Mission 2: Space Junk
In this mission, you will get to program a space game where the tardigrades collect space junk to protect the Swedish satellite Mats. You get points for every ton of junk that the tardigrades get hold of. But first we need to learn a little more about space junk.
Space task
What do you know about space junk and Mats the satellite?
Can you save Mats the satellite from the space junk? On this mission, you program a space game where the tardigrades collect space junk and protect Mats the Swedish satellite. You get a point for each ton of junk the tardigrades collect, but first you have to learn a little more about space junk.
Start by reading chapter 2 in Leia and the tardigrades crack the space code – student material. You'll find all the answers in the chapter.
Questions to answer
What is space junk?
How can we keep track of space junk from down here on Earth?
What could happen to Mats the satellite when in space?
Something to think about
The space rocket carried Mats the satellite 600 kilometres up. Can you describe how high 600 kilometres is using other words? For example, how many people have to stand on each other’s shoulders to get that high, or how many Eclipses are needed. Eclipse is one of the world’s highest star flyers. It is 121 metres tall and is at Gröna Lund amusement park, Stockholm.
Math assignment
Hur mycket väger rymdskrot?
We are now going to find out how much the pieces of space junk weigh. But there’s a catch – you don’t have any scales with you in space, so you can’t weigh the objects until you are back on Earth. Luckily, the tardigrades have received a message to their computer that says how much all the space junk weighs. The message is a little tricky, and gives the answer in the form of mathematical challenges. Your task is to solve these challenges!
The math assignment has three levels, decide what suits your class best.
Code task
Code a game about space junk
Code a space game where the tardigrades will protect the satellite Mats from space junk.