Transcripts of NEW Middle School DLN Cut 1-H

Oh, my. Has anyone seen WALL-E? Really? Oh, there you are WALL-E, lets get ready for to.. hey what are you doing? No! Oh! No! WALL-E! Cut. Switch up cameras, I think we're back on, but now where did he go? WALL-E? It's not recess WALL-E, come on we have students waiting for us. WALL-E, I can't be chasing you around I need to say hello to my students. Hello everyone, my name is Erin talking to you from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. How are you all doing today? Great. I am so excited to be talking to you all today about the moon and how we're using satellites today to explore the moon and get ready for future human exploration. Are you ready? Excellent. I have one more question for you, have you all seen WALL-E? I can't seem to find him, oh..oh well, WALL-E there you are. Everyone say, "Hello WALL-E." Thank you so much for joining us today WALL-E. He's going to be joining us and sharing with you all what he's learned here at NASA. So let's get started. Boys and girls when you hear the word "NASA," what first comes to mind? (Please Pause Video) Those are all great things to think of and for those of you who thought of astronauts, most people think of astronauts and our human space flight program when they hear the word NASA. Not many people realize that we explore most of space without using those astronauts. We use rovers, we use robots, we use satellites to take a look at all the things inside of our solar system as well as looking beyond and into our universe. In fact there are 60 satellites in use, today taking a look at anything between our Sun, our planet Earth, the planets in our solar system, and even looking out into the universe. In fact, I think we have some time to go through every single one of those 60 satellites from A down to Z. So lets get started.

Now each of these mission have their own objectives so AQUA and AURA taking a look at our atmosphere. Hey what's going on? Oh! WALL-E! Well, maybe we'll have time at the end to go over that list. Here's WALL-E with some things that he's learned here at NASA. Fantastic. Phoenix is one of our robotic missions that we sent to Mars. Phoenix's mission was to take a look at the atmosphere of Mars, understand where exactly the water ice disappears, and how it is able to form, as well as to understand the soil content and understand the geologic history of the planet next to our own planet earth. Just one example of how we use robots to explore space. This is excellent WALL-E, what's next? Oh, one of my personal favorites Kepler, is our planet hunting telescope taking a look at out into our universe and looking for exoplanets, meaning planets outside of our own solar system. And extra solar systems meaning, solar systems like are own, elsewhere in the universe, and we're learning valuable information about how special our own solar system is, as well as how rare it is to find an earth like planet. Once again WALL-E fantastic, what's next? Oh, excellent one of our personal favorites here at Goddard Space Flight Center, SDO or the Solar Dynamics Observatory. We are taking a look at the sun and understanding how the sun as dynamic of a star as it is can affect not only our planet earth, but also the other planets elsewhere in our solar system. And I think WALL-E has one more satellite he would like to share with you today. Very good, LRO or the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. We are going to be taking a closer look at LRO and understanding how it's getting us ready for future human exploration. Thank you so much WALL-E, we will see you in just a couple minutes.

We're using these satellites not only to understand our universe, understand our solar system, but like LRO to help us get ready for future human exploration of the moon and other place's elsewhere within our solar system. We're using these satellites to help us understand the mapping, as well as what the terrain wil look like, and in fact we're going to be sending a very special group of people. I would like you all to take a look around your classmates right now, just take a look around. You are looking at the future men and women who will be walking on the Moon one day, walking on asteroids or even on Mars. How many of you by a show of hands want to walk on these places one day? Raise those hands high, excellent. Now I'm sure you're wondering what exactly will I be looking at when I travel to the moon? WALL-E wants to come in and give you a sneak peak at what you could be looking at outside your spacecraft window. So lets take a look. (television) (television) We touched its surface all to briefly a generation ago with brilliant courageous explorers and great engineers and people. But now the time is to go back for good. To use the moon as our window in this big universe, to understand our own origins and where we're actually going to be going. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a robot explorer will take our minds eyes back to the moon, paving the way by making new maps of the moon to get human beings, women and men back so that we can basically plant our footsteps on the moon as the first step into the rest of the universe. (music) (music) (music)

Wow. Wasn't that exciting? Now lets take a closer look at how LRO is getting us ready for your future missions. Again LRO or the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is a satellite, thank you WALL-E. On board we have lots of different types of instruments. One instrument that we're going to be taking a look at today is called LOLA. LOLA is helping us make a brand new map of the moon. But why do you think we need a brand new map of them moon boys and girls? (Please Pause the Video) Those are all great reasons why we're making a brand new map of the moon. This map called a topographic map shows us where the terrain looks like on the moon, and in order to understand how we're using technology on board LRO to make this brand new map lets dive below the ocean surface and take a look at how a submarine is able to remotely sense its surroundings, lets take a look.

