EAS Students on a Simulated Mission to the Moon and Mars
Students Participate in Mission at Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Expedition Center
Up the road from NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Expedition Center offers a unique hands-on educational experience. Housing a mission control modeled after JSC facilities and a simulated exploration spaceship, the SS Legacy, the center was built in honor of the Space Shuttle Challenger astronauts, who had been training at HMNS’s Burke Baker Planetarium to observe Halley’s Comet prior to the Challenger tragedy.
The Expedition Center provides programs for groups ranging from K-12 to corporate teams, emphasizing teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking under pressure. On October 11, our “Exploring the Planets” geoscience class visited the center and embarked on an exciting Friday afternoon mission simulation to the Moon and Mars. The simulation included geology and medical studies, navigation challenges, and the successful management of a simulated “life-support systems failure.”
Approximately 30 students participated, alternating between roles in mission control and tasks aboard the spacecraft, switching positions after an air-lock decontamination process. The mission was a resounding success, with all participants safely returning to “Earth.” Students are now documenting their experiences as part of a class exercise.
This activity exemplifies the exceptional opportunities in the Houston area, leveraging the city’s proximity to leading industries in space exploration, medicine, energy, and coastal research to foster student development.