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Activity 2.4: Out of This World Food

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Flight and Space GATEWAY

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Flight and Space

Fit For Space
Lesson 1: Flight

Lesson 2: Space Distance Learning Support

Check with your teacher about:
Activity 2.1: Explorers of the
Universe Materials or resources you need for this activity
What work you need to turn in and how to submit it
Explorers of the Universe Game
Collaboration strategies
The Latest and Greatest

Next Stop—Mars

Tips for Effective Research

GOALS
Optional Extension: Space
Voyagers
Learn fundamentals of fitness and rest during spaceflight and at a
future off-Earth colony.
Activity 2.2: 3..2..1..Liftoff
Simulate exercise in space.
It’s a Blast! Play a game to identify health and hazards in space.
Up, Up, and Away

Jet Powered

Jet Lag
MATERIALS
It’s Not Brain Surgery, but It Is
Rocket Science!
Safety goggles
Optional Extension: Fuel Mass
Resistance bands

Activity 2.3: All Systems Go

Mapping Orbits

Optional Extension: Clocking a

Trip Stresses in Space
Optional Extension: Getting a
Boost Humans are adapted to live in Earth's gravity and other features of the Earth
environment. In space, the changed environment alters astronaut bodies quickly.
Activity 2.4: Out of This World Food As you plan for space travel, especially a long trip such as a Mission to Mars, you
Microgravity Meals must understand what it takes to keep the body in good condition.

Optional Extension: Planning

Astronaut Menus In the last activity, you examined some of the basic nutritional needs astronauts
Optional Extension: Lighting have while living in space and strategies for growing the crops to sustain a habitat
Space Gardens on Mars. In this activity, you will look deeper at the effects that living in space has
on the body, and will investigate other ways astronauts take care of their bodies.
Activity 2.5: Fit For Space

Stresses in Space
Prediction: Which of the following effects do you think happen to the
Work That Body!
human body after spending a month in space? Why do you think these
occur?
Activity 2.6: Stayin' Alive
Loss of bone strength
Life’s Basic Needs Loss of muscle strength
Life Support Systems Aboard a Changes in aerobic capacity
Spacecraft Changes in sight
It’s Your Turn! Changes in ability to think and concentrate
Optional Extension: Visualizing
Data—Excel

Optional Extension: Visualizing

Data—Google Sheets

Project 2.7: Take Two!

Better Than Ever!

Define the Problem

Generate Concepts 1 Review the various effects that living in a low, or no gravity environment
Design a Solution while living aboard a spacecraft or space station has on the human body.

Build and Test Item On Earth In Space

Evaluate the Solution

Bones Support the body against gravity. Without gravity, bones lose 1% to 2%
Present the Solution of their strength each month.
The spine lengthens.
Reflection

Lesson Reflection Muscles Work against gravity. The heart is Without gravity, muscles, including the
exercised as it pumps blood heart, lose 5% to 6% of their strength
Design Brief: Build-a-Better
through the body. each month.
Rocket
Aerobic capacity can drop by 25%
Design Brief: Build-a-Better after a month in space (it then
Water Filter stabilizes).

Lesson 3: Destination: Mars Fluids Make up 60% of the body and are Without gravity, fluids move away
used in breathing, sweating, from the lower body to the upper
circulation, and digestion. body, creating “puffy faces” and “bird
Distance Learning Support
legs”.
The fluid shift creates problems with
seeing, smelling, and tasting.
The body “resets” to 25% less fluid
volume. Astronauts need to drink less
and urinate less.

Brain Stays healthy with regular sleep Experiences stress due to:
health and a positive, varied environment. disrupted sleep cycles
confined spaces
monotony of daily activities

Figure 1. Effects of Low Gravity on the Human Body

Reflection: Were you able to identify what happens to the human body
after spending a month in space? Did any effects surprise you?

Low gravity is not the only threat to astronauts’ health and safety in space. Moving
beyond Earth’s atmosphere means that astronauts are no longer shielded from
the harmful radiation in space. Orbiting debris such as space junk and tiny
asteroids also pose a threat, as they can damage the ship (or astronaut during a
spacewalk).

