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| This module focuses on the relationship between
basic design concepts and the collection process that will
be used in the Genesis mission. If you are using Genesis
science modules for the first time, read the User's
Guide thoroughly before you begin. (View User's Guide
as a PDF.)
The Portable Document Format (PDF) is used to
distribute fully formatted, print-quality documents
electronically. The following information is available
to view and print as a PDF file with Adobe's Acrobat
reader. To install the FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader,
visit the Adobe
Web site.
Take a look at other science
modules available. All technical terms in
the science modules are compiled in the Glossary
for easy access.
Technology
Applications are available for this module.
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Adobe's
Acrobat Reader©
The
Portable Document Format (PDF) is used to distribute
fully formatted, print-quality documents. |
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The goal of "Finding
a Perfect Fit" is to increase student interest in the
history of solar wind collection. During the Apollo missions
in the late sixties and early seventies, solar wind was collected
with foils that were exposed to the solar wind for varying
amounts of time. The foils were then stowed and returned to
Earth for analysis.
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Apollo
16 solar wind collector (1970) on the moon.
Courtesy: NASA |
The student text, "It Began With
Apollo," takes students on
a journey to the past and to the moon. Students read the
dialogue between Apollo astronauts and mission control,which
highlight the struggles and successes of
this experiment. In the activity students fit different shapes
representing wafers into a background frame similar to what
is used in the Genesis mission. The student text, "Shaping
Up," centers on examples regarding hexagons in nature.
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Genesis
mission solar wind collector (2001)
Courtesy: Johnson Space Center
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Curriculum
Connections
National Standards Addressed
National
Science Education Standards
Grades 5-8
Science as Inquiry |
- Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
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Physical Science |
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| Science and
Technology |
- Abilities of Technological Design
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Science
in Personal and Social Perspectives
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- Science as a Human Endeavor
- Natural hazards
- Science and technology in society
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| History and
Nature of Science |
- Science as a Human Endeavor
- History of Science
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Grades
9-12
Science as Inquiry
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- Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
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| Science and
Technology |
- Abilities of Technological Design
- Understandings about Science and Technology
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| History and
nature of Science |
- Science as a Human Endeavor
- Nature of Scientific Knowledge
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Curriculum Connections |
- Mathematics and science
- Using models of processes and procedures
- Analyzing collection techniques
- Dealing with contamination
- Parabolic mirrors in everyday life
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Skills and Processes |
- Work in production design teams to model scientific
processes and develop strategies to solve problems
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| Learning Objectives |
- Recognize that scientists know of others' work and
build on one another's ideas.
- Understand the influence on scientific knowledge of
developments in technology.
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Students will complete three hands-on
activities that give them an experience in modeling solar wind
collection. A text relates general procedures of various collection
techniques. Students choose wafer shapes from the Briefing activity
and use hexagons to model the design of the Genesis solar collector.
Students will test the collectors by measuring the mass of sand
they collect. Students use ultra violet sensitive beads to represent
wafer material and solar wind particles. Students will discover
that all materials collect all solar wind materials, yet some
materials allow for better analysis on certain regimes of solar
wind than others.
"Invisible Analysis" challenges students to "detect" solar
wind particles without the use of their eyes, modeling the fact
that the solar wind particles will be analyzed with instruments,
not visual inspection.
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Eileen
Stansbery (right front), Johnson Space Center
scientist with Genesis solar collector.
Courtesy: Johnson Space Center
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"Continuous Collection" uses analogies
from life science and physical science to relate to
solar wind collection of the Genesis spacecraft.
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Micrometeroids
are a possible contamination problem for the Genesis
mission.
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Students will conduct a laboratory investigation to develop
their understanding of contamination issues related to collecting
solar wind. Students will investigate contamination issues
related to collecting solar wind. Sand will be used to represent
solar wind and students will use a hand lens or dissecting
microscope to quantify the amount of contamination.
Micrometeoroids as contaminants will be investigated in the
student text, "Micrometeoroids and More," and the
activity, "It's a Hit." In the latter, students will
conduct an experiment modeled after one done at Johnson Space
Center where wafers were tested against simulated micrometeoroids.
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Students interact with peers to
accomplish the tasks assigned in the Exploration and Development
sections above. Each activity contains work to be done in groups,
with the whole class participating in preliminary and summary
discussions.
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The
concentrator.
Courtesy: Los Alamos National Laboratory
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Students will learn how the Genesis solar concentrator
works. They then build a model to demonstrate the process.
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The
solar wind collector arrays and concentrator.
Courtesy: Johnson Space Center
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After two years of collecting solar wind
particles, the sample return capsule (SRC), which contains
the canister containing the collector wafers and concentrator,
will be captured in mid-air with a helicopter. In the event
that the helicopter is not able to do this, the SRC will
impact the ground. Genesis scientists have tested this impact
and have designed the SRC to minimize wafer breakage. Students
work in Product Design Teams to complete a design of collector
wafers that will withstand an impact. A drop test will be
performed and design changes made.
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Meet
Co-investigator and LANL Project Lead for the Genesis Discovery
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Roger Wiens
Courtesy: Los Alamos National Laboratory |
Mission Roger
Wiens in an interview in our People
section. |
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| Writer: |
~John Ristvey,
McREL
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| Contributing Writers: |
~Gil Yanow, Jet Propulsion
Laboratory
~Alice Krueger, McREL
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| Graphics: |
~Judy Counley, McREL
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| Layout: |
~Amy Hoza, McREL
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| Special thanks to the following reviewers: |
~Roger Wiens, Los Alamos National Laboratory
~Gil Yanow, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
~Cristina Casaburri, Clear Creak ISD, TX
~Angelo Casaburri, Aerospace Education
Services Program
~Alice Krueger, McREL
~Jacinta Behne, McREL
~Claire Heidema, McREL
~Greg Rawls, McREL
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