Moon Lander

Landing on moons and other planets is a tricky challenge, especially when there are astronauts involved. Part of the solution is to design spacecraft with special shock absorbing systems that can absorb and dissipate as much of the energy of impact as possible. Sometimes these systems are structural where certain parts of the landing system are designed to bend, compress or stretch. Other times mechanisms like springs, dampers, and crushable materials are used.

In this challenge, students will get to design their own lander to protect two marshmallow “astronauts” by ensuring that they remain safely inside their cockpit when the lander is dropped. The aim is to achieve a successful landing from the greatest drop height possible.