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Mission: New Frontier
     You are going to design the ultimate space exploration mission.  Using all of the latest technology available today you are going to scour the Solar System for signs of life.  Use satellites to survey uncharted areas, land robotic probes on planet or moon surfaces, and perhaps even send down a research team to collect samples by hand.  Money is NO object in this mission.  This would be the greatest human achievement in history and worth every penny spent.

Choose a destination anywhere in the Solar System, pick a research team, choose the latest spacecraft design, and spare no expense. 
This mission may become the largest step for all humankind.

Mission Guidelines:

I.  Choose your destination

    A.  Choose a planet, other than the Earth to be the focus of the mission. 
            You may choose destinations outside the Solar System with special permission from your Instructor.             

    B.  Choose any moon(s) from any of the 9 planets in the Solar System.




II.  Choose your research equipment and spacecraft A.  Research your planet/moon and decide what type of Exploration you are going to undertake?
1.  Are you going to plan a manned mission?
2.  Are you going to send satellites, rovers, or probes to collect information?
 B.  Using different models of modern spacecrafts, choose an appropriate model to arrive at your
destination and to collect information.
1.  Checout  Advanced Projects in Spaceflight :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/exploration/futurespaceflight/index.shtml            http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/advanced_projects_000621.html
2.  Nasa has a complete list of different spacecraft on their Basics of Space Flight website:             http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/bsf9-1.html
http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/bsf14-1.html
    C.  Other research technology, such as probes and satellites must also be incorporated into the overall project.
          Look at the ESA (European Space Agency) and their Projects to study planets in the Solar System:
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Venus_Express/index.html
http://huygens.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=12





III.  Search for signs of life

A.  All missions must make educated hypotheses on the types of life that may or may not be found on their mission.

1.  Visit the Exploratorium's Astrobiology page and investigate strange life on Earth:
http://www.exploratorium.com/origins/arecibo/index.html
2.  Find out how to search for life and what real "aliens" might be like:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/life/index.shtml
B.  There may also be speculation on evidence of the pre-existence of life, such as fossils or artifacts.
1.  Why do Scientists think we might find life somewhere else?
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=27243
2.  What can Earth tell us about what we might find on other worlds?
http://sse.jpl.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=4145





IV.  Presentation

 A.  This mission and all of its components must be presented in its entirety using PowerPoint
or some form of computer presentation.
1.  All students will present their mission to the class.
B.  Information about the planet/moon and other aspects of the space mission will be assessed.
C.  Each presentation will be limited to 20 minutes to present the planet and the travel plan.
V.  Written Report The Report will follow the same format that you would use for a Lab Writeup.
I.  Introduction
A.  Give the background information about your planet/moons.
B.  Talk about the facts that have been discovered that lead to your current mission plan.
C.  Why is it important to research your planet/moon?
II.   Materials
A.  List everything you will need from launch to return.
1.  How much food, for how long? 
2.  How many people are traveling if any?
III.  Procedure
A.  Create a step-by-step procedure that describes everything you will do on your mission. 
1.  Begin with the take off from Earth, what spacecraft you are using to get to your destination?
2.  End with the return trip back to Earth.
IV.  Data
A.  What do you expect to discover on your mission?
1.  Why do you think this, and what information do you have that makes you think this?
2.  Will you discover life?  What kind?
V.  Conclusion
A.  Give a summary of your mission. 
B.  Use your expected Data to support your conclusions.
C.  Explain the key points that you think are important.
Continue your research by visiting some of the following links:
Night Sky Observer:  http://www.nightskyobserver.com/skynotes.htm
How do the Seasons work?  http://www.ioncmaste.ca/homepage/resources/web_resources/CSA_Astro/files/

content/multimedia/unit3/reasons_seasons/reasons_seasons.swf
What's my age on other worlds?  http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/age/
Solar System Information:  http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/solar_system/index.cfm
News on the Mars Mission:  http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html
The Future of Mars:  http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/mars_2003_05.html
Humans in Space Information: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/travelinginspace/index.html
News on the Saturn and Titan Mission:
 http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm