National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Educator Guide 

ENGINEERING DESIGN 

SPACE VEHICLES 

Next Gen STEM – Moon 

For more about Next Gen STEM visit https://www.nasa.gov/stem/moon 

Education Product 

Educators and Students Grades 5-8

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Contents 

Preface ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 1 

STEM Education Standards............................................................................................................................................................... 1 

Engineering Design Process............................................................................................................................................................. 2 

Problem-Based Learning................................................................................................................................................................... 2 

Teamwork............................................................................................................................................................................................ 3 

Curriculum Connection...................................................................................................................................................................... 4 

Concept of Operations .................................................................................................................................................................. 4 

NASA Partners.............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 

NASA Spinoff...................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 

Ultrasonic Detectors Safely Identify Dangerous, Costly Leaks...................................................................................................... 6 

Lubricants Protect NASA Crawler-Transporters............................................................................................................................ 6 

Introduction and Background ........................................................................................................................................................... 7 

What Is Exploration Ground Systems?.......................................................................................................................................... 7 

What Is Artemis?........................................................................................................................................................................... 7 

Vehicle Assembly Building ............................................................................................................................................................ 7 

The Crawler-Transporter............................................................................................................................................................... 8 

Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center ..................................................................................................................................... 8 

Launch System Review Process................................................................................................................................................... 9 

Documenting Algorithms ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 

Recovery Team........................................................................................................................................................................... 13 

Activity One: Build It ........................................................................................................................................................................ 15 

Educator Notes............................................................................................................................................................................ 15 

Student Handout ......................................................................................................................................................................... 20 

Activity Two: Move It........................................................................................................................................................................ 23 

Educator Notes............................................................................................................................................................................ 23 

Student Handout ......................................................................................................................................................................... 28 

Activity Three: Launch It.................................................................................................................................................................. 30 

Educator Notes............................................................................................................................................................................ 30 

Student Handout ......................................................................................................................................................................... 35 

Launch It: Launch Console Roles and Responsibilities............................................................................................................... 37 

Activity Four: Recover It.................................................................................................................................................................. 39 

Educator Notes............................................................................................................................................................................ 39 

Activity Four: Recover It.................................................................................................................................................................. 43 

Student Handout ......................................................................................................................................................................... 43 

Search Patterns Handout............................................................................................................................................................ 44 

Ocean Map Handout With Tokens .............................................................................................................................................. 45 

Appendix A.—Rubric for Engineering Design Process ................................................................................................................ 47 

Appendix B.—Rubric for Problem-Based Learning ...................................................................................................................... 49 

Appendix C.—Glossary of Key Terms............................................................................................................................................ 51 

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Preface 

Build, Launch, Recover was published by NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement as part of a series of educator guides to help middle 

school students reach their potential to join the next-generation STEM workforce. The activities can be used in both formal and 

informal education settings as well as by families for individual use. Each activity is aligned to national standards for science, 

technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and the NASA messaging is current as of May 2022. 

STEM Education Standards 

The STEM disciplines matrix shown below aligns each activity in this module to standards for teaching STEM according to four 

primary focus areas within each discipline. The four focus areas for science were adapted from the Next Generation Science 

Standards (NGSS) middle school disciplinary core ideas. The four focus areas for technology were adapted from the International 

Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) standards for students. The 

four focus areas for engineering were adapted from the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and NGSS science and 

engineering practices. The four focus areas for mathematics were adapted from the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Math 

middle school content standards by domain. 

Activity 

STEM Disciplines 

Science Technology Engineering Math 

NGSS Disciplinary 

Core Ideas 

ISTE Standards 

for Students 

NSTA and NGSS 

Practices 

CCSS Content Standards by 

Domain 

Physical SciencesLife SciencesEarth and Space SciencesEngineering, Technology,and the Application ofSciencesKnowledge ConstructorInnovative DesignerComputational ThinkerGlobal CollaboratorAsk Questions and Define ProblemsDevelop and Use ModelsPlan and Carry OutInvestigationsConstruct Explanations and Design SolutionsRatios and ProportionalRelationshipsThe Number SystemEquations and ExpressionsGeometry 

Build It         

Move It       

Launch It          

Recover It         

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Engineering Design Process 

The engineering design process (EDP) is crucial to mission success at NASA. The EDP is an iterative process involving a series of 

steps that engineers use to guide them as they solve problems. Students can use the seven steps outlined below for many of the 

activities in this guide. Learn more about the EDP with NASA’s Educator Professional Development Collaborative at 

https://www.txstate-epdc.net/models-of-the-engineering-design-process/. 

1. Ask: Identify the problem, the requirements that must be met, and the constraints that must be considered. 

2. Imagine: Brainstorm solutions and research what others have done in the past. 

3. Plan: Select and sketch a design. 

4. Create: Build a model or a prototype. 

5. Test: Evaluate solutions by testing and collecting data. 

6. Improve: Refine the design. 

7. Share: Communicate and discuss the process and solutions as a group. 

Problem-Based Learning 

1. Meet the Problem: Identify the problem, introduce new vocabulary, and discuss previous experiences with the problem. 

2. Explore Knowns and Unknowns: Use resources to explore the knowns and unknowns. 

3. Generate Possible Solutions: Brainstorm possible solutions based on resources and prior experience with the problem. 

4. Consider Consequences: Examine the pros and cons of each solution to determine a viable solution. 

5. Present Findings: Communicate and discuss the process and solutions as a team. 

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Teamwork 

Everyone is a scientist and an engineer! It is important that everyone on the team be able to participate and contribute throughout 

these activities. If one student does all the building, the other students may be very bored during the building process. If one student 

is the leader, other students may not have a chance to share their ideas. Here are some possible roles that students can take: 

Student Role Description 

Communications and Takes notes of all team decisions and actions for use in a final presentation. If a camera is available, 

Outreach takes video and/or photos throughout the investigation or challenge for use in a final presentation. 

Logistics Makes sure that the team has all the resources they need, that resources are distributed fairly, and 

that the team knows when resources are running low. 

Mission Assurance Makes sure the team is following the plan. Keeps track of time and makes sure that everyone has 

a chance to have their voice heard. 

Safety Ensures all team members are wearing their safety goggles and following safety protocols. 

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Curriculum Connection 

In this module, students will take on the roles of scientists and engineers from NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) team and 

the Orion Recovery Team. EGS was established to develop and operate the systems and facilities necessary to process and launch 

rockets and spacecraft during assembly, transport, and launch. The EGS motto is “Build, Launch, Recover,” so it was only natural to 

use these words as the title for this module. Each activity encourages collaborative teamwork to apply the engineering design process 

or problem-based learning techniques to Build, Launch, Move, and Recover. Each activity suggests a variety of additional resources— 

videos, articles, extension activities, websites, and more—to help encourage the educator and students to immerse themselves in 

being a part of the EGS teams and facilities. 

Concept of Operations 

This Exploration Ground Systems Concept of Operations lithograph is a visual overview of the intricate processes required to build, move, launch, and recover Artemis mission 

components. (NASA; https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/lg-2022-04-319-ksc_egs_concept_of_operations_lithograph.pdf) 

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NASA Partners 

Since the Artemis program’s inception, every state in America has made a contribution to its success, with companies hard at work 

on innovations that will help establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon. Men and women across America and Europe are 

building the systems to support missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. These missions are critical to the space economy, fueling 

new industries and technologies, supporting job growth, and furthering the demand for a highly skilled workforce. The following map 

shows some of the locations of NASA’s many Artemis partners. Link: www.nasa.gov/content/artemis-partners 

Map generated using Google My Maps. 

Key: 

Red-Human Landing Systems (HLS) Purple-Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Yellow-Space Launch System (SLS) 

Blue-Orion Green-Miscellaneous 

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NASA Spinoff 

NASA “spinoffs” are NASA technologies that benefit life on Earth in the form of commercial products. NASA technology has resulted 

in more than 2,000 spinoff products since 1976. There is more space in our lives than we could ever imagine! The following examples 

illustrate how NASA works with companies to develop problem-solving technologies. 

Ultrasonic Detectors Safely Identify Dangerous, Costly Leaks 

In 1990, NASA grounded its space shuttle fleet when leaks were detected in the hydrogen fuel systems 

of Atlantis and Columbia. The leaks had to be identified and fixed before the shuttles could be considered 

safe to fly. To help locate the existing leaks and check for others, Kennedy Space Center engineers 

used portable ultrasonic detectors to scan the fuel systems. NASA engineers employed UE Systems 

Inc. detectors to examine the shuttle fuel tanks and solid rocket boosters, but they encountered difficulty 

with the devices’ limited range—certain areas of the shuttle proved difficult or unsafe to scan up close. 

To remedy the problem, the NASA engineers created a long-range attachment for the detectors. Read 

more about this spinoff at https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2012/ps_1.html. UE Systems Inc. detectors use 

licensed NASA technology to 

safely scan for electrical and Lubricants Protect NASA Crawler-Transporters compressed air leaks. 

In 1994, NASA sought a new type of lubricant that would be safe 

for the environment and would help “grease the wheels” for the 

meticulous 1-mph, 4.2-mile trek of the shuttle-bearing launcher 

platform to the launch pad aboard one of NASA’s massive crawlertransporters. To develop a special lubricant that could meet the 

stringent requirements for shuttle transport, NASA and Lockheed 

Martin Space Operations looked to Sun Coast Chemicals of 

Daytona Inc. (now known as the X–1R Corporation). In a matter of 

weeks, Sun Coast Chemicals produced the solution. This new 

biodegradable, high-performance lubricant, dubbed the “X–1R 

Crawler Track Lube,” was a success—first in trial tests and then 

when applied directly to the crawler-transporter. Read more about 

this spinoff at https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2007/ch_5.html. A crawler-transporter enters the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's 

Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (NASA/Kim Shiflett) 

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Introduction and Background 

What Is Exploration Ground Systems? 

Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) is based at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. EGS 

was established to develop and operate the systems and facilities necessary to process and 

launch rockets and spacecraft during assembly, transport, and launch. EGS’s mission is to 

transform the center from a historically Government-only launch complex to a spaceport that can 

handle several different kinds of spacecraft and rockets—both Government and commercial. 

What Is Artemis? 

With Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, using 

innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. NASA will 

collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence 

on the Moon. NASA’s scientists and engineers will use what they learn on and around the Moon 

to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars. 

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket 

stands atop the mobile launcher at NASA’s 

Kennedy Space Center. (NASA) 

Vehicle Assembly Building 

The Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) is one of NASA’s most iconic 

structures and is recognized across the world. It has served as the final 

assembly point for the Apollo/Saturn V Moon rocket, the space shuttle, 

and, most recently, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The VAB 

also serves as the central hub of NASA’s multi-user spaceport, located 

at the Kennedy Space Center. No matter the destination of the rockets 

and spacecraft, whether it be low Earth orbit or deep space, the VAB 

has the infrastructure to prepare them for their missions. 

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly 

Building on its journey to the launch pad. (NASA/Kim Shiflett) 

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The VAB was originally constructed for the assembly of the 

Apollo/Saturn V rocket, the largest rocket at the time. Construction was completed in 1966. The VAB is located 3.5 miles from launch 

pad 39A and 4.2 miles from launch pad 39B. 

The tallest areas of the VAB are called high bays. There are four high bays in the VAB, two on the east side of the building and two 

on the west. Each high bay has a 456-foot-high door, enabling components of a rocket to be stacked vertically inside the high bay 

and then rolled out to the launch pad. These doors are the highest in the world, taking 45 minutes to completely open or close. Each 

high bay is connected in the middle by a transfer aisle, which allows massive components and equipment to be rolled into the building 

and lifted by cranes into position within the high bays. There are a total of five overhead cranes inside the building, two of which are 

capable of lifting 325 tons—the weight of 47 full-grown African elephants! Controlled by operators in cabs located near the VAB 

ceiling, the cranes are precise enough to lower an object onto an egg without cracking it! 

The building itself is one of the largest in the world by area, covering 8 acres. It is 525 feet tall, which means the 305-foot Statue of 

Liberty could easily stand inside. The 209-foot-long American flag on the side of the building, originally painted in 1976 in celebration 

of the nation’s bicentennial, is the largest painted American flag in the world. 

