Working as a team, each of you will bringi a special expertise to the search for extraterrestrial life. You will devote the first part of this challenge to becoming an expert in your field of study so you can help your team win the challenge.
Each member of the team will choose one of the following roles and find the answers to their specific questions. Type your questions with at least one paragraph answers. This will be due in one week.
All members will come together at the end of the week to share what they have learned in order to prepare for the reward challenge.
ENGINEER:
1. Name 2 types of rocket fuels that can be used to get to your space location & describe how they work.
2. Compare the gravity in your space location to the gravity of Earth. Is it more or less than Earth's gravity? How much more or less?
3. What kind of rovers can be used in space exploration? Robots? Land rovers? Submarines? Describe at least 2 with details about how they work.
4. What natural resources (found at your site) can be used to make shelter for the team members while they search for ET life?
BIOLOGIST:
1. List 5 characteristics of life. (In other words, how do we judge whether something is alive or not?)
2. What are extremophiles?
3. Give 2 examples of extremophiles found on Earth and describe how they get food & energy to survive.
4. Describe 2 possible forms of extraterrestrial life. (See the Mia Molvray website for ideas.)
MEDICAL DOCTOR:
1. How does the human body depend on gravity? (In other words, how does gravity affect our heart, our breathing, our muscles, etc.)
2. How does radiation affect the human body? (Make a guess on how an organism in your location can protect itself from radiation.)
3. How do humans survive at extremely cold and extremely hot temperatures?
4. Name 3 problems that afflict humans during space flight.
NAVIGATOR/PILOT:
1. Draw a diagram of the whole solar system, labelling all the planets & major moons. Indicate with another label where your Space Survivor location is found..
2. How far away from the sun is your location? How far away from the Earth?
3. How long would it take us to get there? (With the technology available to us in 2001)
4. Describe 1 new technology that is being investigated for future space propulsion.
PLANETARY GEOLOGIST:
1. How does the radiation at your location compare to the radiation that we receive here on Earth?
2. Is there geologic activity in your location? (Geologic activity means major earth-shaping events such as earthquakes, volcanoes, tectonic movements, etc.) If yes, describe them. If no, give reasons why there is none.
3. Describe the atmospheric conditions in your location. (Composition of atmospheric gases or liquids, weather conditions, temperature range, etc.) Also tell how long the day and night last.
4. Does your location have a magnetic core like the Earth? Why or why not? (Remember how important the Earth's magnetosphere is to protecting us from the sun's radiation.)
in Outer Space!
NASA. "night sky." [Online image] 4 December 2001.
<http://astrobiology.arc.nasa.gov/>