Here we can see a submarine. Those red bars are indicating that the technology that submarines use to remotely sense what's above, below and in front of the vehicle. Submarines use a very special type of technology. This technology is called SONAR. SONAR uses a wave that we cannot see but rather we can hear. What type of wave does SONAR use? (Please Pause Video) Sound, exactly right. The "SO" in SONAR comes from the word sound. Submarines bounce sound waves through SONAR and count how long the sound wave return back to the sensor on board the submarine. That time is then calculated into distance and into elevation, so the submarine is able to remotely sense its surroundings. Now that we know how submarines are able to remotely sense its surroundings, lets go back above the moons surface and understand how we're able to make a map of the moon.

LOLA, on board LRO is using LIDAR. Now if we know that SONAR uses sound, what type of wave do you think LIDAR uses? (Please Pause Video) Light, exactly right. We're beaming light down to the surface of the moon and counting how long it takes that light beam to go back to the sensor on board LOLA. Then, that time is then calculated into elevation and we're able to create a map of the moon. Today we're going to demonstrate how exactly we're making that brand new map in an activity. WALL-E wants to come in and give you a hint, of how exactly we can demonstrate that here on planet earth, so come on in WALL-E. (mechanical sound) (mechanical sound) (mechanical sound) (mechanical sound) (bouncing balls) Oh, my goodness. Well, while WALL-E is cleaning up his mess I'm sure you could figure it out. We're going to be using a playground ball to demonstrate LIDAR and to help us make a brand new map of the moon.

For this activity we're going to need 11 volunteers, we're going to need 1 timer, 1 data recorder, we're also going to need 1 satellite including the LIDAR ball, as well as 8 volunteers that will represent the surface of the moon. Teachers I'm going to let you take care of this in your classroom. Please situate the 8 volunteers in a line against the wall, shoulder to shoulder or against an open surface, and then have them step forward as certain number of steps to help represent the surface of the moon. Go ahead. (Please Pause Video) Very good, now we're ready for our activity. Satellite you are going to take your LIDAR and then gently roll it toward a surface point on the moon. Surface of the moon you are going to do exactly the same, you are going to gently roll it back to the satellite. Timer you're going to be running this experiment. It will be up to you to countdown from 3 down to 1 and tell the satellite to go. That will be the signal for the satellite to release the LIDAR. Once the LIDAR returns back to the hands of the satellite, satellite I'm going to ask you to say "stop." That will be the signal for the timer to stop his or her stopwatch, and then record the time for the recorder. Any Questions? We're all set to go? Very good, well lets get started. Timer I'm going to hand this over to you, we're going to gather 8 data points on the moon. Go ahead. (Please Pause Video)

Very Good. You all did a fantastic job, give yourselves a round of applause. Now its time for us to understand, how this is all able to come together, so now we're going to plot the data. You all should have a LIDAR graph available on your desks. We're going to have you record each data point on this graph. The x-axis will show us where the each individual data points or lunar points will be located. The y-axis is going to show us the time scale. It will be up to you to figure out what increments you'll be traveling on that time scale on the y-axis, so go ahead and take care of that. (Please Pause Video) Excellent job everyone, now, we plotted are data points. It is time for us to now create our map, so what I want you to do is put your hands on ethier side of your paper and at the count of 3 flip your paper over so your y-axis, excuse me your x-axis is at the top of the page. Ready? 1, 2, 3, take a look at your graph. Ladies and gentlemen you have just created a topographic map of the moon. Great job, you've exercised your brains just like scientists and engineers here at NASA. So how are we able to make this tiny little graph into a larger map of the moon? Well one of WALL-E's friends wants to come in and help us understand that, so come on in. Where did she go? She was around here somewhere? Oh. Hello? There she is, everyone say, "Hello Eva." Lets take a look at what she can do. (Scanning)