The VAB was upgraded after the retirement of the shuttle program to increase its capability to house various types and sizes of 

rockets in order to support a truly modern 21st-century launch complex. The first activity in this guide uses the VAB as its inspiration, 

specifically the giant cranes housed within its walls that lift the heavy rockets into their places inside the high bays. Students will be 

challenged to modify a crane system to lift and stack sections of rocket fuselages, just like engineers who work inside the VAB. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

The Crawler-Transporter 

One of NASA’s two massive crawler-transporters will play a pivotal role 

in helping the Agency achieve its goal of going back to the Moon. NASA 

recently used one of the crawler-transporters to transport the SLS from 

the VAB to the launch pad for a wet dress rehearsal. The wet dress 

rehearsal is very important because it is the last major test of the SLS. 

Each crawler can carry more than 18 million pounds and is large enough 

to fit a baseball diamond on top of its platform. The crawlers move at 

various speeds based on load, environment, and other factors. The 

crawler carrying the SLS to the launch pad will travel slower than 1 mph. 

The crawlers have been in use since 1965 but have undergone numerous 

upgrades in preparation for NASA’s new missions. Each crawler’s four 

continuous tracks—the parts that allow the crawlers to move—have been modified and strengthened with structural reinforcements. 

Alternating-current (AC) power generators have been replaced on both crawlers to increase available power. Other modifications 

include redesigned roller bearings; jacking, equalization, and leveling (JEL) cylinders to increase load-carrying capacity and reliability; 

a redesigned braking system; rebuilt gearboxes; replacement of electronics, cables, tubing, and hydraulic components; and cleaning 

of fuel tanks and hydraulic systems. 

How does this massive vehicle work? Each crawler is able to raise and lower its sides and corners independently and is designed to 

roll underneath the mobile launcher in the VAB, pick it up, and steadily carry it 4.2 miles to launch pad 39B. The crawler uses its JEL 

system to keep the mobile launcher level all the way to the top of the pyramid-sloped launch pad, where it sets the platform in place 

so the SLS can lift off safely. 

Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center 

The Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center (RAP LCC) was built in 

1967 in support of NASA’s Apollo Program. It subsequently supported 

NASA’s Space Shuttle Program and has now been updated and 

renovated to support NASA’s Artemis missions. The RAP LCC 

comprises several control rooms, known as firing rooms, where 

countdown and launch operations are supervised and commanded. 

The RAP LCC uses complex software that links launch team operators 

inside the main firing room to the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft— 

either in processing areas such as the VAB and the mobile launcher or 

at Launch Complex 39B. The software allows controllers to 

communicate with astronauts inside Orion and with the Air Force 

Eastern Range and other NASA control centers. 

The RAP LCC will use new processing and launch software called the Launch Control System (LCS). The LCS software is the first 

new software to be developed for NASA since the Space Shuttle Program was retired in 2011. It represents a suite of advanced 

software tailored to the unique needs of both the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft. The new software is designed to take 

advantage of modern computers, servers, and information technology to provide a faster, safer, and more reliable network than as 

used in the past. The software is also designed to be upgradable and adaptable to the launcher and spacecraft as they are flown in 

different configurations and in increasingly advanced versions. 

Before any NASA program or project begins, there is a common systems engineering process in place. The NASA Systems 

Engineering Handbook (https://www.nasa.gov/seh/2-fundamentals) describes systems engineering best practices that are 

incorporated in the development and implementation of large and small NASA programs and projects. This is NASA’s “go-to” 

View of Artemis I rocket as seen from the foot of the crawler that 

carried it from the Vehicle Assembly Building. (NASA) 

The Artemis I launch team participates in a countdown simulation inside 

the Launch Control Center’s Firing Room 1 at NASA’s 

Kennedy Space Center. (NASA/Kim Shiflett) 

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document before, during, and after NASA missions and projects. The engineering of NASA systems requires a systematic and 

disciplined set of processes that are applied recursively and iteratively for the design, development, operation, maintenance, and 

closeout of systems throughout the life cycle of the programs and projects. 

Launch System Review Process 

In Activity Three, Launch It, students will gain insight into the “ins and outs” of launch protocols and become the personnel involved 

in various aspects of a rocket launch. They will work as a team to go through an actual launch simulation and make sure their protocol 

is accurate and reliable. The following review processes are part of a typical launch design and can serve as a helpful protocol 

example for students. This list has been adapted from NASA’s Student Launch challenge (https://www.nasa.gov/stem/studentlaunch/ 

home/index.html). 

Preliminary Design Review (PDR). The purpose of this review is to convince the NASA Review Panel that the preliminary design 

will meet all requirements, has a high probability of meeting the mission objectives, and can be safely constructed, tested, launched, 

and recovered. 

Critical Design Review (CDR). The CDR is a review of the final design of the launch vehicle and payload system. It demonstrates 

that the maturity of the design is appropriate to support proceeding to full-scale fabrication, assembly, and integration. The CDR 

shows that the technical effort is on track to complete mission operations in order to meet overall performance requirements within 

the identified cost, schedule, and technical performance constraints. 

Flight Readiness Review (FRR). The FRR examines tests, demonstrations, analyses, and audits that determine readiness of the 

overall system (all projects working together) for a safe and successful launch and for subsequent flight operations of the as-built 

rocket and payload system. It also ensures that all flight hardware, software, personnel, and procedures are operationally ready. 

Launch Readiness Review (LRR). All rockets and payloads undergo a detailed, deconstructive, hands-on inspection. Rockets are 

assessed for structural and electrical integrity as well as safety concerns. 

Post-Launch Assessment Review (PLAR). The PLAR is an assessment of system in-flight performance. 

Safety and Mission Success Review (SMSR). After several iterations of PDR, LRR, and PLAR, the SMSR provides the knowledge, 

visibility, and understanding necessary for senior safety, engineering, and health and medical management to either concur or nonconcur in upcoming program decisions to proceed with a launch or significant flight activity. This is the final step to certify their design 

before testing with a real rocket. 

Debrief. A debrief is a data-gathering process that should be done at the end of a launch. The data give insight into what worked and 

what did not work and what was learned from the process, along with any recommendations for additional testing or improvements 

to design. 

Documenting Algorithms 

Figuring out the best method or set of methods for accomplishing a task is only half the battle. The procedure, or algorithm, must be 

written down for future use so that steps do not get skipped or performed in the wrong order. In Activity Three (Launch It) and Activity 

Four (Recover It), students will use a variety of methods to document algorithms. 

The simplest way to document algorithms is to write the procedure as a list of steps. For example: 

1. Put on socks. 

2. Put on shoes. 

3. Tie shoes. 

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However, simple lists like these often run into problems when exceptions occur. What if the shoes have hook-and-loop straps or 

zippers instead of laces? Once such possibilities are taken into consideration, step 3 might look like this: 

3. Pick one of the options below, depending on what kind of shoes you have: 

a. Laces: Tie the shoes. 

b. Zippers: Zip up the shoes. 

c. Hook-and-loop: Fasten the hook straps to the loop straps. 

d. Slip-ons: No action needed; you are done. 

To better illustrate complex algorithms, two kinds of graphic organizers are commonly used: decision trees and flowcharts. A decision 

tree is structured so that one “branch” or the other is followed depending on how each yes-or-no question is answered. Decision trees 

are easy to draw because they are just rectangles and lines, but they can get very big for complex situations, and they do not 

“backtrack” very well. In the following example, a decision tree shows where a student needs to go next, depending on how the 

questions are answered. 

Flowcharts are similar to decision trees, but they allow for “loops,” or answers beyond yes and no. Flowcharts can include many 

shapes, but the most important three are (1) ovals to represent start or end, (2) diamonds to represent choices or questions, and 

(3) rectangles to represent actions. In the following example, a flowchart is used to convey test-taking instructions. 

Example of a decision tree that shows where a student needs to go next after a class ends. 

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If the algorithm will eventually be turned into a computer program, sometimes pseudocode is used. The prefix “pseudo-“ means “kind 

of like but not really,” so pseudocode is “kind of like code but not really code.” In other words, pseudocode consists of words arranged 

to look like the code that makes a computer program work, but pseudocode is not actually written in a computer programming 

language. Here is an example of pseudocode for deciding what tools and materials you might need for class, though the syntax color 

coding is entirely optional. 

Build, Launch, Recover 

If (class.type = ”gym”){

bring(gymClothes); 

} else { 

bring(pencil); 

bring(notebook); 

bring(textbook); 

switch (class.type) { 

case “math”: 

bring(calculator); 

if (class.name = ”geometry”){ 

bring(protractor); 

bring(compass); 

} 

break; 

case “science”: 

bring(labCoat); 

bring(safetyGoggles); 

break; 

case “art”: 

bring(artSupplies); 

break; 

} 

} 

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Recovery Team 

When the Orion spacecraft returns its Artemis I crew to Earth, it will 

enter the atmosphere traveling at 25,000 mph. During reentry, Orion 

will slow to 300 mph; then, parachutes will deploy to slow the 

spacecraft to approximately 20 mph before splashing down in the 

Pacific Ocean an anticipated 60 miles off the coast of California. The 

Landing and Recovery Team, led by Exploration Ground Systems 

(EGS) from Kennedy Space Center, will be responsible for safely 

recovering the capsule after splashdown and returning it (and, on 

future missions, the crew) to land. Before splashdown, the recovery 

team will head out to sea in a Navy amphibious ship that has a well 

deck at the waterline to allow boats to dock with the ship. At the 

direction of the NASA recovery director, Navy divers and other team 

members will be cleared to approach Orion’s location in inflatable 

boats. When Orion is ready to be pulled into the well deck, the divers will attach a cable called the winch line. Up to four additional 

tending lines will be connected to attachment points. The winch will pull Orion into a specially designed cradle inside the ship’s well 

deck, and the other lines will control the lateral motion of the spacecraft. 

A test version of the Orion capsule is pulled into the flooded well 

deck of the USS John P. Murtha. (NASA/Tony Gray) 

Finding Orion 

The safety of the flight crew is NASA’s top priority, so NASA uses multiple technologies to help 

accurately track the location of a spacecraft returning to Earth, including the long-established 

Global Positioning System (GPS). NASA is constantly developing new technology to improve this 

process. New software called Sasquatch (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/searching-withsasquatch-recovering-orion) will help NASA track the various pieces of debris the Orion crew 

module will release as it reenters the atmosphere. That debris might include the capsule’s forward 

bay cover—a protective ring that covers the back shell of the capsule and protects the parachutes 

during most of the mission—as well as the three main parachutes themselves. Despite advances 

in technology, malfunctions can still happen, but NASA can use a variety of surprisingly low-tech 

methods to ensure the rescue of astronauts and the recovery of the Orion crew module. For 

example, because wind can influence where a spacecraft might splash down, NASA routinely 

uses weather balloons just before a splashdown to examine the current wind conditions (see 

photo). This section discusses three low-tech methods NASA can use to locate spacecraft: 

triangulation, trilateration, and search patterns. 

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Kyle Boyes 

releases a weather balloon during an 

underway recovery test in the Pacific 

Ocean. (NASA/Amanda Griffin) 

The first two methods, triangulation and trilateration, are 

closely related. As the prefix “tri” suggests, both methods 

involve three known locations. The examples illustrated in 

this map use three NASA locations: the Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory (JPL), the Johnson Space Center (JSC), and 

the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Triangulation uses 

three angles from these known locations to find the 

unknown location of the capsule. The splashdown is 

south-by-southwest of JPL, southwest of JSC, and westby-southwest of KSC. Similarly, trilateration uses three 

distances. This splashdown would be about 600 miles 

from JPL, 1,700 miles from JSC, and 2,500 miles from 

KSC. Together, these two methods uniquely identify a 

single splashdown area. 

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An example of triangulation and trilateration. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Although triangulation and trilateration identify the area where the capsule may have splashed down, they may not do so with pinpoint 

accuracy. Even a few square kilometers of ocean are a lot of area to search for a module that is just big enough to hold a few people. 

Randomly searching the ocean might cause the module to be missed, which is unacceptable when lives are at stake. Consequently, 

NASA uses a third low-tech method: the search pattern. There are numerous types of search patterns, each with strengths and 

weaknesses. Five examples are provided here. 

1. Back-and-forth pattern: 

Start at one corner, then move in alternating horizontal and vertical lines until you reach the 

opposite corner. 

