Mission Briefing
Welcome to the
Satellite Rescue live simulation. During this
experience students practice meaningful math and
science in an authentic space scenario. In fact,
all materials reinforce national math standards.
In the mission students help NASA rescue and
relaunch a satellite trapped in an unusable
orbit above the Earth. To pull off the
rescue, students link live with a flight
director with the help of computers, the
Internet, and a small video camera.
The
Scenario
It’s flight day six of the space shuttle
Endeavour ’s maiden voyage. The main goal of this
mission is to rescue the Intelsat VI, a
communications satellite, from an unusable orbit
and relaunch it into geosynchronous orbit. This
satellite will send and receive telephone calls,
telegrams, and television programming for more
than 180 countries, territories, and
dependencies when it is fully functioning.
Astronauts Sonia Perez and Bob Vaughn have tried
eight times the last two days to recover the
satellite. Each try failed, though. The Intelsat
VI began to wobble uncontrollably, and Sonia and
Bob could not stabilize it.
The
Mission
The crew has now
proposed using a three-person extravehicular
activity (EVA), the first in history, to rescue
the satellite. Sonia, Bob, and astronaut Ilya
Chetirkin are suiting up to perform this
unscheduled EVA. While Sonia, Bob, and Ilya are
at work, NASA needs life support specialists,
task control specialists, special operations
experts, and communication officers to monitor
the astronauts’ vital signs and help them solve
problems through this challenging mission.
Overview of Teams
Satellite Rescue
has four teams that work together to problem
solve, give recommendations on tasks, and
monitor the astronauts’ vital signs throughout
the mission.
Life
Support Team (six students, two per astronaut):
-
Monitors and calculates vital signs of
astronauts using online Macromedia® Flash®
tools, proportions, and
cross-multiplication.
-
Reports astronaut vital signs and makes
recommendations to the mission commander.
-
Sends
respiration rate data to the task control
team.
-
Graphs heart rate and respiration rate data
and makes predictions about astronaut
performance.
Task
Control Team (six students, two per astronaut):
-
Organizes and coordinates astronaut task
timeline.
-
Calculates the amount of oxygen needed for
the next five minutes of the mission using
respiration rate data from the life support
team, proportions, and cross-multiplication.
-
Makes
predictions about the amount of oxygen that
will be used in the next five minutes of the
mission.
-
Reports to the mission commander on
predictions.
-
Confirms or corrects predictions and graphs
the amount of oxygen left in astronaut
tanks, using an online tool.
Special
Operations Team (six or more students):
-
Uses basic geometry and proportions to solve
problems during the EVA.
-
Consults with teammates about solutions.
-
Reports recommendations to the mission
commander.
-
Reports to task control team as each problem
is completed.
Communications Team (three students):
-
Communications officer 1 - Organizes
communication between teams and mission
commander; stationed at the primary
communications center; uses the chat window.
-
Communications officer 2 - Organizes
communication flow among life support
team, task control team, and mission
commander; delivers respiration rate data
from the life support team to the task
control team; reports orally to the mission
commander.
-
Communications officer 3 - Represents
special operations team; communicates
directly with the mission commander and
delivers answers with recommendations
orally; updates the task control team on
special operations team progress.
An
Adventure Brought to Your Classroom
Satellite
Rescue joins the lineup of innovative distance
learning programs offered by NASA's Digital
Learning Network and the NASA-sponsored
Classroom of the Future. Simulations are an interactive
way for teachers to use technology in the
classroom. Research indicates that this way of
learning leads to improved problem-solving and
critical-thinking skills and teaches students
the importance of teamwork and communication.
Shifting
to digital learning is critical to the success
of education in America. Satellite Rescue
creates an opportunity for you to apply various
technologies and provides necessary digital
content lacking in so many computer classrooms.
The program's interactive nature also gives
students a chance to experience distance
learning through simulations, no matter how
remote the school.
The
Curriculum
The
program is an innovative way to engage students
in grades 6-8 in the power of math and science
in real-life situations. Throughout the process
students apply math, science, and reading skills
to solve problems. The program was designed by
middle and high school teachers, educational
researchers, and subject matter experts. Lesson
plans are provided to help students prepare for
the mission.
Good luck on your mission!
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