Middle School: Deep Space Base Building

Establishing a base to sustain humans explorers in space or on another planet is the next frontier in space exploration. Research what it takes to support human life and then design your own space base.

Students will get an introduction to space environmental research as they learn about the conditions in space and on the different types of planets. They will also research the technology that is currently available to keep humans alive in space. Then students will design a base for explorers in space or on another planet. Students will have the option of learning to use the open-source program Blender to create a 3D representation of their base. In addition to learning about space exploration, students will acquire basic-research skills, including identifying authoritative materials, using different search methods and conducting database research.

What You Will Learn

Students in Middle School: Deep Space Base Building will:

• Conduct research on the technology needed to support human life off of Earth and then design a base for humans in space or on another planet
• Learn how to do basic research using peer-reviewed sources and where to find space-specific resources
• Become familiar with the environmental characteristics of the planets in our solar system
• Understand the materials and construction methods that can be used for space survival
• Survey past and future endeavors in space exploration
• Create a space base design and share it using either a traditional research presentation or a 3D model created with Blender