that is composed of HD cameras, GPS tracking devices, and other science equipment. The payload is constructed and attached to the balloon by the students with low-cost materials. The balloon and payload are launched with FAA clearance during a LaunchFest from a site chosen based on patterns and predicted safe landing locations. Each team’s balloon ascends over two hours to a maximum altitude of 100,000 feet or more, where it bursts, allowing the payload to slowly descend using a built-in . The balloon’s location is monitored during its by GPS- relay. The payload is located using the GPS device, and the HD video/stills and science and engineering data are then recovered from the payload.

Why: The developers of this curriculum module enjoyed hands-on exploration projects as students and wanted to provide similar – but bigger and better – experiences for the next generation. Project Aether was started in order to put inspiring videos of the edge of space on YouTube to reach students across the world. It was then expanded to a “concept to launch” project to involve students in the entire exploration process. This educational process has been adopted by AIAA’s Space Weather Balloon curriculum module and is being expanded to a nationwide program to give students hands-on access to a totally unique environment, the edge of space.

For additional AIAA Educator Academy Curriculum Modules or to download additional resources please visit: • www.AIAASTEMeducation.org • www.projectaether.org 6

Standards Correlation Matrices

As different educators take varying approaches to teaching each segment of the content, this section indicates the national standards that correlate to the Space Weather Balloon Curriculum Module as a whole.

National Science Standards 9–12

Unifying Concepts and Processes, 9–12 Earth and Space Science Systems, order and organization • Energy in the earth system • Evidence, models and explanation • Geochemical cycles Change, constancy and measurement • Origin and evolution of the earth system Evolution and equilibrium Origin and evolution of the universe Form and function • Science and Technology Science as Inquiry Abilities of technological design • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry • Understanding about science and technology • Understanding about scientific inquiry • Personal and Social Perspectives Physical Science Personal and community health

Structure of atoms Populations growth Structure and properties of matter Natural resources • Chemical reactions • Environmental quality • Motions and forces • Natural and human-induced hazards • Conservation of energy and increase in disorder History of Nature and Science Interactions of energy and matter • Science as human endeavor • Life Science Nature of scientific knowledge • The cell Historical perspectives

Molecular basis of heredity

Biological evolution

Interdependence of organisms

Matter, energy, and organization in living systems

Behavior of organisms Standards Correlation Matrices 7

National Education Technology Standards for Students (NETS·S)

Creativity and Innovation Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, • Identify and define authentic problems and products, or processes • significant questions for investigation Create original works as a means of personal or • Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or group expression • complete a project Use models and simulations to explore complex • Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/ systems and issues • or make informed decisions Identify trends and forecast possibilities Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to • explore alternative solutions Communication and Collaboration Digital Citizenship Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, • experts, or others employing a variety of digital Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible • environments and media use of information and technology Communicate information and ideas effectively to • Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology • multiple audiences using a variety of media and that supports collaboration, learning, and formats productivity Develop cultural understanding and global Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong awareness by engaging with learners of other learning cultures Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship Contribute to project teams to produce original • works or solve problems Technology Operations and Concepts

Research and Information Fluency Understand and use technology systems • Plan strategies to guide inquiry • Select and use applications effectively and • productively Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, • and ethically use information from a variety of Troubleshoot systems and applications • sources and media Transfer current knowledge to learning of new • Evaluate and select information sources and digital • technologies tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks Process data and report results • 8 Standards Correlation Matrices National Math Standards K–12

