Science·Space Exploration·meta
Journey to Mars
Evaluate the engineering and human challenges of long-duration spaceflight to Mars — radiation exposure, muscle and bone loss, psychological isolation, communication delays — and assess the current state of the SETI programme: what methods are used, what has been detected so far, and what the Fermi Paradox is
Suggested ages 13–14
Evidence of understanding
- Identifies and explains at least three major challenges of a Mars mission: radiation (no magnetosphere), bone/muscle loss from low gravity, psychological isolation, and delayed communications
- Describes how SETI searches for intelligent life (radio signals, laser pulses, technosignatures) and explains why the lack of detection so far is not proof of absence
- States the Fermi Paradox ('Where is everybody?') and discusses two contrasting proposed resolutions
Assessment prompt
If Journey to Mars was asked whether they'd volunteer for a 3-year mission to Mars, could they describe at least three serious scientific or engineering challenges that would need to be solved first — and explain why the 20-minute communication delay alone changes almost everything about how the mission would operate?
Standards alignment
No external standards are linked to this topic.