Voyage through the Solar System Kits Awarded to 350 Partners

Christina Leavell

We are thrilled to announce that all 350 copies of the Explore Science: Voyage through the Solar System physical kit have been awarded to museums and planetariums throughout the US!

STEM Activity Kit Production at a Warehouse with Boxes and Materials Lined Up
The setup for fabrication of 350 copies of the Explore Science: Voyage through the Solar System kit. Photo credit: Ethan Kruszka
Explore Science Voyage through the solar system logo within icon of planets reflected in astronaut helmet

In collaboration with NASA, the National Informal STEM Education Network (NISE Network) has assembled a new set of activities and professional resources focused on NASA's ongoing efforts to send future astronauts to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. These materials are designed to help partners connect participants to solar system discoveries, imagine possible space futures, and consider the ways that human needs and values intersect with space exploration. The kit includes hands-on activities and professional development materials to help staff and volunteers engage learners of different ages and backgrounds. All public facing materials are available in both English and Spanish (list of resources included in the physical kit appears below).

DIY Solar System App

In addition to the physical resources, we are thrilled to announce that the new DIY Solar System App is now available for iPhones and iPads! You can learn more about this fantastic new resource that makes it easy for families and educators to explore the solar system from anywhere, anytime. Explore hands-on activities, see awe-inspiring images from NASA, and even take a walk through our solar system from right outside your home. Check out the preview video for the DIY Solar System App and download from the App Store today! 

A series of screenshot of the DIY Solar System app on a phone

Digital Resources

For those not receiving the physical kit, digital downloads of activity guides, training resources, event planning and promotional materials, and more are now available: https://www.nisenet.org/solarsystem-kit

Physical Kit Contents

  • Planning & Promotional Materials (includes a quick-start event planning guide)
  • Training Materials (including facilitator guides, collaboration resources, and training videos)
  • Hands-on STEM Activities (physical kit includes supplies for 100 learners)
    Build a Moon Base Activity Showing Participants Using Challenge Cards to Build a Base
    • Voyage through the Solar System: Build a Moon Base 
      • How will you share your space adventure with the world? When we arrive on the Moon to stay, what will we need to survive and thrive? In this activity, learners use familiar building blocks and are prompted to build a base for humans to live and work on the Moon. Included with the activity are stickers to add to select blocks with icons that represent items necessary to survive and thrive, and challenge cards giving participants situations humans will likely face while staying on the Moon. 

 

    • Voyage through the Solar System: Breath of Fresh Air 
      Voyage through the Solar System Breath of Fresh Air activity with children measuring liquid droppers with graduated cylinders
      • How do you keep air breathable in a spacecraft or space base? In this activity, learners explore the technology and processes that will be necessary in order to create a breathable atmosphere for life on a Moon base, while also talking about the current processes being used on the International Space Station. Learners will do an experiment that demonstrates some of the science concepts involved in this process.

 

    • Voyage through the Solar System: Space Souvenir 
      Hands Etch a Design into Foil as Part of the Moon Medallion Activity
      • In this activity, learners explore medallions from past Apollo Moon missions, considering their importance and the history of the Apollo program as well as upcoming Artemis missions. They also get to make their own mission medallion with foil and cardboard, then design it using a toothpick stylus.

 

Man Standing Proudly with 350 STEM Learning Kits
350 kits ready to ship out to our partners! ​​Congrats & thank you to the whole Voyage through the Solar System Project team for their incredible efforts developing these resources!

The Explore Science: Voyage through the Solar System physical kits are shipping out during the first two weeks of August 2023. All applicants have been notified regarding the status of their applications (if you have not heard from us please contact Christina Leavell).

Supporting Resources from the Explore Science: Earth and Space toolkits 2017-2020: 

The Voyage through the Solar System kit includes a quick-start event planning guide, but you can find more planning and promotional materials, as well as all four years of activities, in the 2017-2020 Explore Science: Earth and Space digital toolkits. This also includes all digital assets and the DIY guide for the Moon Adventure Game.

 

 

map of the United States indicating Voyage through the Solar System kit locations

Voyage through the Solar System
Kit Recipients

https://www.nisenet.org/voyage-through-solar-system-kit-recipients

 

Learn more about the Voyage through the Solar System project: https://www.nisenet.org/voyage-solar-system

    Acknowledgements

    This material is based upon work supported by NASA under award number 80NSSC21M0082. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).