Spacecraft Materials and the Chemistry of Space Exploration

In this lab activity from NASA, students will become materials scientists for a day. Designing a satellite or a rover means understanding the properties of metals under conditions very unlike those on Earth. Which material should we use to construct a rover going to a planet like Venus? What if we were traveling to an icy planet or even underwater?

The chemistry lab or demonstartion can be used in grades 2-12. It includes a student worksheet for older students as well as the answer key.