Down to the Core Challenge
Analyzing samples from a planet, moon, or asteroid helps scientists learn about its chemistry, geologic history, and potential to support past or present life. Nearly every NASA surface mission collects samples. In this video from "Design Squad Nation," students design and build coring devices that can poke into a potato "asteroid" and extract a core sample. The students use the engineering design process, apply a variety of science concepts, and learn about NASA's exploration of the solar system. Part of the "Design Squad Nation" series.
Media Details
Runtime: 3 minutes 46 seconds
- Topic: Science
- Subtopic: Astronomy, Physics, Space Sciences
- Grade/Interest Level: 3 - 8
- Standards:
- Release Year: 2013
- Producer/Distributor: PBS Learning Media
- Series: Design Squad Nation
- Report a Problem
Available Resources
Related Media
![Illustration image of a satellite. Caption: Juno is an unmanned deep-space mission](https://org-dcmp-staticassets.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/posterimages/9866_1.jpg)
Tracy Drain: Flight Systems Engineer
![Slit screen of a person in a virtual reality suit and the computer representation of her body. Caption: It actually recognizes my skeleton based on these different markers.](https://org-dcmp-staticassets.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/posterimages/9867_1.jpg)
Victoria Garcia: Aerospace Engineer
![Space rocket launching as seen from below. Caption: I want to contribute to the first manned mission to Mars.](https://org-dcmp-staticassets.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/posterimages/9871_1.jpg)
Erick Ordoñez: Materials Engineer
![Robot with logos for NASA and GM. Caption: that we developed to assist astronauts in space](https://org-dcmp-staticassets.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/posterimages/9874_1.jpg)
Sandeep Yayathi: Robotics Engineer
![Astronaut in a space suit working on a machine. Caption: Training takes place in the neutral buoyancy lab.](https://org-dcmp-staticassets.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/posterimages/9876_1.jpg)
Allison Bolinger: Spacewalk Flight Controller and Trainer
![Person placing a magnet to one side of the path directly in front of a ramp. A dotted line projects the path of an object that will move from the ramp and curve toward the magnet. Caption: Let's place the magnet somewhere to alter the marble's course.](https://org-dcmp-staticassets.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/posterimages/9868_1.jpg)
Invisible Force Challenge
![Person holding a magnet above a pile of metal shavings. Some of the metal shavings are adhering to the magnet. Caption: that exert a force on metal objects when they're nearby.](https://org-dcmp-staticassets.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/posterimages/9872_1.jpg)
Inspector Detector Challenge
![Cardboard pieces cut and attached together to resemble robotic arms attempting to pick up rocks. Caption: Let's see if these robotic arms can pick up some space rocks.](https://org-dcmp-staticassets.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/posterimages/9873_1.jpg)
Robo Arm Challenge
![Four people in a yard holding balloons. One is on a ladder. Caption: Five, four, three, two, one.](https://org-dcmp-staticassets.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/posterimages/9875_1.jpg)
Soft Landing Challenge
![Person holding a paper cup with rubber bands and binder clips wrapped around a tubular object. Caption: (Nate) There's lots of ways of getting the straw into the potato.](https://org-dcmp-staticassets.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/posterimages/9877_1.jpg)
Down to the Core Challenge