Why Do Bones Lose Strength Without Gravity? Any activity done

while on your feet here on Earth forces your body to work against
gravity to keep you upright. These activities are called weight-bearing
activities, because your bones “bear the weight” of the body to keep it
upright. This causes positive stress on the bones, called bone
loading , which triggers bone building cells to make the bones
stronger.

2 Play the Fit for Space! game to navigate the astronaut to good health while
dealing with the stresses of space (both stresses from living in low gravity,
as well as the stresses from radiation and orbiting debris).

0 50

Fit for Space! Game

Source: User-generated content from Scratch permitted under CC BY-SA 2.0
Open the Fit for Space! Game in a new tab.

Fit for Space! Game Rules

Goal
The goal of the game is to earn the highest score possible within 90
seconds.

Earn points by bumping into items that contribute to an astronaut's

health.

Drink Apple Tortilla Exercise Sleep

+10 points +10 points +10 points +10 points +10 points

Avoid environmental hazards that could endanger the astronaut.

Radiation Space Junk Asteroid

-10 points -10 points -10 points

Earn extra points by collecting and reading Incoming Messages.

Message
+20 Points, +5
Seconds

How to Play
1. Select the green flag to get started.
2. Point the cursor to where you want to move the astronaut. The astronaut
will follow according to Newton’s First Law.

Note: Remember, Newton’s First Law says that an object stays at

rest or in its current path of motion unless an unbalanced force acts
on it. You will notice that it is challenging to start the astronaut
moving. Once moving, it is also challenging to get the astronaut to
slow down or change directions!

3. Shield yourself from radiation and debris by pressing the space bar
when you are hit by these hazards.

PLTW GATEWAY NOTEBOOK

Reflect on what you learned in the game.
What contributes to good health in space?
What has a negative impact on health in space?

Work That Body!

Figure 2. Astronaut Leland Melvin on the ISS

Source: NASA

To reduce the damage to their bodies in space, astronauts must exercise two
hours every day! In this activity, you will learn about what’s in a “space gym” and
how astronauts exercise with the special equipment onboard the ISS. You will then
work in a team of three students to design and test exercises to keep astronauts
fit in space.

Working Out in a Space Gym

Equipping a space gym is a lot like equipping a fitness facility here on Earth. You
need to provide machines that allow astronauts to work their muscles, keep their
bones strong, and work their hearts to maintain good aerobic capacity. But
without the gravity of Earth, you have to change some of the equipment and the
exercises. For example, you cannot “lift weights” because dumbbell and barbell
weights are not hard to push or pull—they just float beside you in the spacecraft!

3 Watch the STEMonstrations: Exercise video to learn what it is like to

exercise aboard the ISS.

STEMonstrations: Exercise video

Source: NASA

Reflection: What is the biggest challenge when exercising in

space?

Check your response

In the previous activity, you learned that astronauts need to consume extra
calories while in space. Why do you think this is?

Check your response

4 Review the three basic equipment devices astronauts use aboard the ISS
to stay fit.

Treadmill with Vibration Isolation Stabilization

Referred to as the TEVIS (tee-vis)
A treadmill with bungee cords that pull the body with great force to simulate gravity and arti-
ficially create impact while running. This loads the bones for bone health. Running on this
treadmill also raises the heart rate for cardiovascular and aerobic health.
Source: NASA

Figure 3. Exercise Equipment Onboard the ISS

Exercising to Reduce Body Stresses

Answer each question to determine how each exercise

device helps the body in space.

Get Started

4 Questions

PLTW GATEWAY NOTEBOOK

Imagine you have returned to Earth or touched down on Mars after a long
spaceflight. What do you predict a consequence of not working out enough
during your space journey would be?

Testing an Exercise

Distance Learning Support

Jump to DL: Testing an Exercise (Activity 2.5).

Now that you have learned how astronauts exercise in space, you and your team
will create muscle strengthening exercises for astronauts to do using resistance
bands. Resistance bands are made of a stretchy material that your muscles have
to work against, regardless of whether there is gravity or not! This makes using
resistance bands a great option to “weight train” in space. Pulling a resistance
band in different ways works different muscles.

