In recent times, the Soviets have opened up their space program to more and more cooperation with other nations. They also want to commercialize their space program to help reduce its cost. In upcoming years, U.S. astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts are expected to once again fly together in space, forging friendships that could lead to a joint mission to the distant dunes of Mars. Resources National Science Teachers AssociationSpace, Science and Technology Division. Main Activity You will observe the physics of selected toys on Earth, and predict the physics of the same toys in a microgravity environment like that of the space shuttle.
Space travellers have to learn to live, work and play in a weightless environment.
In April 1985, the Space Shuttle Discovery transported 11 familiar toys into the weightlessness of space for the Toys In Space Project. The TOYS Program included a selection of toys like those below. Find as many of these toys as possible. Work with each toy to see how it responds to gravity and motion. Try different actions with each toy like flying the plane or pushing the car backward and forward.