– Strength: It is a simple way for one ship to check everywhere. 

– Weakness: It takes a long time and may cover a lot of unnecessary area. 

2. Inward spiral pattern: 

Start at a corner, then circle inward tighter and tighter until you reach the center. 

– Strength: It is a simple way for one ship to check everywhere. 

– Weakness: It looks in the least likely places first. 

3. Outward spiral pattern: 

Start at the expected splashdown, then circle outward larger and larger until you reach a corner. 

– Strength: It is a simple way for one ship to check everywhere, starting with the most likely 

place first. 

– Weakness: If the module drifted far from the predicted splashdown, it would take a long time 

to find. 

4. Grid pattern: 

Start along two of the edges, then move in a straight line towards the opposite edge from where 

you started. 

– Strength: It is simpler and faster than a back-and-forth pattern. 

– Weakness: It requires multiple ships. 

5. Subsection pattern: 

Divide the search area into smaller subsections, then use any of the other search patterns in 

each of the subsections. 

– Strength: Smaller subsections can be searched more quickly than the full area. 

– Weakness: It is more complicated and requires multiple ships than other options. 

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Activity One: Build It 

Educator Notes 

Learning Objectives 

Students will 

• Use the engineering design process to design and build 

a crane out of cardboard. 

• Design ways to reinforce the arms to withstand heavy 

loads. 

• Design and build a crank handle. (Optional) 

• Test and improve their cranes. 

Challenge Overview 

This activity provides students an opportunity to explore engineering design as if they were engineers 

working inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) with the cranes that are used to lift and stack 

the spacecraft and rockets. In this challenge, students will construct a crane and improve their design 

after testing in order to stack the heaviest and tallest “model rocket” possible. 

Suggested Pacing 

60 to 100 minutes 

National STEM Standards 

Science and Engineering (NGSS) 

Disciplinary Core Ideas 

• MS-PS2-1 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions: Apply Newton’s Third Law to 

design a solution to a problem involving the motion of two colliding objects. 

• MS-ETS1-1 Engineering Design: Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem 

with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant 

scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may 

limit possible solutions. 

• MS-ETS1-2 Engineering Design: Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic 

process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. 

Crosscutting Concepts 

• Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World: The 

uses of technologies and limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, 

desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors 

as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions. 

• Systems and System Models: Models can be used to represent systems and their 

interactions —such as inputs, processes, and outputs—and energy and matter flows within 

systems. 

Science and Engineering Practices 

• Asking Questions and Defining Problems: A practice of science is to ask and refine 

questions that lead to descriptions and explanations of how the natural and designed world 

works and which can be empirically tested. 

• Engaging in Argument From Evidence: Argumentation is the process by which explanations 

and solutions are reached. 

• Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions: Apply scientific ideas or principles to 

design an object, tool, process, or system. 

• Developing and Using Models: Developing, using, and revising models to describe, test, 

and predict more abstract phenomena and design systems. 

• Analyzing and Interpreting Data: Analyze data to define an optimal operational range for a 

proposed object, tool, process, or system that best meets criteria for success. 

Technology (ISTE) 

Standards for Students 

• Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools 

to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts, and make meaningful learning 

experiences for themselves and others. 

• Innovative Designer: Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to 

identify and solve problems by creating new, useful, or imaginative solutions. 

Standards for Students (continued) 

• Global Collaborator: Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich 

their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and 

globally. 

Mathematics (CCSS) 

Mathematical Practices 

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.EE.B.3: Solve multistep real-life and mathematical problems 

posed with positive and negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers, fractions, 

and decimals), using tools strategically. Apply properties of operations to calculate with 

numbers in any form; convert between forms as appropriate; and assess the 

reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies. 

Mathematical Practices (continued) 

• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively 

• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP5: Use appropriate tools strategically 

• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP6: Attend to precision 

Next Gen STEM  15 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Challenge Preparation 

• Read the introduction and background information and the Educator Notes to become familiar wi th the activity. 

• Gather materials. 

• Print one Student Handout for each team. 

• Build a simple crane out of a ruler, a string, and a pencil to be used as a take-up reel (see 

illustration). 

Materials (per crane) 

 Cardboard box (shoebox size or bigger) 

 3 strips of cardboard, about 5 by 28 cm each 

 Paper clip 

 Small, lightweight cups 

 Index cards or cardstock 

 3 writing utensils 

 Wooden craft sticks 

 Scissors 

 Safety eyewear 

 Smooth string (e.g., fishing line, dental floss, or kite string, but not twine or yarn) 

 Variety of tape (duct, masking, scotch) 

 Weights (e.g., coins, marbles, steel washers, gravel) 

 Sketch paper 

Safety 

Ensure students 

• Practice safe cutting techniques and scissor handling when building their cranes. 

• Use caution and wear eye protection when building and testing the crane designs. 

Introduce the Challenge 

• Provide context for this activity using the introduction and background information in 

this guide. Discuss the cranes in the VAB and their purpose. 

• Share the “SLS Complete Stacking Compilation” with students, pointing out the 

bright yellow cranes lifting the Space Launch System rocket into place within the 

high bay of the VAB. https://images.nasa.gov/details-KSC-20220209-MH-FMX01-

0001-SLS_Complete_Stack_TIMELAPSE-3270416 

• Group students into teams of three to five. Consider assigning roles and tasks to 

individual students within the team. See the teamwork section at the beginning of 

the guide for suggestions. 

• Distribute the Student Handout and sketch paper to each team. 

• Explain the challenge to students: 

– Each team will use the available materials to build a crane. The crane needs to 

be stationary, such as on the edge of a counter or desk. 

– Next, the team will design a take-up reel. 

– Finally, the team will add the string and hook. 

– Using the crane, students will be challenged to stack as many cups as possible before the stack collapses or falls over. 

NASA teams prepare to lower the Space Launch System 

core stage inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at 

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. (NASA/Cory Huston) 

16  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

 Each cup represents one “stage,” or section, of a rocket. 

 Each cup will have a standard weight inside. Example: Twenty coins or marbles. 

 Place an index card between the stages of the rocket to help with balancing. 

– Final weight and height are determined when the model rocket falls over or collapses. 

Criteria Constraints 

Crane arm must be attached to a base (not handheld 

as in the educator’s example) that will allow students 

to pivot the crane on the surface of the table. 

Students must only use materials supplied by the 

educator. 

Crane must include an arm, a take-up reel, a string, 

and a hook. 

Students must stop working when the model rocket 

falls over or collapses. 

Facilitate the Challenge 

Ask 

• Show students the simple crane arm built with a ruler, string, and pencil and show them 

how the different parts work together. Explain that they could use a cardboard strip for the 

arm instead of a ruler and that they may need to use two or three. Ask students for their 

ideas on what they could do to strengthen this simple model. 

• Explain that cranes on construction sites have a long arm that holds a cable with a hook 

on the end, very similar to the cranes in the VAB. Cranes must be strong to lift heavy loads 

without bending or breaking. Ask students how they can take the simple crane example to 

build a stronger crane in order to stack the tallest and heaviest “model rocket.” 

• If students are unfamiliar with the concept of simple machines and pulleys, 

consider sharing the video “Our World: Simple Machines—Here and In Space.” 

https://nasaeclips.arc.nasa.gov/video/nasa360/our-world-simple-machines-here-and-inspace 

• Ask students where the point of failure could occur on the crane. What can be done to 

reinforce the crane and make it stronger? 

Imagine 

• Prior to distributing the supplies, allow student teams some time to brainstorm on sketch 

paper. 

• Ensure all students in each group are involved in the brainstorming process. It may help 

to have students create their own individual sketches first, and then the group, as a whole, 

will incorporate the strengths of each design into one final idea. 

Plan 

• Each team will now create one sketch of their crane idea, complete with labels and 

descriptions of materials being used. Have students keep in mind the following questions: 

– How will you keep the crane’s arm from breaking off as it lifts a heavy load? 

– How will you stop a heavy load from pulling the arm to the right or left? 

– How will you wind and unwind the cable so the hook can move up and down? 

• After reviewing each group’s drawing, allow students to retrieve the needed materials to 

construct their crane. 

Share With Students 

Brain Booster 

The Vehicle Assembly Building 

(VAB) is home to the enormous 

Space Launch System (SLS) 

rocket. NASA is preparing the 

SLS for the Artemis missions to 

take us back to the Moon. Visit 

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center 

blog to watch videos of VAB 

cranes stacking the SLS and to 

see some amazing pictures. 

Closeup view of the SLS rocket inside the 

Vehicle Assembly Building with platforms 

retracted. (NASA/Frank Michaux) 

Learn more: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/tag 

/vehicle-assembly-building/ 

On Location 

Connect with NASA live in 360°

from the Vehicle Assembly 

Building (VAB). Learn about 

Artemis I, the Mobile Launcher, 

and more from Senior Field 

Manager Krista Shaffer. 

Watch here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v 

=6fFPdyffLYA 

Next Gen STEM  17 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Create 

• Have teams construct their cranes. 

• Each crane should incorporate a take-up reel, cable, and hook. Students can also incorporate a handle as an extension to this 

activity. 

Test 

Help students with any of the following issues as they test their cranes: 

• The heavy cup rips the arm off the crane. Have students attach the base of the arm 

securely to the box (or whatever they use for their base). Have them consider cutting slits 

in the box for the arm to slide into and then securing it with tape on both sides. 

• The arm falls when lifting the heavy cup. Have students start over with new cardboard. 

Have them consider using multiple strips of cardboard for the arm, taped all together or 

spread apart. 

• The arm sways under a heavy load. Have students make sure the cable is in the center 

of the arm. Have them ensure the arm is supported by strips of cardboard or string. The 

arm will tend to tilt if the strips are not all the same length. 

• It is difficult to secure the take-up reel. Have students build something that holds the 

pencil (or whatever material the group used to create their reel). They could poke holes in 

the box or cut flaps out of the top of the box and poke the pencil through the flaps. 

Example of a crane design 

with the optional handle. 

Consider having students create a data table like the one shown here to track their test results: 

Trial Final Height of Rocket, cm Final Mass of Rocket, g 

Trial 1 

Trial 2 

Trial 3 

Improve 

• Now that students have built and tested their cranes, it is time to begin the challenge. Teams will use their cranes to stack the 

paper cups, increasing the weight as they stack. The bottom cup should have 10 coins or marbles, the second should have 15, 

the third should have 20, and so on. Students can move and pivot their cranes on the tabletop to move the cable around to pick 

up the cups from the floor and stack them. 

• As students work, encourage them to improve their crane design. Remind them that “improve” is one of the steps in the 

engineering design process. 

Share 

• Have student teams present their cranes to the class. Have them discuss any challenges that arose and how they overcame 

those challenges. Emphasize the key ideas in today’s challenge by asking the following questions: 

– Engineers’ ideas rarely work out perfectly the first time. How does testing them improve a design? 

– What force was affecting your crane, and how did the design of your crane deal with it? 

– How does the way you use a cardboard strip affect how much it can hold? 

• Optional: Share student results on social media using #NextGenSTEM. Be sure to include the module and activity name. 

Extensions 

• Add a crank handle to the basic design to make turning the pencil easier. 

18  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

• Have a “Most Efficient Design” contest. To determine the winner, divide the mass of the heaviest cup the crane was able to lift 

by the mass of the crane. For example, if the crane lifted a load of 50 grams and the crane itself weighs 10 grams, divide 50 by 

10 to get 5. This means that the crane lifted 5 times its own weight. The contest winner will be the crane with the highest number. 

• Add a cost constraint to the challenge and create a budget for students to “purchase” materials. Assign costs to all materials 

based on mass, area, or type of material. 

Reference 

Heavy Lifting Design Challenge. 

https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/418000main_OTM_Heavy_Lifting.pdf 

Resources 

Draw NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) 

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/draw_vab.pdf 

Activities about Simple Machines and Pulleys 

https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/Summer_Training/KaeAvenueES/SIMPLE_MACHINES.html 

Next Gen STEM  19 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Activity One: Build It 

Student Handout 

Your Challenge 

In this challenge, you will be working in teams to construct a crane and test and improve on 

your design in order to stack the heaviest and tallest rocket possible. 

