PSA: The Astronaut's Helper | NASA CONNECT

Kaltura

In PSA: The Astronaut's Helper, students will be introduced to the Personal Satellite Assistant (PSA), a small, spherical robot that assists astronauts with their chores on space-based vehicles. Students will learn about different types of robots and the mechanical systems on the PSA that must work together for the PSA to function. In the web activity, students interact with a simulation of the PSA and learn how forces affect motion in a low-friction, microgravity environment. Students learn that scientists need to shrink the PSA, and they engage in a hands-on activity where they find the maximum surface area of a computer component that must fit into a smaller PSA. By conducting inquiry-based and web activities, students will make connections between NASA research and the mathematics, science, and technology they learn in their classrooms.