5 Decide which team member will be the Recorder/Safety Officer, Space

Fitness Trainer, and Astronaut Tester.
Role Responsibility

Recorder/ Responsible for documenting your team’s actions, comments, and results.
Safety Also responsible for monitoring exercise to ensure safety of the tester and
Officer others.

Space Responsible for using knowledge of muscle anatomy to create an exercise

Fitness that will work a target muscle.
Trainer

Astronaut Responsible for testing an exercise and reporting on the effectiveness of the
Tester exercise in working the target muscle.

To exercise a muscle, you must pull on the resistance band so that the muscle has
to work to move in the direction you want. Let’s explore how resistance bands can
be used to exercise the quadriceps muscles (front thigh) and hamstring muscles
(back thigh).

Figure 4. Quadriceps Muscles Figure 5. Hamstring Muscles

Safety Reminder: Wear safety goggles at all times during this

investigation.

6 Use the resistance band to exercise the quadriceps muscle and hamstring
muscle.

Figure 6. Quadriceps Muscle Exercise Figure 7. Hamstring Muscle Exercise

Safety Reminder: Do not stretch the bands too much or snap

them at classmates. Only pull on the band enough to feel tension
in your muscles, not pain.

Trainer:
Help position the Tester and assist in placing the band as shown.
Tester:
Test the resistance band to work the hamstring and quadriceps.
Perform several repetitions in a slow and controlled manner.
Recorder/Safety Officer:
Document the comments of the Tester.
Record how many times the Tester can repeat the exercise, and
record the difficulty of the exercise on a scale of 1–5, as reported
by the Tester.
Monitor that the Tester is stable and that the testing area is safe.

7 Working together in your team roles, determine and test a way for your
crew to use the resistance bands to work each of the following muscles:
The biceps muscle (inside upper arm) and triceps muscle (back upper
arm)

Figure 8. Biceps Muscles Figure 9. Triceps Muscles

PLTW GATEWAY NOTEBOOK

Document the starting and ending positions in your notebook.

8 Show your exercise plan to another team and have them perform it.

Reflection: Were they able to perform the exercises are you

intended? Why or why not?

It’s Tough to “Sleep Tight”

“Good night, sleep tight” is not something astronauts say before bedtime. Day and
night are not clearly defined, and there is no gravity allowing crew members to lie
down. But restful sleep is needed for healthy brain function. So how does an
astronaut go to bed on-orbit?

9 Watch the STEMonstrations: Sleep video to see what it looks like to sleep
onboard the ISS.

STEMonstrations: Sleep video

Source: NASA

Reflection:
In what ways are you personally affected by getting too
little sleep? Discuss with your team.
What is the impact of an astronaut sleeping poorly?
How can you help yourself get a good night’s rest?

Are You Ready for Space?

Check Your Understanding

Confirm your launch-worthiness by answering these

questions.

Get Started

9 Questions

Congratulations on getting “space ready” by learning to eat, exercise, and sleep in

space!

HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHT

Ensuring a No Spew Crew

The changes in gravity that occur during space travel can cause space
sickness, which is similar to motion sickness. Symptoms range from mild
nausea and dizziness to severe discomfort and vomiting. Some 60% to 80%
of all people who travel in space experience it in some way. It can be a
serious challenge for space travelers to overcome.

Thanks to the work of Dr. Patricia Cowings while

working as a research scientist at NASA, space
sickness has become much less of a barrier for
astronauts. Dr. Cowings patented a method to
train astronauts to handle space sickness by
controlling their own heart rate, respiration,
perspiration, and other bodily functions. Her
technique also helps people recover when they
return from space travel. Dr. Cowings’ work has
greatly advanced the ability for humans to travel
in space.Source

CONCLUSION

1 What behaviors must astronauts have in order to stay healthy and

fit in space?

2 What planning goes into food, exercise, and sleep aspects of

spaceflight, and why do these need to be planned?

Proceed to next activity