Criteria Constraints 

Crane arm must be attached to a stationary base. Students must only use materials supplied by the 

teacher. 

Crane must include an arm, a take-up reel, a string, 

and a hook. 

Students must stop working when the model rocket 

falls over or collapses. 

Ask 

• Study the simple crane arm your teacher built and notice how the different parts work 

together. What could your team do to strengthen this simple model? 

• Cranes on construction sites have a long arm that holds a cable with a hook on the end, 

very similar to the cranes in NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building. Cranes must be strong 

to lift heavy loads without bending or breaking. How can you take your teacher’s simple 

crane example to build a stronger crane to stack the tallest and heaviest “model rocket”? 

• Where do you think the weakest part of your crane might be? What can be done to 

reinforce the crane and make it stronger? 

Imagine 

• As a team, take some time to discuss how you want to construct your crane, then sketch 

your ideas on paper. 

• Your goal is to stack cups, with increasing weight, on top of each other, with an index card 

placed between each cup. 

Fun Fact 

Have you ever seen the Statue of 

Liberty? At 305 feet tall, it is 

17 feet shorter than NASA’s 

Space Launch System (SLS) 

rocket. The SLS is 322 feet tall, 

which is a little shorter than the 

Apollo/Saturn V rocket. 

Learn more: 

https://www.nasa.gov/sls/multime 

dia/gallery/sls-infographic3.html 

Career Corner 

NASA STEM Stars invites 

students to learn about careers at 

NASA. Check out this episode 

that features three engineers who 

are working on different parts of 

the Artemis program to launch our 

newest rocket to the Moon! 

Artemis panel members 

from NASA STEM Stars. 

Learn more: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch? 

v=7viDWd82y_w 

20  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

• Allow everyone on the team to contribute their ideas and try to incorporate everyone’s ideas. Make sure to look at all the materials 

your teacher has laid out. 

Plan 

• Your team will now create at least one sketch of your crane idea, complete with labels and descriptions of the materials being 

used. If you need help getting started, begin by studying the picture shown below, but make sure your team improves this original 

design. Keep in mind the following questions: 

– How will you keep the crane’s arm from breaking off as it lifts a heavy load? 

– How will you stop a heavy load from pulling the arm to the right or left? 

– How will you wind and unwind the cable so the hook can move up and down? 

• After getting your teacher’s approval of your sketch, retrieve the needed materials to construct your crane. 

Example of a crane design with an optional handle. 

Create 

• Construct your crane and make sure that everyone on your team can help. 

• Each crane should also have a take-up reel, cable, and hook. 

• Make sure that you can wind the hook up and down and that it moves smoothly. 

Test 

Now it is time to test your crane. 

• Take a paper cup and add a handle made of tape for the hook to grab. 

• Add 10 coins or marbles to the cup and try to pick up the cup. 

• You can move or pivot your crane as needed on top of the table to reach the cups down on the floor with your cable. 

• Do not let the stack fall over or collapse. 

Improve 

Now that you have built and tested your crane, it is time to begin the challenge. 

• Your team will use the crane to stack the paper cups, increasing the weight with each cup stacked. The bottom cup should have 

10 coins or marbles. The second cup should have 15; the third should have 20, and so on. 

• As your team works, you may need to improve your crane design. That is okay! “Improve” is an important step in the engineering 

design process. 

Next Gen STEM  21 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Share 

Present your crane to the class and discuss any challenges your team had and how you overcame those challenges. Think about the 

following questions: 

• Engineers’ ideas rarely work out perfectly the first time. How does testing improve a design? 

• What force was affecting your crane, and how did the design of your crane deal with it? 

• How did the way you used the cardboard strips affect how much it can hold? 

22  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Activity Two: Move It 

Educator Notes 

Learning Objectives 

Students will 

• Use the engineering design process to design, build, and 

improve a rubberband-powered crawler that can move the 

heaviest payload possible at least 1 meter. 

• Test and improve the design of their crawler. 

Challenge Overview 

In this challenge, students become engineers and NASA crawler 

operators while working in teams to design and build a rubberbandpowered model of NASA’s crawler-transporter that will be able to 

carry the most mass possible the farthest distance without failure. 

Suggested Pacing 

60 to 100 minutes 

NASA’s crawler-transporter carries the Space Launch System rocket with National STEM Standards the Orion spacecraft to the launch pad. (NASA/Joel Kowsky) 

Science and Engineering (NGSS) 

Disciplinary Core Ideas 

• MS-PS2-2 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions: Plan an investigation to provide 

evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the 

object and the mass of the object. 

• MS-PS3-1 Energy: Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the 

relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object. 

• MS-ETS1-2 Engineering Design: Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic 

process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. 

• MS-ETS1-4 Engineering Design: Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and 

modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be 

achieved. 

• MS-PS3-1: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 

Crosscutting Concepts 

• Cause and Effect: Cause-and-effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in 

natural or designed systems. 

• Scale, Proportion, and Quantity: Proportional relationships (e.g., speed as the ratio of 

distance traveled to time taken) among different types of quantities provide information 

about the magnitude of properties and processes. 

Science and Engineering Practices 

• Planning and Carrying Out Investigations: Planning and carrying out investigations to 

answer questions or test solutions to problems in 6–8 builds on K–5 experiences and 

progresses to include investigations that use multiple variables and provide evidence to 

support explanations or design solutions. Conduct an investigation and evaluate the 

experimental design to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence that can meet the 

goals of the investigation. 

Technology (ISTE) 

Standards for Students 

• Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts, or solving authentic problems. 

• Students develop, test, and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process. 

Mathematics (CCSS) 

Mathematical Content 

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.C.8: Solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane. Include use of coordinates and absolute 

value to find distances between points with the same first coordinate or the same second coordinate. 

Challenge Preparation 

• Read the introduction, background information, and Educator Notes to become familiar with the activity. 

• Group students into teams of three to five. 

• Gather materials needed to complete the crawler. 

• Print one Student Handout for each team. 

• Build a crawler from the materials provided. This example will be used in the Ask phase of the design challenge. 

Next Gen STEM  23 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Materials (Per Crawler) 

 Cardboard box (e.g., shoebox or cereal box) 

 Rubberbands, #33 (3 1/2 x 1/8 in.) (2 to 3 per group) 

 Wooden dowels or skewers (2 per group, long enough to span the width of the box being used) 

 Glue 

 Small round objects for wheels (e.g., bottle caps) in sets of 4 

 Ruler 

 Metric tape measure or meterstick 

 Safety eyewear 

 Straws (optional, 2 per group) 

 Tape (optional) 

 Various payloads of up to 1 kg (e.g., book, plastic bottle) 

 Scissors 

Safety 

Ensure that 

• Students are practicing safe cutting and handling techniques when building their crawlers. 

• Students’ model crawlers do not contain sharp or pointed surfaces that could present a hazard. 

• The test zone is clear of students and items that may be in the path of moving crawlers. 

• Students use caution and wear eye protection when handling and releasing the crawlers during the distance test. 

Introduce the Challenge 

• Provide context for this activity using the background and introduction information in this guide. Discuss the crawlers and their 

purpose. 

• Share the video “Artemis Path to the Pad: Crawler-Transporter 2.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=pjGB2zGjJpY 

• Group students into teams of three to five. Consider assigning roles and tasks to individual students within the team. See the 

Teamwork section at the beginning of the guide for suggestions. 

• Distribute the Student Handout and scratch paper to each team. 

• Explain the challenge to students: 

– Each team will be designing and building a crawler that is able to carry a payload without breaking. 

– Teams will design their crawlers on scratch paper. 

– Next, teams will use available materials to build the crawler. 

– Finally, teams will test their crawlers with and without the payload and measure the distance traveled. 

Criteria Constraints 

Crawler must have at least two axles, with at least two wheels per axle. Crawler must not fail under the weight of the payload. 

Crawler must be capable of traveling 1 meter while carrying a payload of at 

least 1 kilogram. 

Students must only use materials provided by the educator. 

Crawler must be rubberband powered. Students must not use their hands to move the model crawler. 

24  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Facilitate the Challenge 

Ask 

Assess prior knowledge by asking students the following questions: 

• Can you list four vehicles that are designed to carry heavy loads? 

• What do these vehicles have in common? 

• What is a crawler-transporter? (Refer to background information.) 

Show students the simple prebuilt crawler and demonstrate how the different parts work together. 

Explain that the crawler is very important to NASA’s mission and is used to move the SLS rocket 

to the launch pad. A crawler must be able to support a lot of weight and stabilize its load. 

Ask students: 

• What could your team do to strengthen this model so that it supports a heavy payload? 

• What problems do you anticipate encountering while building your crawler? Student answers 

may vary, but here are some possible answers: 

– Building the crawler strong enough to handle a heavy payload 

– Being accurate enough with the meterstick to collect good data 

– Making sure the holes are properly positioned for the axles and making sure the crawler 

is level 

• Does your team have any other questions about the challenge before you begin? 

Imagine 

• Allow students to observe the building materials that are available for their team to use and 

brainstorm to determine how they can be used to build their crawler. 

• Ensure that all students in each group are involved in the brainstorming process. It may help 

to have students create their own individual sketches and then group the students together 

to incorporate the strengths of each design into one final idea. 

Plan 

• Have each team sketch their own design of a crawler and label the different parts. (Make 

sure to approve their design before they begin building their model.) 

• Each team should now have one completed sketch of their crawler with parts labeled and 

descriptions of materials they plan to use. They should keep in mind the following questions: 

– How will you keep the crawler from breaking as it carries a heavy load? 

– How will you stop a heavy load from falling off the crawler as it moves? 

• After reviewing each group’s drawing, allow students to retrieve the needed materials to 

construct their crawler. 

Create 

• Have teams construct their crawlers. Remind students that each crawler should have two 

axles, with two wheels per axle, and be powered by rubberbands. 

• The crawler will be required to move on its own without any help. The crawler must also be 

able to move as far as possible. 

• Help students if they have difficulty making holes in their box for the axles of the crawler, 

gluing the straws to the bottom of the box, or gluing the wheels to the axles. Have students 

Share With Students 

Brain Booster 

Housed at Kennedy Space Center, 

the crawler-transporter plays a vital 

role in moving rockets to the launch 

pad. The crawler is over 50 years old 

but has been upgraded to keep it in 

operation for years to come. 

NASA’s crawler-transporter. (NASA) 

Learn more: 

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/fil 

es/atoms/files/combined_crawlertransporters_fact_sheet_final.pdf 

On Location 

The crawlerway is the path used by 

the crawlers to carry a payload to the 

launch pad and is very important to 

the success of the Artemis I mission. 

The crawlerway must support the 

weight of the crawler and its payload 

of more than 20 million pounds. The 

weight can cause liquefaction, where 

the soil acts as a liquid and not a 

solid, so the crawlerway must be 

conditioned to provide stability for the 

crawler and its payload. 

Crawlerway. (NASA/Ben Smegelsky) 

Learn more: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2020/ 

12/02/nasa-to-rock-and-roll-oncrawlerway-ahead-of-artemis-imission/ 

Next Gen STEM  25 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

consider cutting slits in the box for the rubberbands to slide into. Students may also tape the rubberbands to the box after 

attaching them to the axles. 

• If students have difficulty tying the rubberbands together to make the string or attaching the wheels to the axles, 

they can refer to the diagram in the following activities (also listed in the References section): 

– Make A Cardboard Rover. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/make-a-cardboard-rover/ 

– Roving on the Moon. https://ds-tc.prod.pbskids.org/designsquad/diy/DS_NASA_05Roving_CS_1.pdf 

Test 

• Students should test their crawlers by placing a payload on the crawler and allowing the crawler to move without the crawler 

breaking. 

• If the crawler should fail under the weight of the payload, have the students consider attaching the wheels or axles another way. 

Also, have the students consider using multiple strips of tape to stabilize the payload. 

• Here are examples of some problems the students may encounter and some solutions to suggest: 

– The crawler does not move when they release the wheels. 

 Make sure the axles are level and the holes are large enough for the axles to spin. 

 Make sure the rubberbands are not getting stuck under the box. If they are, try to cut small holes where the rubberbands 

are getting stuck. 

 Try using a different type of material for the wheels, or try the crawler on a different surface. 

– The wheels do not stay on when they add a payload. 