Number and Operations Problem Solving Understand numbers, ways of representing • Build new mathematical knowledge through • numbers, relationships among numbers, and problem solving number systems Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in • Understand meanings of operations and how they • other contexts relate to one another Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies • Compute fluency and make reasonable estimates • to solve problems Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical Algebra problem solving Understand patterns, relations, and functions Reasoning and Proof Represent and analyze mathematical situations and Recognize reasoning and proof as fundamental structures using algebraic symbols aspects of mathematics Use mathematical models to represent and • Make and investigate mathematical conjectures understand quantitative relationships Develop and evaluate mathematical arguments and Analyze change in various contexts • proofs Geometry Select and use various types of reasoning and methods of proof Analyze characteristics and properties of two- and three-dimensional geometric shapes and Communication develop mathematical arguments about geometric Organize and consolidate their mathematical relationships thinking through communication Specify locations and describe spatial • Communicate their mathematical thinking • relationships using coordinate geometry and other coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and representational systems others Apply transformations and use symmetry to analyze Analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking mathematical situations and strategies of others; Use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric • Use the language of mathematics to express modeling to solve problems mathematical ideas precisely. Measurement Connections Understand measurable attributes of objects and • Recognize and use connections among • the units, systems, and processes of measurement mathematical ideas Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and formulas Understand how mathematical ideas interconnect to determine measurements. and build on one another to produce a coherent Data Analysis and Probability whole Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts Formulate questions that can be addressed with • • outside of mathematics data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them Representation Select and use appropriate statistical methods to • Create and use representations to organize, record, • analyze data and communicate mathematical ideas Develop and evaluate inferences and predictions • Select, apply, and translate among mathematical • that are based on data representations to solve problems Understand and apply basic concepts of Use representations to model and interpret physical, • probability social, and mathematical phenomena Standards Correlation Matrices 9 National Language Arts Standards K–12

Reading for Perspective Evaluating Data • Students read a wide range of print and non- • Students conduct research on issues and interests • print texts to build an understanding of texts, of by generating ideas and questions, and by posing themselves, and of the cultures of the problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize and the world; to acquire new information; to data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and respond to the needs and demands of society and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and audience. contemporary works. Developing Research Skills • Understanding the Human Experience • Students use a variety of technological and • Students read a wide range of literature from many information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, periods in many genres to build an understanding computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, information and to create and communicate ethical, aesthetic) of human experience. knowledge. Evaluation Strategies Multicultural Understanding • Students apply a wide range of strategies to • Students develop an understanding of and respect comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects texts. They draw on their prior experience, their across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, interactions with other readers and writers, their and social roles. knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, Applying Non-English Perspectives their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound- Students whose first language is not English make letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, use of their first language to develop competency graphics). in the English language arts and to develop understanding of content across the curriculum. Communication Skills • Participating in Society Students adjust their use of spoken, written, • and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a creative, and critical members of a variety of variety of audiences and for different purposes. literacy communities. Communication Strategies Applying Language Skills Students employ a wide range of strategies as they Students use spoken, written, and visual language • write and use different writing process elements to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for appropriately to communicate with different learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange audiences for a variety of purposes. of information). Applying Knowledge • Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts. 10

Glossary of Terms

Pressure is the force per unit area exerted by a fluid. Atmospheric pressure is the pressure of the ambient of a planet. All planetary have pressure. The term atmospheric pressure refers to a local variable whose value will depend on the planet, altitude, location and time. A measures the atmospheric pressure on Earth. Formally, the international (“SI”) unit for pressure is the pascal (Pa), defined as 1 N/m2 (one newton [N] per square meter [m2]; the newton is the SI unit of force, equal to the force required to accelerate a mass of one kilogram at a rate of one meter per second squared). Other units of convenience for pressure include the bar, mm (and inches) of mercury, and torr.

aurora borealis Aurora borealis is the formal name for the Northern Lights. The words are a Latin phrase that means “northern dawn.” The aurora is caused by energetic particles, mostly electrons along with some protons, bombarding the Earth’s upper atmosphere. The glow is the result of these energetic particles from the Earth’s magnetosphere colliding with the neutral gas of the atmosphere, energizing the atoms. The aurora occur most frequently at 67° magnetic latitude at an altitude of 105 km. The source particles are accelerated by processes in the magnetosphere and propagate down magnetic field lines to the atmosphere. The aurora can be thought of as a type of television image of processes in the magnetosphere.

bar, millibar The bar is a unit of pressure that is defined to be 100,000 N/m2 (100 kilopascal). It is about one percent less than the mean atmospheric pressure at sea level on the Earth, which is 1.013 bar. A millibar is one one-thousandths of a bar.

