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 Mission Day
How to Set up the Classroom

What Happens During the Simulation

Mission Day Answer Key

Creating Graphing Poster

Communications Center

 What Happens During the Simulation

Please do not divulge this information to your students.  There may be variations in the events based on student decisions throughout the mission.

Event #

Mission Events
1 The mission commander introduction: It’s flight day six of the space shuttle Endeavour’s maiden voyage. The goal of this mission is to rescue the Intelsat VI satellite. Eight previous attempts to capture the satellite over a two-day period of time failed using two astronauts. Mission control has suggested an unscheduled EVA with three astronauts to recover the satellite. A three-person EVA has never been attempted before.
2 The mission commander tells the students that the astronauts are in the airlock and are waiting to complete the decompression process before beginning the EVA. The commander will review communication protocol with the students during this time.
3 The mission commander starts the vital sign information for teams to begin the EVA and sends the first problem to the special operations team.  The life support team will provide the mission commander with a reading of vital signs on the heart and respiration rate monitors approximately every five minutes. The team will send this data to the mission commander via the computer. The life support team must also pass the respiration rate readings on to the task control team, which will calculate the oxygen usage rate for the next five minutes of the mission.  While the task control team is waiting for data from the life support team, it will be planning the astronaut task timeline. 
4

Special Operations Problem 1:

Students will be presented with a problem in which they must determine the lengths of the sides of an equilateral triangle to find the proper location for the astronauts to capture the satellite. Students must use the formula for the area of a triangle and must perform calculations to find the lengths of the triangle’s sides. The special operations team will calculate and make recommendations to the Mission commander. The mission commander will have the answer to the problem and clues that can be provided as needed to facilitate the solving of the problem.

When special operations presents the correct solution, it should inform task control so that the astronaut timeline can be adjusted accordingly.

5

Special Operations Problem 2:

Students will find the volume of the satellite (cylinder shaped) and will multiply to find the mass of the satellite. Then they will solve a proportion with this answer to calculate the amount of force the robotic arm will need to exert to move the satellite into the cargo bay. Reports from life support and task control must confirm that it is OK for astronauts to proceed. 

6

Special Operations Problem 3:

Students will calculate the angle that the mechanical arm must be moved to position the satellite above the perigee kick motor in the cargo bay. They will use supplementary and complementary angles to discover the correct angle the arm must move. Life support and task control teams must give their go-ahead before proceeding.
7

Special Operations Problem 4:

The motor must be attached correctly to ensure that the satellite will be relaunched at the correct angle for it to reach geosynchronous orbit. Students will find the correct angle for relaunching the satellite using complementary and supplementary angles. Astronaut Bob Vaughn will be overexerting himself at this time. Life support should order him to rest.
8

Special Operations Problem 5:

Students will solve a problem involving the relaunch of the Intelsat VI satellite into the correct geosynchronous orbit at the proper time. When the special operations team gives the correct answer and an update on the vital signs of astronauts has been given, the action will be executed. 

9 Astronauts return to the airlock for the relaunch of Intelsat VI. 
10 Mission debriefing with mission commander.

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The Center for Educational Technologies® at WJU has developed a series of innovative programs for digital learning. These programs provide teachers with an all-inclusive package comprised of curriculum aligned with state and national standards and a live "mission" via technology. The programs were designed around best practice models and principles derived from the latest educational research.

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