 Try attaching them in a different way. 

– The rubberbands break when they apply tension. 

 Try using slightly thicker rubberbands to power the axles. 

Improve 

• Now that students have built and tested their crawlers, it is time to begin the challenge. Teams will use their crawlers to carry a 

payload of up to a kilogram and measure the distance it travels. Make sure students are consistently measuring from the front 

wheel of their crawlers to get a more accurate result. 

• As students work, encourage them to improve their crawler design. Help students understand that this is the “Improve” part of 

the engineering design process. More information on the engineering design process is provided at the beginning of this guide. 

Share 

Have student teams present their crawlers to the class. Have them discuss any challenges that arose and how they overcame those 

challenges. Emphasize the key ideas in today’s challenge by asking the following questions: 

• Engineers’ ideas rarely work out perfectly the first time. How does testing them improve a design? 

• What force was affecting your crawler, and how was the design of your crawler able to deal with it? 

• How do changes to your rubberbands affect the distance your crawler is able to travel? 

Optional: Share student results on social media using #NextGenSTEM. Be sure to include the module and activity name. 

Extensions 

• Have students add a device to stabilize the payload on their crawlers. Having a stabilized load will make it easier for the crawler 

to travel and avoid vibrations that could possibly cause failure. 

• Have a “Most Efficient Design” contest. To determine the winner, measure the distance the crawler was able to travel with a 

sequence of increasing payloads. Have students graph the mass of the different payloads versus the distance traveled. Show 

them the formula KE = 1/2 mv2. Explain that kinetic energy (KE) is related to mass (m), so as the mass of the payload increases, 

so does the kinetic energy of the crawler. The velocity (v) decreases, however, and the crawler moves slower with the payload. 

26  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

• Have students calculate the velocity of the crawler by dividing the distance the crawler traveled versus the time it took to travel. 

This will require a timer or a stopwatch. 

• Modify the mass and then graph the distance, rate, and time versus the mass. 

• Provide a budget for the materials. 

• Try attaching different rubberband sizes to see how it affects the distance the crawler travels. 

References 

Roving on the Moon. ds-tc.prod.pbskids.org/designsquad/diy/DS_NASA_05Roving_CS_1.pdf 

Make a Cardboard Rover. jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/make-a-cardboard-rover/ 

Resources 

“Build to Launch” With LEGO Education and Artemis I. education.lego.com/en-us/build-to-launch#meet-the-lego-space-team 

Gaining Traction on Mars. nasa.gov/centers/glenn/stem/glenn-engineering-design-challenges/gaining-traction-on-mars 

Next Gen STEM  27 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Activity Two: Move It 

Student Handout 

Your Challenge 

In this challenge, you will be working in teams to construct a crawler and improve upon the design 

in order to carry the heaviest payload possible without your crawler breaking. 

Criteria Constraints 

Crawler must have two axles, each with two wheels. Crawler must not fail under the weight of the 

payload. 

Crawler must be capable of traveling 1 meter while 

carrying a payload of at least 1 kilogram. 

You must only use materials provided by your 

teacher. 

Crawler must be rubberband powered. You must not use your hands to move the model 

crawler. 

Ask 

• Can you list four vehicles that are designed to carry heavy loads? 

• What do these vehicles have in common? 

• What is a crawler-transporter, and how does it work? 

• The crawler is very important to NASA’s mission and is used to move rockets to the launch 

pad. The crawler must be able to support a lot of weight and stabilize its load while moving 

to prevent the rocket from falling. Study the crawler your teacher built and observe how the 

different parts work together. What could your team do to strengthen the model so that it 

supports a heavy payload? 

• What problems do you anticipate encountering while building your crawler? 

Imagine 

• Observe the building materials that are available for your team to use. Brainstorm with your 

group to determine how they can be used to build your crawler. 

• Allow everyone in your group to contribute their ideas, and try to incorporate everyone’s 

ideas. 

Plan 

• Sketch your own design of a crawler and label the different parts. (Make sure your teacher 

approves your design before you begin building your model.) 

• You should now have one completed sketch of your crawler with parts labeled and 

descriptions of materials your group plans to use. Keep in mind the following questions: 

– How will you keep the crawler from breaking as it carries a heavy load? 

– How will you stop a heavy load from falling off the crawler as it moves? 

• After receiving approval of your group’s sketch, retrieve the needed materials to construct 

your crawler. 

Create 

• Construct your crawler, making sure each group member participates in the building 

process. 

Fun Fact 

Did you know NASA’s crawler 

weighs approximately 6.6 million 

pounds? That’s the weight of about 

15 Statues of Liberty or 1,000 pickup 

trucks. The crawler is able to 

transport 18 million pounds, which is 

the weight of more than 20 fully 

loaded Boeing 777 airplanes. 

Because of the heavy payload, the 

crawler is only able to move 1 mph. 

Learn more: 

https://www.nasa.gov/content/thecrawlers 

Career Corner 

Breanne Rohloff is a mechanical 

engineer and one of the crawler 

drivers at NASA’s Kennedy Space 

Center. Through a NASA internship, 

Breanne had the opportunity to work 

on multiple projects, and it was there 

that she was first introduced to the 

crawler. 

Learn more: 

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/in-thedriver-s-seat-of-artemis-i 

Learn more about NASA internships: 

intern.nasa.gov. 

28  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

• Your crawler must have two axles, with two wheels per axle. It must be powered by rubberbands and move as far as possible. 

• Your crawler will be required to move on its own without any help. 

• After you have constructed your crawler, the payload should be placed on the crawler and moved without the crawler breaking. 

Test 

It is time to test your finished crawler. 

• Apply tension to the rubberbands by turning the wheels to wind up the rubberbands. Place the crawler on the floor, release the 

wheels, and watch it GO! 

• Add your payload on top of your crawler and repeat the previous step. 

Improve 

• Now that you have built and tested your crawlers, it is time to begin the challenge. Teams will use their crawlers to carry a payload 

and measure the distance that it travels. Measure and record the distance from the crawler’s starting point to where the crawler 

stops. Make sure you are consistently measuring from the front wheel of your crawler to get a more accurate result. 

• As your team works, you may need to improve your crawler design. Fear not! That is part of the engineering design process. 

Share 

Present your crawler to the class and discuss any challenges your team had and how you overcame those challenges. Think about 

the following questions: 

• Engineers’ ideas rarely work out perfectly the first time. How does testing improve a design? 

• What force was affecting your crawler, and how was the design of your crawler able to deal with it? 

• How does your rubberband’s thickness or length affect the distance your crawler is able to travel? 

Next Gen STEM  29 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Activity Three: Launch It 

Educator Notes 

Learning Objectives 

Students will 

• Develop and test a procedure to launch a rocket consistently. 

• Analyze various protocols, operations, and reviews used in NASA 

rocket launches. Evaluate the procedure by sharing it with another 

team who will follow the directions and provide feedback. 

Investigation Overview 

Students will take on the role of a NASA launch team by creating a launch 

protocol to consistently launch a rocket and hit a target. Prior to starting 

this challenge, educators must select a rocket design for students to build 

or find a prefabricated rocket to use for testing the launch protocol. 

Suggested Pacing 

160 to 180 minutes 

National STEM Standards Illustration of Space Launch System rocket launch. (NASA) 

Science and Engineering (NGSS) 

• MS-ETS1-3: Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among 

several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined 

into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success. 

Crosscutting Concepts 

• Patterns: Observed patterns of forms and events guide organization and classification, and 

they prompt questions about relationships and the factors that influence them. 

• Systems and System Models: Models can be used to represent systems and their 

interactions —such as inputs, processes, and outputs—and energy and matter flows within 

systems. 

Science and Engineering Practices 

• Asking Questions and Defining Problems: A practice of science is to ask and refine 

questions that lead to descriptions and explanations of how the natural and designed world 

works and which can be empirically tested. 

Science and Engineering Practices (continued) 

• Planning and Carrying Out Investigations: Scientists and engineers plan and carry out 

investigations in the field or laboratory, working collaboratively as well as individually. Their 

investigations are systematic and require clarifying what counts as data and identifying 

variables or parameters. 

• Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions: Apply scientific ideas or principles to 

design an object, tool, process, or system. 

• Engaging in Arguments From Evidence: Argumentation is the process by which 

explanations and solutions are reached. 

• Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information: Scientists and engineers must be 

able to communicate clearly and persuasively the ideas and methods they generate. 

Critiquing and communicating ideas individually and in groups is a critical professional 

activity. 

English Language Arts (CCSS) 

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or 

events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event 

sequences. 

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying 

out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks. 

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6-8.6: Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general 

academic domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when 

considering a word or phrase important to comprehensions or expression. 

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7: Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed 

in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, 

diagram, model, graph, or table). 

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.3A: Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and 

concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy. 

Technology (ISTE) 

Standards for Students 

• Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools 

to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts, and make meaningful learning 

experiences for themselves and others. 

Standards for Students (continued) 

• Innovative Designer: Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to 

identify and solve problems by creating new, useful, or imaginative solutions. 

Mathematics (CCSS) 

Mathematical Content 

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.C.8: Find probabilities of compound events using organized lists, tables, tree diagrams, and simulation. 

30  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Investigation Preparation 

• Read the introduction and background information and the Educator Notes. 

• Optional: Print out the decision tree and flowchart from the Documenting Algorithms section (one copy per team). 

• Print out the student section, including the Launch Console Roles and Responsibilities page (one copy per team). 

• Select a rocket design for students to build from one of the NASA activities below, or find a prefabricated rocket to use for testing 

the launch protocol (each team will need one rocket). 

– Design a Foam Rocket with Stabilizing Fins. https://www.nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/activity-one-design-a-foam-rocketwith-stabilizing-fins.html. (This is a training video from NASA’s Build and Launch a Foam Rocket activity, found at 

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/foam-rocket/) 

– Rockets Educator Guide. https://www.nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/rockets.html 

– Stomp Rockets. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/stomp-rockets/ 

– Straw Rockets. https://www.nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/3-2-1-puff.html 

• Prepare any needed materials or assembly instructions for the selected rocket. For consistency, all teams should use the same 

type of rocket. Rocket building may take a full class period. 

• Set up the launch area and a target for testing the launch protocols. Remember: The smaller the target, the more challenging it 

is to successfully hit the target. 

• Differentiate and accommodate as needed by providing recorded instructions for auditory learners and/or pictorial instructions 

for visual learners. 

Materials 

 Preconstructed rocket (1 per team) (see Investigation Preparation) 

 Target (e.g., garbage can, “x” marked with tape on the floor, hula hoop) 

 Student Handout (1 per team) 

 Decision tree and flowchart printouts (optional, 1 of each per team) 

 Writing utensils 

 Materials for a common household task, such as making a sandwich or tying shoes 

Safety 

• Follow safety guidelines for rocket building and launching activity. 

• Students should be aware of their surroundings and move carefully throughout the room and launch area when viewing other 

teams’ work. 

Introduce the Investigation 

• Provide context for this activity using the introduction and background information in this guide. 

• To activate students’ prior knowledge, ask students to define “Protocol” in their own words. Have students list some examples of 

protocols in their lives. Compare and contrast the various protocols on the student-generated list. 

• Divide the students into teams (three to four students per team is ideal) and distribute the Student Handout to each team. Explain the 

details of the challenge, including the design criteria and constraints and the expectations for teamwork and classroom management. 

Criteria Constraints 

Launched rocket must land 3 times or more on a specified target. Teams must meet key milestones to receive certification from educator and 

proceed to the next step. 

Protocol must have at least 5 steps/instructions. Students must not make adjustments to the rocket design once the protocol 

testing has begun. 

Launch team must read and follow the protocol exactly as written. Teams must use only the materials that have been provided by the educator. 

Protocol must contain a contingency plan for a rocket that does not launch 

successfully. 

Next Gen STEM  31 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Facilitate the Investigation 

Meet the Problem 

• In this demonstration, students will practice using descriptive vocabulary, communicating 

ideas to others, recognizing steps in a process, and recognizing the importance of using 

clear language. 

• Ask students to write down a protocol for doing a simple daily task, such as making a 

sandwich or putting on and tying their shoes. Give them 5 to 10 minutes to write their 

protocols. 