, buoyant force This force is the upward force exerted by a fluid on an immersed object. The magnitude of this force is equal to the of the displaced fluid.

cosmic rays Cosmic rays comprise about 10% to 30% of the natural background radiation we experience here on Earth. They are very energetic charged particles, mostly protons, coming to Earth from astronomical sources. The lowest energy cosmic rays have a solar component. At the highest energies, cosmic rays come entirely from galactic and extragalactic sources. Glossary of Terms 11 geomagnetic storm A geomagnetic storm is a major disturbance of the Earth’s magnetosphere. It is characterized by a global decrease of the horizontal component of the ambient magnetic field, the occurrence of deep red aurora far closer to the equator than the normal auroral zones, and disruptions of electric power grids and long-range communications. Geomagnetic storms are caused by pressure increases in the solar wind accompanied by a strong southward orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field. Together, these two conditions combine to add a great deal of extra energy to the interior of the magnetosphere. magnetosphere The Earth’s magnetosphere is the cavity formed when the solar wind is deflected away from the Earth by the intrinsic magnetic field of the planet. This cavity is filled with a variety of ionized gas (or plasma) regimes and energetic particle populations. The magnetosphere is the outermost layer of the ionized portion of the Earth’s atmosphere. Meteorology is the science of understanding the weather. payload The cargo carried by an air or spacecraft. In this context, the payload consists of the GPS tracking transceiver and the science experiments. space, near space, Space or outer space is the void or nearly empty region that exists between stars and planets, including the Earth. The lower boundary of space is an arbitrary one. The International Aeronautic Federation puts the lower boundary at 100 km altitude above sea level, the United States uses 80 km, and NASA mission control uses 122 km. Near space is defined as the region between 20 and 122 km altitude, above the upper limit of flight and below the region accessible to orbiting . sprites Sprites are one of a number of different types of transient luminous emissions that have been discovered in the region of the atmosphere between the top of a and outer space. Sprites are very large red emissions that occur between 50 and 90 km altitude. They are often columnar or carrot like in shape. They do not appear to connect directly to the underlying thundercloud. telemetry Transmission of a representation of measurements or data over a distance. This transmission is normally accomplished via a link. Analog values are transmitted as equivalent voltage levels using frequency modulation (FM). Digital values are transmitted using some form of pulse code modulation (PCM). 12

Background Information for Educators

Physics of balloon flight

The physics of balloon flight was first understood by the ancient Greek engineer and philosopher Archimedes (287–212 B.C.E.) nearly 2,000 years before the first balloon flight. Archimedes was the first physicist and engineer to understand the principle of buoyancy. Archimedes’ Principle states that an object immersed in a fluid is subject to an upward force equal to the weight of the displaced fluid. The term “fluid” refers to both gases and liquids. The buoyant force is the reason that ships and boats float. Since air is a fluid, all objects in the atmosphere experience a small buoyant force from the air. Compared to water, air is not very dense. The density of air is about 1.2 kg/m3. In order to use a balloon to a cargo or payload into the air, the volume of the balloon needs to be filled with a gas that is less dense than air. There are two methods for providing low density gas. You can reduce the density of air by heating it, or you can use a gas that is naturally lighter than air. There are only two substances less dense than air that take the form of gases at room temperature here on Earth, and . Hot air is typically used as the lifting agent for low altitude manned balloons, helium is used in like the “Goodyear ,” and hydrogen and helium are used for unmanned research balloons and for high altitude balloons.

History

The first balloon were hot air balloons. The were the first to develop and fly working hot air balloons. Their first unmanned test flights were conducted in France during the fall of 1782. By September of the following year, the Montgolfier brothers had developed a balloon large enough to make a test flight that carried a sheep, a duck and a rooster aloft, establishing that flight was safe for large mammals. The first tethered manned flight took place the following month. The first free manned hot air balloon flight took place on 21 November 1783. It covered 9 km at an altitude of 910 m.

The discovery of hydrogen in 1766 had actually set off a race between developers of hot air versus hydrogen balloons to see who could develop and launch a manned balloon first. It was a close race. The first manned hydrogen balloon was launched less than two weeks later on 1 December 1783. Subsequently, most of the effort in developing balloon technology focused on hydrogen. In particular, high altitude balloon research cannot be done with hot air technology since the lack of extinguishes the heater above an altitude of 7 to 10 km.

Until the development of lightweight, long-range radio telemetry technology in the middle of the twentieth century, most research ballooning had to be manned, so that the data could be recorded. Manned balloon flights studied topics such as the temperature profile, aloft, and human physiological response to high altitude. The most notable result obtained by manned research balloons was the 1911–1912 discovery of cosmic rays by Victor Hess. Background Information for Educators 13

The use of small balloons designed to make profile measurements of meteorological parameters began in 1892. The balloons were fabric or paper. Rubber balloons very similar to today’s weather balloons were introduced in France in 1901 and in the U.S. in 1904. Like the experiments you and your students will do, these balloons used onboard recording and had to be recovered to obtain the data. In that era, the recording technology used a clockwork strip chart recorder or similar device.

