Exploring Concepts of Space Traffic Through Real-World Examples: Bringing Aerospace to K-12 Students in a Novel Way

摘要

As the world's focus shifts towards science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), educators and policymakers have realized that the right tools must be provided to youth to succeed in STEM. Thus, the authors propose introducing an activity for students who are interested in STEM that is based on fundamental aerospace engineering concepts. Beginning with the introduction of the concept of space traffic management (STM), which is defined as orbital safety awareness services (e.g. collision avoidance warnings) that support and facilitate the continued development of the commercial space industry, the game establishes a metaphor of car traffic to provide an introductory understanding of the difficult nature and vast number of approaches to STM solutions. A virtual road map is created for an individual student, with a set of cars, roads, and hazards that one may encounter when driving. Additionally, a virtual space-map is created, with a set of satellites, orbits and space related hazards that the user must maneuver through, similar to the roadmap portion. The goal of this multi-level activity is for the student to successfully navigate through earth then space traffic simulations, and ensure that all cars and satellites get to their destination safely. The game builds on a translation from space traffic to car traffic through drawing comparisons between cars, road hazards, maps, and the nature of the activity itself. By relating space and car traffic, the student can more easily perceive this unconventional topic through the lens of a familiar application.