• Ask for a volunteer to read their protocol out loud. Tell the student to read the instructions 

EXACTLY as they are written. As the student reads, the educator will model the protocol 

by following the instructions EXACTLY. This could produce interesting results. For 

example, if an instruction is to “Spread butter on a sandwich” but does not mention using 

a knife, the educator would use fingers to spread the (imaginary) butter. If the instructions 

are not detailed and leave room for interpretation, have fun with it! 

• Once the student has read the entire protocol, ask the group, “What was this 

demonstration showing?” Protocols and communication need to be clear and concise. 

Giving clear, concise instructions to others is an important skill. 

• If time permits, allow students to improve their protocols and pair up to try the simple task 

instructions with each other. 

• Ask students what could happen if the proper steps are not communicated and followed 

for a NASA rocket launch. Safety is NASA’s number one priority, so be sure directions 

demonstrate that safety is the top priority. 

• Share the following videos to encourage excitement and demonstrate launch sequences: 

– 3, 2, 1...Lift-Off of the Artemis I Mission to the Moon. (Artemis I Launch Sequence) 

youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ewnrAmjLakQ&feature=youtu.be 

– Watch NASA’s Perseverance Rover Launch to Mars! (42:20 to 48:55) 

youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&t=2540&v=JIB3JbIIbPU&feature=youtu.be 

– Crew–3 Astronauts Launch to the Space Station. (4:10:15 to 4:16:47) 

youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&t=15015&v=zekfpIRlVyY&feature=youtu.be 

– Hot Fire Engine Test for the Artemis Moon Rocket. (1:56:10 to 2:07:45) 

youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ELHOXi2t3lk 

• Ask students to compare the various launches to find similarities and differences. 

Explore Knowns and Unknowns 

• After they have listened to several NASA launch sequences and protocols, students will 

individually research various roles and responsibilities of a general launch team. Have 

each student research roles and responsibilities for at least two of the general launch team 

members from the Launch It: Launch Console Roles and Responsibilities page. 

• Student teams will create a visual graphic organizer that identifies the roles and 

responsibilities of a general launch team during the launch process. 

• Review with students the sequence of a launch and various launch criteria, including the 

Launch System Review Process in the background information. 

– Artemis I Wet Dress Rehearsal Preparations Underway (NASA Artemis Blog). 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/03/ 

Share With Students 

Brain Booster 

NASA’s launch countdown clock at 

the Kennedy Space Center is one 

of the most-watched timepieces in 

the world. Before launch, the 

launch director performs the 

traditional roll call and the 

countdown clock is activated, 

counting down in hours, minutes, 

and seconds to reach T-zero. 

Learn more: 

nasa.gov/content/new-displaycounts-down-for-new-generation 

On Location 

NASA’s Exploration Ground 

Systems team in the Rocco A. 

Petrone Launch Control Center 

conducts a variety of tests and 

simulations in the control center 

and at the launch pad to ensure 

they are ready for the first Artemis 

launch. Learn about the launch 

team and a major test NASA will 

use to make sure Artemis ground 

equipment is “go” for launch. 

Learn more: 

nasa.gov/content/launch-controlcenter 

360° virtual reality experience: 

youtu.be/k8MxCQJ9dy0 

32  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

– Falcon 9 Crew Dragon Launch Weather Criteria. 

https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/649911main_051612_falcon9_weather_criteria.pdf 

Generate Possible Solutions 

• Provide the Criteria and Constraints table to students prior to the development of their launch protocol. 

• Using information gathered from students’ individual research, each team will create a protocol for launching the rocket the 

educator has selected for this activity. 

• The protocol should 

– Identify consoles (roles and responsibilities of the launch team). 

– Include a checklist of the steps for launching the rocket, starting 5 minutes prior to launch (T–5 minutes). 

– Include a flowchart or other diagram for the steps of the protocol (see background section for examples). 

– Start at T–5 minutes (including the exact countdown and language for the launch). 

• After teams have completed all the steps, they will submit their protocols to the Launch Director (educator) for a Safety and 

Mission Success Review (SMSR). The educator will verify there are no safety concerns before the teams exchange their rocket 

and protocol with another team for testing. 

Consider Consequences 

• After teams have passed SMSR and developed all needed documentation for the protocol, assign teams to pair up and exchange 

their rocket and protocol. 

• Prior to launch, have each team create a data table with categories that align with their launch protocol. Data categories might 

include the following: name of team or rocket, number of trials, angle of release, weather, distance (m) from the target, height (m), 

and other observations. During testing, each team will launch the other team’s rocket using the exact protocol provided and 

determine if the protocol allows for the rocket to hit the target three times consistently. Launching more than three times is 

acceptable with the goal of having 3 consistent launches land on the target 3 times in a row. 

• While observing the launch, they will record their observations for the Post-Launch Assessment Review (PLAR). 

• The team that developed the protocol will observe the launch team and record observations in a data table for the PLAR. The 

observing team may not intervene or communicate with the launch team during the launch. The PLAR is a summary of 

recommendations for improving the launch protocol, including missing steps or other key elements. 

• If time allows, teams can cycle through more iterations of developing and testing the launch protocol to make improvements. 

Present Findings 

• Debriefing: Teams will submit a final presentation to the Launch Director (educator), including 

– An overview of the investigation 

– The PLAR 

– What they learned from the process 

– One thing they would do if there were more time 

• Optional: Share student results on social media using #NextGenSTEM. Be sure to include the module and activity name. 

Extensions 

• Make the target smaller or more difficult to hit. 

• Add contingencies for weather (e.g., add a fan for wind if indoors), broken parts, or unforeseen delays. 

Resources 

Artemis I Simulations. nasa.gov/feature/artemis-i-simulations-ramp-up-for-the-countdown 

Launch Control Center History: NASA’s LCC: Building the Brains of Launch Operations. youtu.be/R8aByl2fK5I 

Next Gen STEM  33 
 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Artemis I Rocket, Spacecraft Prepare for Return to Launch Pad. blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/tag/exploration-ground-systems/ 

NASAfacts: Launch Control Center. nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/launch_control_center_final.pdf 

Video: 3...2...1 Lift-Off of the Artemis 1 Mission to the Moon. youtu.be/ewnrAmjLakQ 

34  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Activity Three: Launch It 

Student Handout 

Your Investigation 

You will take on the role of a NASA launch team by creating a launch protocol to consistently 

launch a rocket and hit a target. 

Criteria 

Launched rocket must land 3 times or more on a 

specified target. 

Must have at least 5 steps/instructions in the protocol. 

Launch team must read and follow the protocol 

exactly as written. 

Protocol must contain a contingency plan for a rocket 

that did not launch successfully. 

Constraints 

Teams must meet key milestones to receive 

certification from educator and proceed to the next 

step 

Students must not make adjustments to the rocket 

design once the protocol testing has begun. 

Teams must use only the materials that have been 

provided by the teacher. 

Meet the Problem 

• Individually write down a protocol for doing a simple daily task, such as making a sandwich 

or putting on and tying your shoes. 

• When time has expired, volunteer to read your protocol out loud. If selected, read the 

protocol EXACTLY as it is written. Continue until you have read the entire protocol. Your 

teacher will be following your EXACT instructions. 

• What was this demonstration portraying? 

• What could happen if the proper steps are not communicated and followed for a NASA 

rocket launch? 

• View videos of various launch sequences, NASA launches, and preparations for Artemis 

missions. 

– 3, 2, 1...Lift-Off of the Artemis I Mission to the Moon. (Artemis I Launch Sequence) 

youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ewnrAmjLakQ&feature=youtu.be 

– Watch NASA’s Perseverance Rover Launch to Mars! (42:20 to 48:55) 

youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&t=2540&v=JIB3JbIIbPU&feature=youtu.be 

– Crew–3 Astronauts Launch to the Space Station. (4:10:15 to 4:16:47) 

youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&t=15015&v=zekfpIRlVyY&feature=youtu.be 

– Hot Fire Engine Test for the Artemis Moon Rocket. (1:56:10 to 2:07:45) 

youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ELHOXi2t3lk 

• Compare the various launches. How are they similar, and how are they different? 

Explore Knowns and Unknowns 

• After your team has listened to a variety of NASA launch sequences and protocols, each 

team member will research the roles and responsibilities of at least two of the general 

launch team members from the Launch It: Launch Console Roles and Responsibilities 

page. 

• Your team will now create some type of visual (flowchart or decision tree) that identifies 

the roles and responsibilities of a general launch team during the launch process. 

Fun Fact 

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is 

unofficially known as the “Lightning 

Capital of the United States!” 

Lightning is an important factor 

when determining launch safety. 

Learn more: 

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/allclear-smooth-simulation-ahead-ofnasa-s-artemis-i-launch 

Career Corner 

Exploration Ground Systems 

(EGS) Launch Director Charlie 

Blackwell-Thompson is NASA’s 

first female launch director. 

Learn more: 

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ke 

nnedy/about/biographies/blackwe 

ll-thompson.html 

Abdiel Santos-Galindo’s journey to 

becoming a ground systems 

integration engineer for EGS was 

fueled by inspiration and hard work. 

Learn more: 

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/iam-artemis-abdiel-santos-galindo 

Next Gen STEM  35 
 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

• Explore the sequence of a launch and different launch criteria. 

– Artemis I Wet Dress Rehearsal Preparations Underway (NASA Artemis Blog). https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/03/ 

– Falcon 9 Crew Dragon Launch Weather Criteria. 

https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/649911main_051612_falcon9_weather_criteria.pdf 

Generate Possible Solutions 

• Using all the information gathered about NASA’s launches, create a protocol for launching the rocket your teacher selected for 

this activity. 

• Be sure to reference the criteria and constraints table prior to the development of the protocol. 

• The protocol should 

– Identify consoles (roles and responsibilities of the launch team). 

– Include a checklist of the steps for launching the rocket, starting 5 minutes prior to launch (T–5 minutes). 

– Include a flowchart or other diagram for the steps of the protocol (see example flowchart and decision tree from your teacher). 

– Start at T–5 minutes (including the exact countdown and language for the launch). 

• After your team has completed all the steps, submit your protocol to the Launch Director (teacher) for a Safety and Mission 

Success Review (SMSR) to verify there are no safety concerns. 

Consider Consequences 

• After your team has passed SMSR and developed all needed documentation for the protocol, the Launch Director (teacher) will 

assign teams to pair up and exchange their rocket and protocol with your teams. 

• Prior to launch, each team will create a data table with categories that align with their launch protocol. Data categories might 

include the following: name of team or rocket, number of trials, angle of release, weather, distance (m) from the target, height 

(m), and other observations. During testing, your team will launch the other team’s rocket using the exact protocol provided and 

determine if the protocol allows for the rocket to hit the target three times consistently. Launching more than three times is 

acceptable with the goal of having three consistent launches land on the target three times in a row. 

• While observing the launch, you will record observations for the Post-Launch Assessment Review (PLAR). 

• The team that developed the protocol will observe the launch team and record observations in a data table for the PLAR. The 

observing team may not intervene or communicate with the launch team during the launch. The PLAR is a summary of 

recommendations for improving the launch protocol, including missing steps or other key elements. 

• If time allows, teams can cycle through more iterations of developing and testing the launch protocol to make improvements. 

Present Findings 

• Debriefing: Your team will submit a final presentation to the Launch Director (educator), including 

– An overview of the investigation 

– The PLAR 

– What you learned from the process 

– One thing you would do if there were more time 

36  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Launch It: Launch Console Roles and Responsibilities 

Name of 

Console 

Examples of People 

and Expertise for 

This Role 

Description of Launch Team Role 

Launch 

Director 

Charlie BlackwellThompson 

https://www.nasa.gov/c 

enters/kennedy/about/b 

iographies/blackwellthompson.html 

The launch director leads the launch control team at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in 

Florida and is responsible for overseeing the countdown and liftoff of the Space Launch 

System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis I mission. On launch day, 

the launch director and launch team will review the launch commit criteria—about 490 

different items—to ensure all ground and flight systems are in a safe configuration for 

launch. Next, the team will monitor the health of the rocket while it is being loaded with 

propellant—a combination of super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. 

Once fueling is complete, the launch director will oversee the terminal countdown, 

culminating with the “go” for launch. After the command is given to fire the solid rocket 

boosters and SLS blasts off from Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39B, control of the mission 

transfers from the launch control team to the mission control team at NASA’s Johnson 

Space Center in Houston. 