The era of balloon radio telemetry began with the introduction of the by Robert Bureau in 1929. The radiosonde – a small radio transmitter designed to broadcast data such as temperature, , and pressure – was developed for use on what are now known as weather balloons. This highly successful invention is now used twice daily at 800 locations around the world. The use of balloon to study subjects other than meteorology began in 1935, when Sergey Vernov used a modified weather balloon to measure cosmic rays.

Scientific research ballooning as we know it today began with the first Project Skyhook launch, which was conducted by the Office of Naval Research in 1947. Project Skyhook used zero pressure balloons capable of floating stably at an altitude of 30 km or more for tens of hours. What made Project Skyhook possible was the development by Otto Winzen and General Mills of large, durable, ultra light balloons made of polyethylene film. Over the next ten years, more than 1,500 stratospheric balloon flights were conducted in the U.S. alone. All of these balloon payloads returned data via radio telemetry. Many were launched from remote high latitude locations such as Fort Churchill, Manitoba, , and were not recovered.

Although Project Skyhook launches were conducted as late as 1980, the 1960s saw increasing levels of sponsorship from the National Science Foundation and NASA. The National Scientific Balloon Facility, now known as the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility, was founded by the NSF in 1961. The NSBF moved to its present location in Palestine, Texas, in 1963; ownership was transferred to NASA in 1982 and it was renamed in 2002. The CSBF team is continuing to provide support for a substantial annual program of balloon research.

Balloon-borne studies of the aurora borealis or northern lights began by accident in the late 1950s. On 1 July 1957, a cosmic ray experiment launched from Minneapolis by Professor Jack Winckler of the University of Minnesota detected unexpected transient increases in particle counting rate. Careful recalibration of the detector established that the unexpected signal was most likely the result of X-ray emissions produced by energetic electron bombardment of the upper atmosphere during auroral activity. Over the next dozen years, the Minnesota group and a group at the University of California, Berkeley led by one of Prof Winkler’s students, Kinsey Anderson, made major advances in auroral physics using balloon-borne X ray detectors. Berkeley students have gone on to prolific careers in balloon-borne X-ray research at Los Alamos, UCLA, and the Universities of Houston, Maryland, and Washington. Recently, Robyn Millan, a faculty member at Dartmouth College and former student of Bob Lin (one of Anderson’s students), was selected to conduct a long-duration multi-balloon global X-ray study called BARREL. 14 Background Information for Educators

Shortly after the discovery of auroral X rays, one of Winckler’s colleagues at Minnesota, Paul Kellogg, realized that the horizontal electric field in the ionosphere at 100 km could be detected by a balloon at 30–35 km with relatively little attenuation. One of Anderson’s colleagues at Berkeley, Forrest Mozer, developed a balloon-borne instrument to test Kellogg’s idea that was first flown from Fort Churchill in 1968. In 1969, the Mozer group conducted a campaign of simultaneous balloon electric field detector launches from six sites in the Canadian Arctic known as Operation Buckshot. The results of this campaign were critical in the development of our understanding of the flow of ionized gas in the ionosphere. The balloon electric field experiment has been flown repeatedly by two of Mozer’s students, Bob Holzworth at the University of Washington, and one of the authors of this program, Edgar Bering at the University of Houston. One of Holzworth’s ELBBO balloons flew for four months and still holds the record as the longest duration scientific balloon flight. Bering conceived and led the 1985–86 South Pole balloon campaign, which established the feasibility of conducting major long duration balloon flights in Antarctica.

Another topic of modern balloon-borne research has been the study of sprites, the electrical discharges that occur in the middle atmosphere above . Sprite research payloads combine many of the instruments that have been developed for balloon research over the last half century, including X-ray detectors, fast photometers, optical imagers, electric field receivers, and very low frequency magnetic wave detectors.

