Build a Spacecraft for World Space Week
- Posted by ABC Splash |
- Thursday 22 September 2016, 06:39 PM (EST)
World Space Week celebrates the contribution that space science and technology can make to the betterment of the human condition. This year, students can take part by entering Splash’s Build a Spacecraft competition.
World Space Week (WSW) runs from 4 to 10 October annually, commemorating the launch of Sputnik 1 on 4 October 1957 and the signing of the Outer Space Treaty on 10 October 1967.
WSW aims to increase awareness about the benefits of the peaceful uses of space science and technology for sustainable development.
The United Nations declared this special week in 1999 and, having started with only a handful of events, it has now grown into the largest public space event on Earth. Thousands of WSW events have been organized in 80 countries on all continents, including Antarctica, and popularity is still growing.
This year’s theme, “Remote sensing: Enabling Our Future”, celebrates Earth Observation from space for the betterment of the human race. It highlights a host of classic Earth Observation missions and emphasises applications such as environment and agriculture monitoring, land use mapping and new uses such as location-based services.
Get involved in #WSW2016
World Space Week is a great opportunity to inspire and stimulate interests in space, science and STEM. Events will be held all over the world in schools, universities, science centres, planetariums, museums, companies and many other places.
Splash’s Build a Spacecraft competition gives students the chance to be the chief engineers in designing and building spacecrafts. Build a spacecraft using any material (e.g. cardboard, straws, tape, paper and so on), then record and upload a 30-second video showing it off and explaining its features and design.
Your spacecraft could be designed to help study things happening on Earth, take pictures of planets, observe the sun or even find life elsewhere in the universe! Check out NASA's blog and Space Place for ideas on how to get started, and use Splash’s space Topic and Digibook for inspiration.
The competition is open to all students K-10 and the two most original, creative entries will win a guide to the solar system for their class. The competition is open until 5 pm (AEST) on 10 October 2016.
Check the 2016 Event List to find other WSW events near you, or run your own school or community activity. Anything related to space will do, from a classroom drawing activity to a school-wide lecture program. Check out the different event ideas and free Teaching Resources for #WSW2016.