Assistant 

Launch 

Director 

Jeremy Graeber 

https://www.nasa.gov/c 

enters/kennedy/about/b 

iographies/graeber.html 

The assistant launch director is responsible for assisting the launch director in the execution 

of the launch countdown. They are also responsible for planning and executing test 

operations to validate the ground systems at Kennedy. This includes overseeing testing of 

flight and ground systems for SLS and Orion and monitoring launch and recovery 

operations. 

Technical 

Assistant to 

Launch 

Director 

Wes Mosedale 

https://www.nasa.gov/c 

enters/kennedy/about/b 

iographies/mosedale.ht 

ml 

The technical assistant to the launch director helps the launch director with the technical 

coordination of launch-related content for the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft and the 

integration of launch-related requirements. 

Weather Meteorologists, Launch 

Weather Officer, and 

Weather Technicians 

These weather specialists monitor weather conditions to ensure safe launch using 

kes. This 

Kennedy's Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS). MIDDS integrates 

diverse weather data on a single display, including weather radar and lightning stri 

data helps forecasters determine if weather and lightning avoidance criteria are met and 

helps the team make decisions about launch. 

NASA Test 

Director 

Jeff Spaulding and 

Danny Zeno 

https://www.nasa.gov/fe 

ature/nasa-testdirectors-eagerly-awaitartemis-launch 

NASA test directors (NTDs) oversee flight and ground hardware testing at Kennedy’s 

Launch Control Center (LCC) from Firing Rooms 1 and 2, where activities involved with 

preparing SLS and Orion for flight can be controlled from computer terminals. They are 

responsible for emergency management actions, helping lead the launch team during all 

facets of testing, launch, and recovery. 

Some specific tasks include verifying that the flight and ground systems are working as 

expected when SLS is in a launch configuration; ensuring the mobile launcher’s umbilicals— 

giant swing arms that provide power, communications, and propellants to the rocket—are 

operational; and rehearsing launch countdown operations with the integrated rocket and 

spacecraft inside the Vehicle Assembly Building and at the launch pad. 

At the end of the mission, part of the NTD team will lead recovery efforts aboard a Navy 

vessel after Orion splashdown. 

Next Gen STEM  37 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Name of 

Console 

Examples of People 

and Expertise for 

This Role 

Description of Launch Team Role 

Orion Test 

Conductor 

Medical Doctors, 

Surgeons, Biomedical 

Engineers, and 

Emergency Medical 

Staff 

The Orion test conductor oversees testing of the Orion spacecraft and those operations 

involved with powering up and powering down the capsule. 

When there is crew in the capsule: 

Kennedy’s physician, crew surgeon, and biomedical engineer maintain current medical data 

on each crew member in the event baseline data is needed in an emergency. This team is 

responsible for medical advice for such a contingency. In addition to monitoring the 

astronauts’ vital signs, they are also responsible for emergency procedures for astronauts 

exiting the Orion spacecraft and emergency crews responding onsite. The Operational 

Bioinstrumentation System console displays an electrocardiograph, or heart monitor, of two 

designated flight crewmembers. It also shows each astronaut’s pulse, respiration, oxygen 

level, blood pressure, and temperature. 

SLS Test 

Conductor 

Tracy Parks and 

Roberta Wyrick 

https://www.nasa.gov/fe 

ature/woman-powerequals-rocket-powerfor-artemis-moonmissions 

The SLS test conductor oversees all tests involving the SLS core stage, interim cryogenic 

propulsion stage, and twin solid rocket boosters. Essentially, the test conductor acts as the 

interface between the flight systems and the launch vehicle by directing system engineers 

to start a command, such as the call to begin cryogenic loading, or fueling the SLS rocket 

with super-cold propellants. The test conductor is responsible for writing the procedures for 

directing those commands, as well as monitoring whether the command given results in an 

error. Because Artemis I is an uncrewed flight, the SLS test conductor is the prime test 

conductor. Once crew is onboard, the Orion test conductor becomes the prime. 

Ground Test 

Conductor 

https://www.flickr.com/p 

hotos/nasakennedy/523 

52706351/in/album72157649473620280/ 

The ground test conductor oversees testing of the ground systems and launch infrastructure 

in place for Artemis I. This includes tests involving the mobile launcher and its umbilicals, 

as well as the crew access arm—a walkway connected to the mobile launcher that provides 

access to Orion’s crew module. The ground test conductor also oversees simulations in the 

LCC to verify that the software linking launch team operators and system engineers to the 

rocket and spacecraft performs accurately. 

Launch 

Project 

Engineer 

Philip Weber 

https://www.nasa.gov/c 

enters/kennedy/about/b 

iographies/weber.html 

Launch project engineers are the senior-most technical people sitting on console in the firing 

room. For the Artemis I launch, there will be a primary and backup launch project engineer— 

a model carried over from the Space Shuttle Program. If an anomaly were to occur during 

the launch countdown, such as a measurement showing an unsafe range to launch, it is the 

lead launch project engineer’s responsibility to work with the system engineers to 

troubleshoot and provide a go/no-go launch recommendation to the NTD and launch 

director for the final call. 

38  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Activity Four: Recover It 

Educator Notes 

Learning Objectives 

Students will 

• Develop a list of questions to find a “crew module” on a gridded 

“ocean.” 

• Refine their questions through testing. 

• Convert their refined questions into a flowchart, decision tree, 

or pseudocode. 

Navy divers attach lines to a mock Orion capsule during 

a recovery test. (NASA/Frank Michaux) Investigation Overview 

Acting in the role of NASA’s recovery team, students will work in small teams to find the crew module on the opposing team’s 10 х 

10 grid, using the fewest number of yes-or-no questions possible. After exploring different sets of questions on various grids, teams 

will develop an algorithm for finding a capsule on any given grid. 

Suggested Pacing 

60 to 120 minutes 

National STEM Standards 

Science and Engineering (NGSS) 

Disciplinary Core Ideas 

• MS-ETS 1-2: Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine 

how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. 

• MS-ETS1-3: Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among 

several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined 

into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success. 

Science and Engineering Practices 

• Asking Questions and Defining Problems: A practice of science is to ask and refine 

questions that lead to descriptions and explanations of how the natural and designed 

world(s) works and which can be empirically tested. 

• Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions: The goal of engineering design is to 

find a systematic solution to problems that is based on scientific knowledge and models of 

the material world. Each proposed solution results from a process of balancing competing 

criteria of desired functions, technical feasibility, cost, safety, aesthetics, and compliance 

with legal requirements. The optimal choice depends on how well the proposed solutions 

meet criteria and constraints. 

• Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information: Scientists and engineers must be 

able to communicate clearly and persuasively the ideas and methods they generate. 

Critiquing and communicating ideas individually and in groups is a critical professional 

activity. 

Science and Engineering Practices (continued) 

• Engaging in Argument From Evidence: Scientists and engineers use argumentation to 

listen to, compare, and evaluate competing ideas and methods based on merits. 

• Developing and Using Models: A practice of both science and engineering is to use and 

construct models as helpful tools for representing ideas and explanations. These tools 

include diagrams, drawings, physical replicas, mathematical representations, analogies, 

and computer simulations. 

• Planning and Carrying Out Investigations: Scientists and engineers plan and carry out 

investigations in the field or laboratory, working collaboratively as well as individually. Their 

investigations are systematic and require clarifying what counts as data and identifying 

variables or parameters. 

• Analyzing and Interpreting Data: Scientific investigations produce data that must be 

analyzed in order to derive meaning. Because data patterns and trends are not always 

obvious, scientists use a range of tools—including tabulation, graphical interpretation, 

visualization, and statistical analysis—to identify the significant features and patterns in the 

data. Scientists identify sources of error in the investigations and calculate the degree of 

certainty in the results. Modern technology makes the collection of large data sets much 

easier, providing secondary sources for analysis. 

Nature of Science 

• Scientific knowledge is open to revision in light of new evidence. 

Technology (ISTE and CSTA) 

ISTE Standards for Students 

• Computational Thinker (1.5a): Students formulate problem definitions suited for technologyassisted methods such as data analysis, abstract models, and algorithmic thinking in 

exploring and finding solutions. 

Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Standards 

• 2-AP-10: Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms. 

Mathematics (CCSS) 

Mathematical Content 

• 5.G.A.1: Graph points on the coordinate plane to solve real-world and mathematical problems. 

• 6.NS.C.8: Solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane. Include use of coordinates and absolute value to find distances 

between points with the same first coordinate or the same second coordinate. 

Next Gen STEM  39 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Investigation Preparation 

• Read the introduction, background information, and the Educator Notes. 

• Print out at least one copy per team of the Ocean Map Handout, Search Pattern Handout, and Yes/No Game Handout. 

– Optionally, laminate the Ocean Map Handout so that it can be reused multiple times with a dry erase marker. 

– Optionally, cut out or make the Search Pattern Handout tokens in advance to save instructional time. 

• Optional: Print out or otherwise share with students the examples of a decision tree, flowchart, and pseudocode from the 

background section (Documenting Algorithms). 

• Put students into teams of two to three. This activity includes significant teamwork components. Consider allowing students with 

social challenges to work individually. 

Materials 

 Student Handouts 

 Ocean Map Handout 

 Search Pattern Handout with tokens (alternatively, two-color counters, bottle caps, or other physical tokens) 

 Writing utensils for marking the ocean map 

 Scissors for cutting out tokens 

 Blank paper for flowcharts, decision trees, and pseudocode 

 Flowchart handouts (optional) 

 Trifold poster board or another way to separate an algorithm reader from the algorithm follower (optional) 

Safety 

No special safety preparations are needed beyond typical crafting safety, such as safe scissor use. 

Introduce the Investigation 

• Pretend to have lost something important, such as a house key. Ask students for ideas on how best to find it. Try to elicit answers 

about narrowing down the possible areas, organizing your search, eliminating possibilities, and so forth. 

• After the initial discussion, explain that NASA must sometimes find important things as well. 

Facilitate the Investigation 

Meet the Problem 

• Have students watch the Orion Recovery Team video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJDwlC2PrAw 

• Pass out the Ocean Map Handout as well as tokens or counters. Explain that while technology makes it possible for NASA to predict 

the location where Orion will splash down with great accuracy, this activity is based on an imaginary scenario where those systems 

have malfunctioned. Orion has splashed down somewhere in a 10- by 10-km area of the Pacific Ocean, and NASA is racing against 

time to rescue the crew and recover the capsule. (Keep in mind that distances in the real world would be much larger.) 

Explore Knowns and Unknowns 

• Have students work individually to complete the Search Pattern activity. 

– As appropriate, provide students with additional details on search patterns from the background information at the beginning 

of this module (Recovery Team section) to help guide their thinking. 

– Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of searching this way. Try to guide students to realize that it would be helpful to be 

able to eliminate more than one square at a time. 

– If the idea of developing a method for searching the ocean is too abstract for some students, they may benefit from 

considering how to find a lost household item (such as keys) in a room. 

– If time is limited, students can test patterns only once instead of three times. 

40  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Generate Possible Solutions 

• Based on the exploratory activity, each individual should develop a decision tree, 

flowchart, or pseudocode to efficiently find the capsule in a patch of ocean. Some 

students, particularly younger ones, may struggle with a flowchart, decision tree, or 

pseudocode. Consider using one of the following options: 

– As a lead-in activity, have students practice making a flowchart, decision tree, or 

pseudocode for a common everyday activity, such as making a sandwich, tying 

shoes, or getting ready for school in the morning. 

– Instead of using a flowchart, decision tree, or pseudocode, allow students to depict 

their patterns visually, with arrows drawn directly on the Ocean Map. It is important to 

emphasize that students need to develop a structured, reusable pattern rather than a 

haphazard or random pattern. 

– As appropriate, provide students with additional details on documenting algorithms 

from the background information at the beginning of this module (Documenting 

Algorithms section) to help guide their work. 

Consider Consequences 

• Once all students have created their own decision tree, flowchart, or pseudocode, have 

them swap algorithms with one of their team members. Explain that they will attempt to 

follow the algorithm and then provide feedback to the original author. 

– Consider preapproving algorithms before the swap to ensure the directions are safe. 

– Provide some examples of constructive feedback versus unhelpful feedback. 