Engineering possibilities

While resources are often limited at public and private schools, rewarding engineering challenges are still possible with a small to modest budget for basic supplies. In the future, the Space Weather Balloon curriculum module will incorporate more formal engineering and performance-based competitions for teams to compete against each other in such areas as:

Maximum altitude Achieving the maximum altitude above sea level before the weather balloon bursts. This is particularly challenging since the air pressure drops exponentially as a function of altitude. Basic setups will achieve 100,000+ ft, while advanced configurations may exceed 120,000 ft altitude.

Longest distance Balloons fly at the wind speed. Typically the winds at altitude can be quite strong (100+ MPH). Because the duration of a balloon flight can be 2–3 hours, this means that the balloon will typically travel 20–200 miles from the launch location. Engineering design competitions will be held in the future where teams compete to achieve the longest landing distance by taking advantage of rise rates, buoyancy control, parachute sizing, payload weight, etc.

Buoyancy control Active buoyancy control is used by fish swimming in water to stay at a defined water depth to take advantage of thermoclines, food, or separation from predators. Likewise, some teams may be to activity or passively control the buoyancy of balloons to achieve impressive feats that enable certain science missions (i.e., long linger times above a forest for imaging, or increased distance via a strong jet stream). Background Information for Educators 15

Science possibilities

At present, active balloon research is being conducted in the areas of cosmic ray physics; astronomy in a variety of bands including microwave, infrared, ultraviolet, X rays, and gamma rays; atmospheric sciences including sprites research; magnetospheric and auroral physics; and micrometeor studies.

The range of experiments that can be considered for inclusion in a Space Weather Balloon payload is limited only by the imagination of the students. The small size of a weather balloon payload does impose some limitations. We will mention some of the possibilities in this overview and provide greater detail on some of them in the lesson plans.

Cosmic rays Cosmic ray counting rates can be measured with modern versions of Vernov’s Geiger tube experiments or with solid-state detectors. These can be quite sophisticated in their ability to track incoming particles and make energy measurements.

Astronomy Astronomy experiments may prove difficult on a weather balloon. Astronomy experiments require precision pointing capability and large-area detectors, which tends to mean that large, heavy payloads will be required.

Atmospheric sciences All payloads will perform the easiest of the experiments, measuring wind profiles. The GPS tracking system that all payloads should have provides flight path data that can be analyzed to provide a wind profile. In increasing order of difficulty, one can also measure temperature and electrical conductivity profiles. Well calibrated, reliable conductivity measurements are of sufficient active scientific interest to warrant inclusion in refereed journal publications. Details on how to submit data will be provided in one of the lesson plans. Other profiles of interest include pressure, electric field, and air-earth electric current.

Atmospheric sciences – Sprites research Sprites are the whimsical name that has been given to one form of electrical discharge that has been observed to occur in the middle atmosphere above thunderstorms. Sprites research is an active hot topic. Any well calibrated and time stamped data that are obtained are potentially publishable. Useful observations near Sprite producing storms include image intensified high gain video, imaging spectroscopy, vector electric field measurements, flash photometry, and magnetic fluctuation observations.

Magnetospheric and auroral physics Auroral physics experiments that can be done on ultra-small balloons include electric field and magnetic fluctuation observations, full spectrum and narrow band optical imaging, GPS monitoring of the total electron content of the ionosphere, X ray detection, and infrared and UV spectroscopy.

Meteoritics This field is not well suited to ultra-small balloon payload studies. 16

Engineering Design Process for Elementary Students

Engineers and scientists create new products and systems every day. In order to create a new product that solves a common problem or a system for making something better, engineers follow a process. Similar to the Scientific Method, the Engineering Design Process is a series of steps used to guide an engineer through solving a problem.

State the Problem What is the problem that you are trying to solve? Try to be as specific as possible. Tell what the problem is and explain why it needs to be solved.

Generate Ideas How will you solve the problem? Brainstorm ideas to solve your problem. You can write a list, draw a picture, or create an idea web.

Select a Solution Which idea is best? Examine your ideas and decide which one is the best. To decide, think about which 1. State the idea does the best job of solving your problem Problem and which one makes the most sense. 6. 2. Present Generate Build the Item Results Ideas What will it look like? Draw or build your prototype (model, drawing, etc.). Use common materials to show that your idea will work. 3. 5. Select a Evaluate Solution Evaluate 4. Did it work? Examine your prototype to see if it Build the works the way you wanted it to. If it does, work Item to make it better or easier. If it does not work, try building it differently. Engineering Design Process image from NASA Present Results How did it turn out? Share your results and ask others what they think. Use their suggestions to make your solution better. 17

Engineering Design Process for Secondary Students

Engineers and scientists create new products and systems every day. In order to create a new product that solves a common problem or a system for making something better, engineers follow a process. Similar to the Scientific Method, the Engineering Design Process is a series of steps used to guide an engineer through solving a problem.

