The project 'Let's go to Mars' involved designing a spaceship that would take their group of 3 or 4 people from Low Earth Orbit to Mars and back again, has started with great gusto. 

We spent some time contributing to a mind map in which the pupils raised a variety of problems to overcome. That included propulsion type, fuel, living conditions, food, health, energy and electricity, oxygen, protection from Gamma Rays and, not to be forgotten, the GWFS - the Great Wee Filtration System! Recovering and reusing water. Artificial gravity was discussed and how centripetal/centrifugal force can be used to provide this. 

It is hoped that by the end of the term the models will have been built in Lego, Meccano or balsa and card, and that a large plan for their display will be drawn up.

This project requires logical thinking, an ability to change ideas, thinking outside the box and knowledge acquired in the pupils' Science lessons over the last few years. We all look forward to the results: perhaps we should be selling the ideas to the European Space Agency?

Tim Fry
Science Teacher