• After they have followed the algorithm, have students provide feedback by answering 

these questions: 

– Were you able to find the capsule by following the algorithm? 

– What was one strength of the algorithm? 

– What is one way to improve the algorithm? 

– How is your algorithm similar to or different than your teammate’s? 

• Optionally, after reviewing individual algorithms, have students take the best elements of 

each to collaboratively make an algorithm for the team. 

Present Findings 

• Have each team briefly present their algorithm to the other teams. 

• Have the whole group discuss common features, strengths, and weaknesses across all 

team algorithms. 

• As an alternative, students can individually write a self-reflection recognizing their own 

successes and areas for improvement. 

• Optional: Share student results on social media using #NextGenSTEM. Be sure to include 

the module and activity name. 

Extensions 

• Define a scale for the grid on the Ocean Map Handout, such as 1 cm on paper 

representing 1 km in real life. Have students use a ruler and a protractor to perform 

triangulation and trilateration from three corners of the map to find the position of the 

module. 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Share With Students 

Brain Booster 

Decision trees, flowcharts, and 

pseudocode are often used as a 

starting point to do computer 

programming. NASA has lots of 

coding activities for beginners to 

take your algorithm design skills to 

the next level. 

Learn more: 

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/ 

tag/search/Coding 

On Location 

NASA partners with the U.S. Navy 

to practice recovering Orion and its 

crew after splashdown. Shown here 

is the USS Anchorage leaving its 

home port at the Naval Base San 

Diego on its way to practice 

recovering an Orion crew module. 

The USS Anchorage is equipped 

with an amphibious transport dock 

that can carry Orion and is crewed 

with specially trained divers who will 

secure Orion for recovery. 

Learn more: 

https://www.defense.gov/News/Ne 

ws-Stories/Article/Article/ 

1418131/uss-anchorageparticipates-in-nasas-orionmission-test/ 

Next Gen STEM  41 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

• The NASA Tournament Lab (NTL) regularly posts challenges and competitions. These sometimes include designing algorithms, 

especially in the Information Technology category. 

– Find the latest open challenges: https://www.nasa.gov/offices/coeci/challenges/open 

– Watch a video on how NASA crowdsources algorithms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRd4PExbkB4 

• NASA’s 2020 App Development Challenge involved programming a pathfinding algorithm to explore the Moon’s surface. 

– Kickoff video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ1F7QAcheQ 

– Activity website: https://www.nasa.gov/stem/nextgenstem/moon/adc_guide_and_coding_components_fy20.html 

References 

Orion Recovery Operations. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/orion-recovery.pdf 

Searching With Sasquatch: Recovering Orion. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/searching-with-sasquatch-recovering-orion 

Resources 

NASA Tests Crew Recovery for Orion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbApD6niDiA 

NASA Rescue and Recovery. https://www.nasa.gov/subject/5338/rescue-and-recovery/ 

Navy Divers Recover NASA Orion Crew Module. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHZmi256dJc 

Houston We Have a Podcast, Episode 210: Artemis I Recovery Director Melissa Jones. https://www.nasa.gov/johnson/HWHAP/artemisrecovery 

42  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Activity Four: Recover It 

Student Handout 

Your Investigation 

While technology makes it possible for NASA to predict the location where Orion will splash down 

with great accuracy, any system can malfunction. For this activity, you will take on the role of 

someone on NASA’s recovery team. You are racing against time to rescue the crew of the Orion 

spacecraft, who have splashed down somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. 

Meet the Problem 

• NASA has narrowed down the possible locations of the Orion spacecraft to a 10- by 10-km 

area, represented by the grid on the Ocean Map Handout. 

• Tokens represent the Orion spacecraft, the rescue vessel, and (for some activities) islands 

or other obstacles. 

• Unless stated otherwise, the rescue vessel can only search the square that it is in and can 

only search one square at a time. 

Explore Knowns and Unknowns 

• Follow the instructions on the Search Patterns Handout. These instructions will guide you 

through the process of developing and testing a search pattern 

Generate Possible Solutions 

• By yourself, develop a decision tree, flowchart, or pseudocode to efficiently find the Orion 

capsule in a patch of ocean. 

Consider Consequences 

• With your team, swap search pattern algorithms. Follow them as safely and exactly as 

possible. Then provide the following feedback: 

– Were you able to find the capsule by following the algorithm? 

– What was one strength of the algorithm? 

– What is one way to improve the algorithm? 

– How is your algorithm similar to or different than your teammate’s? 

Present Findings 

• With everyone, share team algorithms. 

– What do most of the algorithms have in common? 

– What is unique or unusual? 

– What other activities might a flowchart, decision tree, or pseudocode help you do more 

efficiently? 

Fun Fact 

One piece of software NASA uses 

to predict where Orion will splash 

down is called Sasquatch 

because the “footprint” of possible 

locations is so big. 

Learn more: 

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/sea 

rching-with-sasquatchrecovering-orion 

Career Corner 

Taylor Hose, a flight vehicle 

processing technician, is one of 

just three people on the ground 

systems team who are certified as 

Orion hatch operators. He has 

been assigned to NASA’s 

Exploration Ground Systems 

Landing and Recovery Team, 

which will recover the Orion 

spacecraft (and crew, in later 

missions) from the Pacific Ocean 

after splashdown. Taylor holds 

two degrees: a bachelor of 

science in multidisciplinary studies 

from West Virginia University and 

a master of science in space 

studies with a concentration in 

astronomy from American Public 

University. 

Learn more: 

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/iam-artemis-taylor-hose 

Next Gen STEM  43 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Search Patterns Handout 

• If you had exactly one ship that could only search the square it is in, describe a path your rescue vessel could take to ensure it 

visits every square. Make sure to include a starting point and an explanation of how the ship would move. 

• Describe a second, different path your rescue vessel could take to ensure it visits every square. 

• Place the spaceship capsule token at a random place on the ocean. Record its row and column in a table, such as the example 

provided below. Then, follow each of the two search patterns you described. For each of the two search patterns, count the 

number of squares the ship travels before it finds the capsule, then record those numbers in a table. 

Row of 

capsule 

Column of 

capsule 

How many squares did it take for 

Search Pattern 1 to find the 

capsule? 

How many squares did it take for 

Search Pattern 2 to find the 

capsule? 

• Which search pattern seems to be more efficient? Why? Does the location of a capsule make a difference? If so, how? 

• With your team, discuss each person’s search patterns, specifically: 

– What is one strength of the pattern? 

– What is one specific change that could be made to improve the pattern? 

• Randomly place three island tokens on the ocean map. Pick one of your existing search patterns to try out. Test it three times in 

the same way as before. Then, compare the results of the new scenario (three islands) with the results of the original scenario 

(no islands). Now that you have seen what happens with islands in the way, revise your search pattern to better handle the 

islands. Test the revised pattern three times. 

Row of 

capsule 

Column of 

capsule 

How many squares did it take for 

the original Search Pattern to find 

the capsule? 

How many squares did it take for 

the revised Search Pattern to find 

the capsule? 

• Did the revised search pattern work better than the original? Why? 

• If you still have time, consider these other situations: 

– What if searchers on your rescue ship had binoculars so they could see more than one square at a time? 

– What if the area of ocean to be searched was a much larger size (such as 100 х 100 km)? 

– What if you had three rescue ships instead of one? 

44  Next Gen STEM 
 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Ocean Map Handout With Tokens 

Tokens 

Next Gen STEM  45 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Appendix A.—Rubric for Engineering Design Process 

Engineering Design 

Process Step 

Novice 

(0) 

Apprentice 

(1) 

Journeyperson 

(2) 

Expert 

(3) 

Level of 

student 

knowledge 

(Score) 

Identify the problem 

(Ask) 

Student does not 

identify the problem 

Student incorrectly 

identifies the problem 

Student identifies part 

of the problem 

Student fully and 

correctly identifies the 

problem 

Brainstorm a solution 

(Imagine) 

Student does not 

brainstorm 

Student generates one 

possible solution 

Student provides two 

solutions 

Student provides three 

or more possible 

solutions 

Develop a solution 

(Plan) 

Student does not 

select or present a 

solution, or the solution 

is off-task 

Student presents a 

solution that is 

incomplete or lacks 

details 

Student selects a 

solution but does not 

consider all criteria and 

constraints 

Student selects a 

solution that considers 

all criteria and 

constraints 

Create a prototype 

(Create) 

Student does not 

directly contribute to 

the creation of a 

prototype 

Student creates a 

prototype that does not 

meet problem criteria 

and constraints 

Student’s prototype 

meets most problem 

criteria and constraints 

Student creates a 

prototype that meets 

all problem criteria and 

constraints 

Test a prototype 

(Test) 

Student does not 

contribute to the testing 

of the prototype 

Student conducts tests 

that are irrelevant to 

the problem or do not 

accurately assess 

strengths and 

weaknesses of the 

prototype 

Student conducts 

carefully performed 

tests that consider one 

to two strengths and 

weaknesses of the 

prototype 

Student conducts 

relevant and carefully 

performed tests that 

consider three or more 

strengths and 

weaknesses of the 

prototype 

Redesign based on 

data and testing 

(Improve) 

Student does not 

contribute to the 

redesign 

Student does not 

improve the design or 

address concerns 

Student addresses one 

concern to improve the 

design 

Student addresses two 

or more test-based 

concerns to improve 

the design 

Communicate results 

from testing 

(Share) 

Student does not 

communicate results 

Student shares random 

results 

Student shares 

organized results, but 

results are incomplete 

Student shares 

detailed, organized 

results with the group 

Total 

Next Gen STEM  47 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-

Build, Launch, Recover 

Appendix B.—Rubric for Problem-Based Learning 

Problem Based 

Learning Step 

Novice 

(0) 

Apprentice 

(1) 

Journeyperson 

(2) 

Expert 

(3) 

Level of 

student 

knowledge 

(Score) 

Meet the 

problem 

Student does not 

identify the problem 

Student incorrectly 

identifies the problem 

Student identifies part of 

the problem 

Student fully and correctly 

identifies the problem 

Explore knowns 

and unknowns 

Student does not 

identify knowns and 

unknowns 

Student incompletely 

identifies knowns and 

unknowns 

Student identifies knowns 

and unknowns using 

experience but uses no 

resources 

Student completely 

identifies knowns and 

unknowns using 

experience and resources 

Generate 

possible 

solutions 

Student does not 

brainstorm 

Student generates one 

possible solution 

Student provides two 

solutions 

Student provides three or 

more possible solutions 

Consider 

consequences 

Student does not 

identify any 

consequences 

Student determines 

inaccurate or irrelevant 

consequences 

Student identifies 

consequences accurately 

Student identifies 

consequences accurately 

and provides a rationale 

Present 

findings 

Student does not 

communicate results 

Student shares random 

results 

Student shares organized 

results, but results are 

incomplete 

Student shares detailed, 

organized results with 

others 

Total 

Next Gen STEM  49 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build, Launch, Recover 

Appendix C.—Glossary of Key Terms 

Algorithm. A series of steps or directions meant to be followed exactly, often repeatedly. 

Decision tree. A way of illustrating an algorithm using boxes and arrows, where each box represents a yes-or-no question, and each 

arrow represents an answer. 

Flowchart. A way of illustrating an algorithm using a variety of shapes and arrows. Each shape represents something different, such 

as boxes representing actions and diamonds representing questions or decisions. 

Payload. The things carried by a vehicle to a destination (e.g., cargo, a satellite, or extra oxygen for the ISS). 

Protocol. A plan for a scientific experiment or a set of instructions. Protocols establish clear rules or steps that attempt to meet a 

goal. Protocols can be either straightforward (e.g., step 1, step 2, step 3) or complex (e.g., if this happens, do A; otherwise, do B). 

Pseudocode. A way of illustrating an algorithm using words meant to closely resemble computer code without using a computer 

language. 

Rocket Stage. One of two or more sections of a rocket that is designed to separate midflight, with each section having its own fuel 

and engine. 

Triangulation. A way of finding something by determining its direction from three known locations. 

Trilateration. A way of finding something by determining its distance from three known locations. 

Next Gen STEM  51 


National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

NASA Headquarters 

300 E Street Southwest 

Washington DC 20024-3210 

www.nasa.gov 

NP-2022-08-3060-HQ