Identify the Problem State the problem that you will solve. Be sure to identify what the problem is, why it needs to be solved, and who will benefit from the solution. Describe how existing solutions fail to address the problem.

Identify Criteria and Constraints Specify any criteria and constraints that your solution must encompass to be successful. Write a design brief containing all of the key information to help focus on the solution.

Brainstorm Possible Solutions Sketch or list as many ideas as you can, focusing on the details in your design brief. List all ideas you think of even if they may seem impractical.

Generate Ideas Select a few of your brainstormed solutions to develop further. Create isometric drawings and/or orthographic diagrams, being sure to accurately label all measurements.

Explore Possibilities Share and discuss your developed ideas to determine which one to pursue. Create a pro/con chart or a matrix for your design brief to determine which idea best fits to solve the problem and meet your criteria and constraints.

Select an Approach Examine your pro/con chart or your matrix to decide which idea is the best approach. Add a statement to this effect to your design brief. Explain why you have selected this approach and how it will succeed where other solutions have failed.

Build a Model or Prototype 1. Construct a full-sized or scale-model Identify the Problem based on your isometric and/ 2. 8. Identify or orthographic drawings. Refine the Criteria and Design Your model should be made Constraints from easily found and low- cost materials, but should an operating version of your 7. 3. Build a Brainstorm chosen solution. Model or Possible Prototype Solutions Refine the Design Test your solution, making changes when necessary, to 6. 4. Select an Generate refine your design. Continue to Approach Ideas record your findings in your design 5. Explore brief until you have designed and Possibilities tested your final product. Engineering Design Process image from NASA 18

Space Weather Balloon Unit Plan

Week 1

Students will begin the project by learning about and researching the upper atmosphere. Specifically, students should know and be able to research features and data about the stratosphere, and ionosphere such as: • Basic facts, pressure, temperature, buoyancy, etc. • Composition, weather • Properties of the ionized component • Aurora borealis, space weather • Cosmic rays and X rays

Students will also need to gather information critical for a high altitude balloon space probe by learning: • How balloon payloads communicate and conduct experiments • Why language plays such an important role in communication • How balloon payloads are designed to survive in harsh/hostile conditions • How balloon experiments are designed and tested

During this week, students will need the ability to identify research objectives, collect and organize data from multiple sources, and collectively decide how to best use the information gathered. Students should be reminded to keep track of all resources for use in a bibliography at the end of the project.

If the class plans on participating in the Space Weather Balloon regional LaunchFest event, teachers will need to review competition rules and register for the event.

Week 2

Students will continue to investigate the upper atmosphere and will: • Investigate features of NASA’s satellite, , and balloon payloads and available power sources • Understand the harsh conditions of the stratosphere • Begin to think about possible designs for their own balloon payloads • Think about needed equipment/features of their experiments and instruments

During this week, students will need the ability to decide how to best use the information gathered, analyze their findings, and determine what components will be needed on their payloads. Students should be reminded that next week they will be put into groups to begin designing and building their payloads. Space Weather Balloon Unit Plan 19 Week 3

Students will begin to work in design teams and will: • Be divided into teams of 3 or 4 • Determine their payload challenge • Brainstorm technology and features needed to accomplish the mission • Obtain consensus from their teams to determine 2–3 individual experiments • Examine a map and wind forecasts to determine an appropriate launch site • Begin collecting group data into a project description notebook • Create initial payload design

During this week, students will need the ability to solve problems, work together to make decisions, and continue to collect and analyze data in their project description notebooks. Students should be reminded that they are responsible for creating an initial design or draft that incorporates their team’s ideas

Week 4

Students will continue to work in their design teams and will: • Begin building their payloads* • Continue to collect data in their project description notebooks • Review conditions in the stratosphere and ensure the design will carry out those specific functions • Review features of NASA’s payloads and power sources • If participating in the Space Weather Balloon regional LaunchFest event, review event criteria • Regional LaunchFest prescreening entries will most likely be due this week.

