Landing on Mars

'05-'06 SOCK

    

 

  

Demos

  Photos

Mars landing:
Drop shapes and see if they land on their base or on their side.   Keep a running total of all demos for analysis.   What shapes are more likely to land right-side-up?   Discuss how lander rights itself, if it doesn't.



  

Martian Surface:
Bounce different types of balls on different surfaces.   Note that the tendency for a lander to bounce depends on the Martian surface as well as on the lander.

 

Planetary conditions:
Some planets are cold, some are warm.   That will effect the way the lander bounces.   Use LN to demonstrate the change in ball bounce with extreme temp.
Other properties change with temp, also.



  

Landing forces and damage:
AstroBlaster demonstrates the forces on a non-rigid object, and how the bounce of lower parts can send upper parts flying.