The Launch Pad

Goals

  • Build a model of the Missile Crawler Transporter Facilities, also known as the “crawler-transporter.”

  • Transport the model spacecraft and rocket safely across the crawlerway to the launch pad in time for launch.

  • Communicate your results to the Team Mission: Mars crew after you finish.

    Send Results

  • Build a model of the Missile Crawler Transporter Facilities, also known as the “crawler-transporter.”

  • Transport the model spacecraft and rocket safely across the crawlerway to the launch pad in time for launch.

  • Communicate your results to the Team Mission: Mars crew after you finish.

Send Results

Materials

  • LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 robotics set
  • Tablet with LEGO® Programming app
  • Model Space Launch System (SLS) rocket
  • Crawler-Transporter Testing Platform
  • LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 robotics set
  • Tablet with LEGO® Programming app
  • Model Space Launch System (SLS) rocket
  • Crawler-Transporter Testing Platform

Mission Briefing

  1. Open the EV3 Classroom app. Click “Build” on the top menu bar and follow the instructions to build the robotic Driving Base.
  2. Look at the Crawler-Transporter Testing Platform. Imagine how you’ll modify your driving base to safely carry the rocket from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. Consider how the vehicle will move across the Crawlerway as well as how the rocket will be supported. What potential obstacles do you foresee? How will you overcome them?
  3. Once you have come up with your plan, create it! Turn your driving base into the Crawler-Transporter and attach the rocket. Try it out!
  4. Once you have built your model Crawler-Transporter, it’s time to test it. Place the crawler next to the testing platform in front of the arrow.
  5. Drive your crawler across the testing platform. Keep working until your rocket successfully makes it to the launch pad in time to go to Mars.
  6. It’s time to communicate your success! Show someone – a parent, sibling, friend, or caregiver – how your crawler-transporter carries your rocket to the launch pad!
  7. Communicate your results to the Team Mission: Mars crew after you finish.
Send Results

Now that you’ve accomplished your goal, find out more about space careers in the Exploring Further section below.

  1. Open the EV3 Classroom app. Click “Build” on the top menu bar and follow the instructions to build the robotic Driving Base.
  2. Look at the Crawler-Transporter Testing Platform. Imagine how you’ll modify your driving base to safely carry the rocket from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. Consider how the vehicle will move across the Crawlerway as well as how the rocket will be supported. What potential obstacles do you foresee? How will you overcome them?
  3. Once you have come up with your plan, create it! Turn your driving base into the Crawler-Transporter and attach the rocket. Try it out!
  4. Once you have built your model Crawler-Transporter, it’s time to test it. Place the crawler next to the testing platform in front of the arrow.
  5. Drive your crawler across the testing platform. Keep working until your rocket successfully makes it to the launch pad in time to go to Mars.
  6. It’s time to communicate your success! Show someone – a parent, sibling, friend, or caregiver – how your crawler-transporter carries your rocket to the launch pad!
  7. Communicate your results to the Team Mission: Mars crew after you finish.
Send Results

Now that you’ve accomplished your goal, find out more about space careers in the Exploring Further section below.

Exploring Further

Flight design engineers are responsible for ensuring that spacecraft accomplish missions safely and effectively. Many factors determine the best time to launch a rocket—does the payload need sunlight to operate? Where is it headed, and how does Earth’s position help it get there? Read more about launch windows, and then take a look at some information about the crawlers that take the rockets to the launch pad.

Let’s take some time to explore how NASA’s engineers determine how long the crawler needs to travel to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in order to get to the launch pad in time. They often think backward because they only know the launch time. The rocket must be delivered to the launch pad by 7:00 pm for pre-launch checks to begin on time. The launch pad is 4.2 miles away from the VAB. What time will the crawler need to leave the VAB if it travels at 1 mph with the rocket on top? You can also explore the distance on Google Maps below.

Are you interested in working for NASA? Check out possible careers in flight design engineering!

Flight design engineers are responsible for ensuring that spacecraft accomplish missions safely and effectively. Many factors determine the best time to launch a rocket—does the payload need sunlight to operate? Where is it headed, and how does Earth’s position help it get there? Read more about launch windows, and then take a look at some information about the crawlers that take the rockets to the launch pad.

Let’s take some time to explore how NASA’s engineers determine how long the crawler needs to travel to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in order to get to the launch pad in time. They often think backward because they only know the launch time. The rocket must be delivered to the launch pad by 7:00 pm for pre-launch checks to begin on time. The launch pad is 4.2 miles away from the VAB. What time will the crawler need to leave the VAB if it travels at 1 mph with the rocket on top? You can also explore the distance on Google Maps below.

Are you interested in working for NASA? Check out possible careers in flight design engineering!

    • Read about NASA’s “Next Giant Leap” to Mars!

    • Read about NASA’s “Next Giant Leap” to Mars!

Congratulations! You have successfully helped Team Mission: Mars get our rocket to the launch pad in time for liftoff. Thanks for your help!

THE LAUNCH PAD
GETTING TO MARS
PLANETARY ORBITS
SURVEYING THE LAND

THIS MATERIAL PRODUCED BY ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA IS BASED UPON WORK SUPPORTED BY NASA UNDER COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AWARD NUMBER NNX16AM34G.

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