Audience
Educators
Grade Levels
Grades 5-8
Subject
Mathematics, Physical Science, Space Science, Technology, Measurement and Data Analysis, Numbers and Operations, Problem Solving, Waves, Energy, Solar System and Planets, Earth's Moon, Communication, Remote Sensing, Satellites
Type
Educator Guides, Lesson Plans / Activities
Four standards-aligned activities help students learn about the fundamental concepts of communication technology.
With these activities, students will:
- Explain how NASA communicates with astronauts, satellites, rovers, and other spacecraft. Then demonstrate how communications work in the DSN by encoding and decoding messages using binary or hexadecimal notation.
- Explain the relationships among frequency, wavelength, and speed. Then calculate the latency between Earth and other locations and construct a model to demonstrate the ongoing change in distance that occurs between Earth and Mars.
- Explore how a data packet may become degraded during deep space communications. Then develop a protocol that will diminish this degradation
- Find the most efficient way of getting from one place in a network to another.
Next Generation Science Standards: MS-PS4-2, PS4.A, MS-PS4-2, MS-ETS1-2, ETS1.C
Common Core State Standards: 6.EE.B.6, 8.EE.A.4, 7.G.A, 7.EE.B.3
Computer Science (CSTA): DA-07, 2-DA-09,
Deep Space Communications
Deep Space Communications (Spanish Version)
Section Links:
Introductory Pages
Activity One: Communications
Activity Two: Latency
Activity Three: Performance
Activity Four: Networks
Appendix
This educator guide is part of the Next Gen STEM Moon series. Also in this series:
Crew Transportation With Orion
Propulsion With the Space Launch System
Habitation With Gateway
Landing Humans on the Moon
Hazards to Deep Space Astronauts
Deep Space Communications
Artemis Generation Spacesuits
Build, Launch, Recover