As you can see she's scanning. That is how we're able to gather all of this valuable data from LRO and make a brand new map. So lets take a look at how this is all able to come together. LRO is able to take tiny little pictures or swaths of the moon. What you've just created on your graph is a swath of the moon. Then, these swath are pieced together like a puzzle to make a larger image of that particular area of the moon. So lets say from 1 kilometer squared of data we can gather, of course the information on the topography of the terrain of the moon. We can also highlight level surfaces which can be potential landing spots for your future missions. We also want to keep you nice and safe, so making sure what the temperature surface has been highlighted as well. Again, keeping you safe we want to make sure we know where all the small rock hazards are located. We're also making a brand new digital map of the moon so this data can help us create that brand new map. As well as to point out those large rock hazards. With all this data compiled together scientists and engineers can choose safe landing spots for your future missions. Now this is just one way we're using LRO to get ready for your future missions, we're also using the satellite to look for a very important resource, it's very important for us here on earth, and just as important for your future missions to the moon. WALL-E wants to come in and give you a hint for what we're looking for. So come on in WALL-E. (Mechanical Sound) (Unscrewing Sound) (Flowing Water) Oh no, well while WALL-E is drying himself off, maybe you can all tell me what are we looking for on the moon? Water. Exactly right. Lets think of some ways that we use water here on earth. We use water to drink, to stay healthy, to stay cool, and stay clean. Well boys and girls those are great reasons to use water on the moon as well for your future missions you could be staying for a very long time period. Which means a lot of water will be needed for you and your crewmates to use every single day. During your missions you'll need water to drink, to stay healthy, to stay cool in your spacesuits, and stay clean because boys and girls nobody likes a stinky astronaut. So you all can take baths on the moon, is that okay? Oh, thank goodness. Rather than packing up all the water here on earth that you'll need for your future missions which will take up lots of space in your spacecraft as well as lots of rocket fuel to lift it off the ground. We want to see if maybe there's resource available already on the moon for your future missions. We're looking in a very special location, I know WALL-E wants to come in and give you a hint of where we're looking for water, but he's a little embarrassed from last time. So, the only way he'll come back in is if you all say come on back in WALL-E. Great job, here he comes. (Mechanical Noise) (Mechanical Noise) (Mechanical Noise) (Mechanical Noise) (Mechanical Noise)

Oh, silly WALL-E what was he trying to throw away there? A magnet excellent, give me a thumbs up if you have ever used a magnet in science class before. We have some experts in the class today. Tell me what have you observed when you use a magnet in science class? Great, information to share about what you see on what happens with a magnet. We always observe that magnets can stick to metal, also are repelled away from metal. And this happens at the ends of magnets. Now does anyone happen to know the special name we have for the ends of magnets? I'll give you a hint, we can find them here on planet earth. (Please Pause Video) That's right the north and south pole, so just like a magnet has a north and south pole, our planet earth has a north and south pole, so does the moon. That is where we're looking for water for your future missions. Lets take a closer look at the moon right now, thank you WALL-E The reason why we're looking at the northern and southern polar regions on the moon, because these areas hardly ever see the sun, they're almost constantly in shadow. So scientists believe that can could find water in the form of ice, locked into rocks are the bottoms of craters. So in order to find whether or not we have water on the moon, engineers design a brand new robot called LCROSS, attached it to LRO and these two travel together to the moon. Once LRO arrive in orbit LCROSS detached travel down to the moons surface, and then slam into the dirt as hard as it could, kicking up lots of dust and hopefully some water ice. Then, LRO went through the dust clouds, scanned its contents and sent back to scientists waiting here at NASA. Those scientists were able to go through all the data compiled from the LCROSS mission.

And we've come up with an answer. Are you ready for it? Drum roll please, Stop. We've found water on the moon ladies and gentlemen. This is great news for your future missions because this means we could potentially have gallons and gallons of water available for your future missions already on them moon. So during your mission you'll be able to drink the water, stay healthy, stay cool in your spacesuits, and stay clean because remember boys and girls nobody likes a stinky astronaut, exactly right. This is great news not only are we using LRO to look for water on the moon, we're also using the satellite to get ready for your future missions by making a brand new map. Unfortunately, we've run out of time today. So thank you so much for joining me today and learning about how we're using satellites to explore the moon, and get ready for future human exploration. I think WALL-E wants to come in and say a big warm thank you, Oh, there is his everyone say thank you WALL-E, give him a big round of applause Thanks again WALL-E for joining me today and Oh, thank you again for joining me today I had a great time teaching you all about LRO and how we're using satellites to explore the moon. Thanks once again and on behalf of everyone here at the DLN have a great day. Good-bye everyone. (music) (music) (mechaincal noise) (music)