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‘NASA STEM Stars’: CubeSats

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A set of three CubeSats are pictured shortly after being ejected from the Japanese Small Satellite Orbital Deployer attached to a robotic arm outside of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory module. The tiny satellites from Nepal, Sri Lanka and Japan were released into Earth orbit for technology demonstrations.

Audience

Educators, Students

Grade Levels

Grades 5-8, Grades 9-12, Informal Education

Subject

Careers, Technology, Satellites

Type

Hands-on Activities, Videos

NASA Role Model: Allison Evans
NASA Center: Goddard Space Flight Center
Topic: CubeSats
Original Air Date: June 2, 2020

Aerospace engineer Allison Evans explains NASA internships. Evans shares her path to NASA, including retaking a college class and being a NASA intern. Now, she is building and testing CubeSats, which are spacecraft smaller than a loaf of bread.

STEM Short Activity Title: Build Your Own Spacecraft
Objective: Build an edible or nonedible satellite from household items. Design your satellite to help study Earth, take pictures of planets or keep an eye on our Sun.
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials Needed:
Suggested Edible Ingredients: crispy rice treats, sugar wafers, graham crackers, pretzels, gummy worms/candy, licorice twists, frosting, brownies, etc.
Nonedible Materials: Juice boxes, toothpicks, plastic cups, straws, paperclips, construction paper or other household materials.
Difficulty: Easy

“NASA STEM Stars” is a webchat series. Each chat introduces a science, technology, engineering or math career, addresses a STEM topic and highlights a NASA mission. The chat includes a STEM activity that students can do at home. After the interviews, experts answer students’ questions.