Thermal engineering for space

RAL Space is the UK’s national space laboratory where our thermal engineers and technicians help design and build spacecraft. They make sure that the components will work correctly and are protected in the extreme temperatures of space by using a special type of insulation. In this activity and presentation, pupils...

A passage opens

In this set of activities, students learn about the important role Arctic sea ice plays in the Earth’s climate system. The activities are set in the context of the Northwest Passage.

Space Education Quality Mark (SEQM) case studies

The Space Education Quality Mark (SEQM) is designed to support schools and colleges using the subject of space to inspire and engage their students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. This set of four case studies demonstrates how different schools have benefitted from achieving the...

Up, up, up! - Build and launch your own rockets

Rockets are used to launch satellites, probes and even astronauts into space. A rocket launch is extremely impressive. Thousands of kilograms are burned in just a few minutes in order to provide the force that the rocket needs in order to overcome the gravity of the Earth. Rockets provide an exciting context to...

Mission to Mars

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, is an animated video, teacher guidance and pupil activities that explore some of the challenges that exist for getting astronauts to Mars, and what it would be like to live there for a while....

Reasons for the Seasons

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, is a video that explains why the northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere experience different seasons at the same time. It uses clear diagrams and animations to demonstrate how the tilt of...

The History of the Universe

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, introduces the age of the current universe and what its final fate may be.

The video answers some questions...

Formation of the Solar System

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, discusses a range of topics about how the Sun, planets, asteroids and/or moons have been formed over millions of years.

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Compasses and Magnetism

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, explores magnetism and how it is used in a compass. It is aimed at key stage 2, but the activities would also be suitable for introducing magnetism to key stage 3.

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