*Review safety guidelines for using any materials and tools available in the classroom.

During this week, students will need the ability to work cooperatively, make team decisions, and ensure that their payload will carry out the missions they selected. 20 Space Weather Balloon Unit Plan

Week 5

Students will work cooperatively in their design teams and will focus on: • Planning their mission and presentation • Calibrating their instruments • Continuing to update their project description notebooks • Identifying critical information such as launch site and predicted landing coordinates • Describing how the payload will handle/overcome conditions in the stratosphere and how it will communicate with base • Beginning a bibliography of resources used

During this week, students will need the ability to explain their payload’s key features and capabilities, write a script for their group presentation, and collect their research into a bibliography.

Week 6

Students will continue to work in their design teams to: • Polish their presentations • Work out last minute details of payload capabilities and functions • Test all aspects of their completed payload • Complete final calibrations • If the school or teacher has access to a thermal environmental chamber or walk in freezer, test the functionality of all components while cold • Complete the payload development section of their project description notebook • Write a pre-launch check list • Collect and document any expenses • Document each team member’s contribution to the project • Ready the payload for either a school launch or the regional LaunchFest by the end of this week

During this final week before launch, students will need the ability to work together as a team to assemble the necessary requirements to finish the project. Students should be encouraged to fully assemble their completed payload well in advance of any launch. Space Weather Balloon Unit Plan 21

LaunchFest (or school launch)

Students will continue to work in their design teams to: • Bring their payload and all necessary support equipment to the launch site • Test all capabilities and functions of their completed payload • Assemble the payload at the launch site • Work through all of the payload preparation and power on steps in the pre-launch check list • Verify all GPS tracking is working • With the designated launch director supervising, inflate, attach, and launch • Begin the launch and data analysis section of their project description notebook

During the launch, students will need the ability to work together as a team to assemble and launch the payload. Students should be encouraged to fully assemble their completed payload well in advance of any launch.

Week 7

Students will continue to work in their science (formerly design) teams to: • Track the payload to its final landing spot • Conduct recovery operations to find and retrieve the payload • Disassemble the payload and recover any reusable instruments and all data recording devices such as SD cards and digital recorders • Make copies of all the data files, leave a backup with the teacher, and provide a copy of each file to every team member. Remember that the GPS tracking file is an important part of the data base • Continue the data analysis section of their project description notebook

During the recovery, students will need the ability to work together as a team in the field to find and recover the payload. The recovery process will probably involve some hiking.

Weeks 8–12

Students will continue to work in their science (formerly design) teams to: • Check the calibration of all recovered instruments • Use computer programs to reduce the data to meaningful units • Make graphs of the data versus time, altitude, and data from the other instruments • Select, edit and caption appropriately informative stills from the image data • Produce an edited video from the image data • Consider the questions that motivated the choice of instruments in the light of their new data • Interpret and discuss the results • Draw conclusions • Finish the data analysis and interpretation sections of their project description notebook

For the Teacher

For additional AIAA Educator Academy Curriculum Modules or to download additional resources please visit:

http://www.AIAASTEMeducation.org

http://www.projectaether.org 22

Appendix 23

Supplemental Resources 24 Supplemental Resources

Go here first

http://www.amsat.org/amsat/balloons/balloon.htm

http://www.projectaether.org

Auroras

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/index.html

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast

http://fairbanks-alaska.com/northern-lights-alaska.htm

http://www.visitnorway.com/en/what-to-do/attractions-culture/nature-attractions-in-norway/let-there-be-northern-lights/

Balloon Sites

http://www.sparkfun.com/news/389

http://www.natrium42.com/halo/flight2/

http://hackaday.com/2009/09/13/pictures-from-space-for-150/

http://www.ihabproject.com/

http://www.hobbyspace.com/NearSpace/index.html

http://n1vg.net/balloon/

http://balloons.space.edu/habp/

There are a lot more hot-air balloon websites…you can have fun checking them all out.

Sprites

http://elf.gi.alaska.edu/

http://geology.about.com/od/sprites/a/sprites.htm

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/12/111207-lightning-sprites-elves-thunderstorms-3d-video-science/

http://www-star.stanford.edu/~vlf/optical/press/elves97sciam/

http://news.discovery.com/space/sprites-lightning-climate-111207.html