NASA Follow Up

As a follow-up to the phone conversation about NASA, I created an assignment for students to use to explore NASA’s website. Here are the directions 🙂

NASA Missions Exploration

Explore the work of NASA using the NASA website and your space interview. 

With the information from your interview this week nearby, visit https://www.nasa.gov. Explore this website for a few minutes to familiarize yourself with what types of information can be found there and how you can find them. Then, work through the following questions. Your responses must be in your own words. 

1. 1. From the conversation you had earlier this week, recall your interviewees responses to the most exciting event of NASA and the greatest achievement. Choose one of these items (exciting event or greatest achievement) and explore information about the event or achievement on NASA’s website. 
      • What was the event? Describe the event.
      • When did this happen?
      • Is this an ongoing mission? 
      • Why did NASA choose to pursue this mission? What was the intent or reason for it? 
      • What have we learned as a result of this mission? 

2. Recall what mission your interviewee mentioned is currently ongoing at NASA. Use this mission to answer the following questions. *If your interviewee did not know of any current missions, then choose one from the website to explore. 

• • What is the name of the mission or program? 
  • Briefly describe the mission or program. 
  • What is the purpose of this mission or program? 
  • What have we learned so far? 
  • What is the timeline for this mission or program? 

1. 3. Your interviewee shared ideas for future missions at NASA, or what he or she would plan as the next mission. *If your interviewee could not answer this question, then explore your own future NASA idea. 

1. • Look on the NASA website. Does a mission like this one already exist? If so, what is it? 
   • If not, do you think a mission like the one your interviewee discussed would be of interest to NASA currently? Why or why not? 

1. 4. Finally, explore the website and answer the following questions for yourself. 

1. • What do you think is the most exciting event in NASA’s history? 
   • What current mission do you think is the most important? Why? 
   • If you were running NASA, what program would you add or end? Why?