Build a Satellite

This lesson provides students with an understanding of satellites, their use and structure, and power systems. In this potentially multi-day activity, students will use the engineering design process to design, build, test and improve a model satellite. The satellite must meet certain instrumentation criteria and robust constraints in order to successfully overcome vibration testing.

• Assemble a weakly-designed, partial model of a satellite in advance of teaching this lesson. This model will be used to demonstrate the potential detrimental effects of the shake test.
• Provide students with a variety of materials they can use to build their models.
• Encourage students to sketch their initial design ideas in their engineering journals.
• Emphasize that design sketches are informal and do not have to be highly accurate. Their final design should be represented in a reasonably accurate two-view sketch on the student worksheet.

NASA missions collect scientific data to help scientists and engineers better understand the features and environment of Earth and other planets and objects in our solar system. These missions inform future exploration. Those at Mars will ultimately help NASA determine the best locations for future human exploration and Mars bases. Each mission gathers data that inspire more questions — questions scientists hope to answer using scientific instruments on board robotic explorers.

NASA sends three types of robotic explorers into our solar system: satellites, landers and rovers. Satellites, fly-by or orbiting spacecraft, explore the features of a planet from a distance, making observations of large swaths of the planet. Landers make observations on their landing spot and do more in-depth science at one location. Rovers make in-depth observations at a variety of locations within their driving range. Each type of robotic explorer has its merits and is used for different purposes depending on the planet being observed and the types of observations desired.

All robotic explorers have some parts in common, including the main bus (body of the spacecraft), a communications antenna and a power system. The main bus can be of any shape and contains the primary electronics and computer modules for the spacecraft. Antennas commonly used are low-gain antennas and high-gain antennas. Low-gain antennas often look like short flag poles and communicate at a low data rate. High-gain antennas are parabolic in shape and generally communicate at a higher data rate. They are especially useful for communicating with Earth from a long distance. Solar power systems are often used for spacecraft at Mars because Mars is close enough to the Sun to make solar collection efficient. Occasionally, Mars spacecraft use radioisotope thermoelectric generator power sources. Mars satellites currently employ solar power.

This lesson focuses on satellites, orbiting observatories that provide global context and inform future lander and rover missions. Satellites carry instruments (sometimes called “detectors,” “probes,” or “sensors”) to make their observations. Satellite instruments can provide detailed maps and images of surface features that help engineers and scientists decide where to land the next rover or lander. Satellite instruments can also perform a variety of science experiments including spectral analysis, gravity measurements and radar observations, just to name a few. Spectral analysis, or the study of the light emitted or reflected by various surface materials, can be used to characterize surface materials. Gravity measurements can give scientists clues about the density of the various materials the satellite is flying over. Radar can provide information about surface features by way of reflectivity, and it can also penetrate the ground to determine subsurface features such as cracks and voids.

Each instrument is designed, tested and assembled by different teams of engineers and scientists. The instrument teams must work with the main satellite design team to ensure instruments are the right mass, fit correctly and sustain environmental testing.

Once a satellite is built, it is tested for its ability to sustain the vibrations of launch. If it fails this test, the satellite must be redesigned. A NASA vibration test is conducted on a shake table, a device to which the satellite is attached and shaken back and forth, simulating the forces that will be encountered during launch. Additional environmental testing, including thermal and acoustic testing, is also conducted on spacecraft. For this activity, students will simulate vibration testing only.

• Ask students to discuss the process they followed while designing and constructing their satellite models. They likely followed steps similar to those in the engineering design process. After they have described their steps, introduce the engineering design process and explain that this process is what engineers follow to solve all sorts of problems. Point out that the students’ natural tendencies to try and test solutions then redesign or improve their ideas are in line with the engineering design process.
• Ask students to discuss the impact of the constraints of this project. If they had more time, what would they do differently? If they had different materials, could they improve their design? If they had a larger mass allowance, how might that impact their satellite design?

Refer to the engineering rubric.

Have students build a launch vehicle for their satellite. Use the lesson Heavy Lifting as a guide for lifting payloads into space.

• Visit the Explorer 1 website
• Build Your Own GOES-R Weather Satellite Using LEGO Pieces

• Article for Kids: Tres pequeños satélites que viajan a cuestas
• Interactive for Kids: Juega a Satellite Insight