Design a Lunar Lander
Use the engineering design process to build a lander that keeps two astronauts safe and upright when it touches down on the Moon.
Grade Level
Elementary, Middle School
STEM focus
Engineering
Activity Type
Design challenge
subject area
Aerospace
The big idea
How do you land a spacecraft that’s falling toward the Moon with no runway and no air to slow it down?
Every lander has to absorb the force of hitting the ground so the crew inside stays safe. In this challenge, you’re the NASA engineer. Your job is to design a lander sturdy enough to stay upright and gentle enough to protect its astronauts.
Your goal
Build a lander that survives the highest drop you can manage.
- It must carry at least two astronauts.
- When it lands, it can’t tip over, and the astronauts must stay inside.
- No lid of any kind, and no taping or gluing the astronauts in place.
Why no lid or tape? If the astronauts are strapped in, you can’t tell whether your lander actually softened the landing.
Materials
Tap each item to check it off as you gather it.
- Cup, plastic or Styrofoam
- 3 index cards
- Cardstock or cardboard
- Cotton balls
- Rubber bands
- Straws
- Tape
- Scissors
- Ruler or measuring tape
- Paper and pencil
- Two "astronauts": small figurines, mini marshmallows, or ping pong balls
Missing something? Use what you have around the house or classroom. Swapping materials is part of the challenge.
Steps
Identify the problem
Brainstorm
Design
Test and evaluate
Redesign
Share
Repeat these stages until your design works.
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Brainstorm
With a partner, sketch as many lander designs as you can. Use the cup as the astronauts' cabin, and think about landing legs and shock absorbers. Label each part and the material it's made from.
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Build it
Pick your best sketch and build it. Check it against the three rules before you test.
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Test it
Drop your lander from 1 foot and record what happens. Did it tip over? Did the astronauts stay inside? Did they bounce?
Test log (copy this onto your paper) Drop height Stayed upright? Astronauts inside? What I noticed 1 foot 2 feet 3 feet -
Redesign and retest
Use your test results to improve the lander:
- How can you make it more balanced?
- Can you make it lighter?
- Can you add something soft and springy to absorb the shock?
Once it lands safely from 1 foot, raise the height. Find the highest drop it can survive.
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Share your results
Show your lander to others and compare designs. Talk about what worked, what didn't, and what you'd change next.
Why it works
Spacecraft can travel 18,000 miles per hour, about 23 times the speed of sound. To land, engineers first slow the craft down, often by firing rocket engines against the direction it’s moving. Just before touchdown, the engines shut off so dust doesn’t blow into the craft, which means the lander falls the last stretch to the surface.
That final fall is what your lander is solving. Soft, flexible parts like cotton balls and rubber bands spread the force of impact over a longer moment, so less of it reaches the astronauts. A wide base keeps the lander balanced so it doesn’t tip.
Did you know?
Some lunar landers use lasers to scan the ground below them as they descend, so they can find a safe, flat spot to touch down on their own.
Try this next
Think about it
- What was the highest drop your lander survived?
- Which change made the biggest difference?
- Why might a lighter lander be safer?
Change it up
- Add a parachute and compare your results.
- Try a heavier astronaut. Does your design still work?
STEM Hero
Mary G. Ross
1908 to 2008 · Aerospace engineer
Born in Park Hill, Oklahoma, and a member of the Cherokee Nation, Mary G. Ross was the first known female Native American engineer. Her work helped make space travel possible, including the Apollo program and space probes to Mars and Venus.
After retiring, she visited schools to encourage young women and Native American students to pursue careers in science, math, and engineering.
Keep exploring
Tap each item to check it off as you gather it.
Read all about it
Moon Landing by Jill McDonald
An Igloo on the Moon by Adrian Buckley
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For educators
Oklahoma Academic Standards
Dimension 1: Science and Engineering Practices
- Asking Questions and Defining Problems
- Developing and Using Models
- Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
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