STEM Space
Set of resources exploring space
Computers and maths in space
Mathematics plays a vital part in space flight, it gives us a way both to predict what should happen in the future and also ways to measure what’s actually happening in the present, and adapt to it. In this resource we look at a few places where maths helps in space flight. The maths is made simple here (it’s far, far more complicated in reality), but the exercises will help students explore basic ideas and get a feel for the significance of maths in space.
The lesson is structured in activity sections
• Maths tools - covers basic maths ideas in accelerometers and GPS
• Getting up – a maths activity related to docking at the ISS
• Getting down – a maths activity related to re-entry of the capsule
Each activity uses simple maths ideas and hands on calculations but set in an engaging context of space exploration.
Make your own solar system
Can you make a model of the solar system, so that both the sizes of the planets and their distances from each other and the Sun are all to scale?
This is not a straightforward problem, since although the planets are very big, their diameters are much, much smaller than the distances between them and the Sun.
Observing the sun and the moon
Here are some questions you might explore, or you may have your own questions about the sun or the moon which you would like to investigate:
- the time when the sun sets or rises
- the place on the horizon where you last or first see it
- the time when the moon sets or rises
- the place on the horizon where you last or first see it
- the phases of the moon
- the number of sunspots on the sun and how they move (more information) - but it is very important that you do NOT look directly at the sun. The easiest, safe way to observe the sun is to use a pinhole camera.
A paper plate is a good way to show where there are tall trees or buildings on the horizon which you can use for a marker, and where the sun or moon rises or sets. It's also a good way to show sunspots.