In this final issue, we explore the future of Artemis. Artemis missions will turn science fiction into science fact as we make new discoveries, advance technologies, and learn to live and work on another world.

This issue concludes our school-year edition of the learning pathway. The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft will roll out to the launch pad next month for a final test that will determine the launch date for the Artemis I mission. We will notify you and send some bonus content for the launch and mission. In the meantime, you can revisit any of the Artemis I STEM Learning Pathway stops.

Thank you for joining us on the journey!

Learn where collected lunar samples will be curated and how Artemis will enable humans to learn, explore, and push the boundaries of human knowledge for the Artemis Generation and many generations to come.

Launching soon, the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) is a CubeSat that will fly a unique orbit around the Moon intended for NASA’s future Artemis lunar outpost, Gateway.

Students will expand their knowledge about basic human needs by thinking about and prioritizing resources necessary for a mission to the Moon.

Students engage in a Moon survival scenario, select a science mission based on a chosen landing site, prioritize items for the mission, and describe how to optimize a packing solution. 

Students work as a team to determine the best location for a future lunar outpost. They will analyze scientific data and models of the Moon’s south polar region to determine the potential habitability of sites, based on four environmental factors: temperature, access to water, potential for solar energy, and for communications.

First Woman tells the tale of Callie Rodriguez, the first woman to explore the Moon. While Callie is a fictional character, the first woman and first person of color will soon set foot on the Moon – a historic milestone and part of upcoming NASA missions.

Pair this infographic with the above CAPSTONE video for students to consider why NASA chose a near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) for its planned lunar outpost around the Moon, Gateway. (Hint: Its precise balance point between the gravities of Earth and the Moon provide continuous communications.)

In this challenge, students use the engineering design process to design and build a model of a lunar lander that uses the thrust of balloons to slow its rate of descent.

The goal of the challenge is to slow the lander’s rate of descent as much as possible to simulate a soft landing on the lunar surface. 

Join us on Wednesday, June 1, at 7 p.m. EDT, as we learn about future Artemis missions and how to deepen your students’ computational skills with hands-on activities and pedagogical recommendations.

A companion student session will be held the following day, Thursday, June 2, at 10 a.m. EDT.
Looking for a quick math challenge?

Check out this standards-aligned exercise that tasks students with finding the distance a Lunar Terrain Vehicle will travel following a route plotted on a two-dimensional coordinate plane.

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Are you looking for NASA STEM materials to support your curriculum?
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Visit NASA STEM Engagement on the Web: 
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement: https://stem.nasa.gov
NASA's Join Artemis Website: https://stem.nasa.gov/artemis/
NASA Kids’ Club: https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub