A major problem for space engineers is cost.  It costs nearly $5,000 per pound to launch a shuttle into space, so weight is a factor when designing shuttles and tools.  Other problems for space engineers are: limited power, water, space, and lack of garbage facilities.

To address these problems, space engineers use lightweight materials such as dental wire, wet wipes, and battery-powered tools.  Packaging is kept to a minimum to reduce waste on the shuttles.

In this Webquest, students work in teams to design an m&m dispenser that would work in space to combat the lack of gravity, that is lightweight, and compact in size.
 

What is gravity?  Watch this BrainPOP movie to find out!

Everything on Earth relies on gravity to work properly.  Look at your desk.  Why is everything laying on it?  Gravity holds all your papers, books, and pencils in place. 

Earth toilets rely on gravity to flush.  Space toilets use suction (like a vacuum cleaner).  The ink flows out of your pens onto your paper on Earth.  Pens are pressurized like spray cans to work in space.  You don't need a bed in space - just straps to keep you tied to a wall.  Instead of using cups to drink from, astronauts squeeze fluid-filled bags with tubes into their mouths.

But what about eating small candies like m&ms in space?  You can't dump the bag out into your hand - the m&ms would fly everywhere!  So, what would you do?  You'd need a zero-gravity dispenser.  Where would you get one?  You'd need to invent one! 
 

 Food for Space Flight
 This article describes the food and packaging for space flights.  Learn how the menus and packaging have improved through the years.

Johnson Space Center
 Click on the link "Space Food" to watch a video. (Notice the picture at the top of the page of an astronaut eating M&M's.)

Astronauts: Living in Space
A brief overview of life in space. See pictures of astronauts eating and sleeping.

 Space
 See different space-inspired packaging for a variety of products.

NASA Makes Major Breakthroughs in Space Food
This is an article about plans to include a refrigerator onboard the International Space Station.

Ask the Experts
 Send in your question about space to either the shuttle crew, the space station crew, or mission control. Be sure to browse through previous responses at the upper right.. Some responses include links to movies.

Preparing a Meal
 View a photo of astronauts at the International Space Center preparing a meal together.

Food Trays in Space
View a photo of an astronaut attaching food to the trays.

Nutrition in Space
Click through this slideshow and learn about how space food has evolved and what scientists are planning for the future.

Christian Science Monitor
Find out about the work scientists and chefs are doing to improve the quality of food available in space. 

Creating Packaging That Sells
This site gives tips for creating good packaging for food products.

Living in Space: Space Food
This site explains what astronauts eat in space. View the photos and watch several videos filmed in space.
 

2.  Use the Internet Resources to find the answers to your questions about astronauts and their food in space.   Record your findings on an Idea Web created using Inspiration software.  Be sure to organize your web in a way that makes sense to you.

3.  How do m&ms act?  Make observations of the physical properties of m&ms.  How would they act in space, a zero gravity environment?

4.  How could you design an m&m dispenser that would work in space?  Become a member of the "NASA m&m Dispenser Designer 2002 Team." With your partner, create a plan for a design for an m&m dispenser that works without relying on gravity.  What materials could be used to make your dispenser?  Is it lightweight and cost effective? 

5.  As a class, create a list of attributes for the "perfect" m&m dispenser.  Share your design with other design teams.  Compare other designs to the list of perfect attributes.  Offer suggestions for improvement to other teams.  Make improvements to your own design.

6.  Build a working prototype of your design.

7.  Create an advertisement for your m&m dispenser.  Include a digital camera picture and a scanned image of your design in the advertisement. 

8.  Write a business letter to NASA to share your invention with space engineers.
 

1.  Your level of cooperation and participation. 

 2.  The neatness, completeness, and quality of information gathered from your research and displayed: on your Inspiration Web.

3.  Your ability to incorporate what you have learned about gravity and space foods to create a model of an m&m dispenser that would work on the space shuttle.

A Rubric will be used to grade your project.
 

Children's Museum
 This interactive site takes students through the special requirements needed to live comfortably in space. Students are asked to make choices.

M&M's Homepage
This is the official site for M&M's candy. What type of dispenser would work for eating these candies in a gravity-free environment?
 

Moniteau County R-1 Schools Science Curriculum Objectives:

Scientific Inquiry IA(3)
The comprehensiveness and sophistication of science are dependent on the ability to determine and use appropriate tools and technologies.

Scientific Inquiry IA(4)
Communication and the open sharing of information are essential parts of scientific inquiry.

Scientific Relevance IIA(1)
Breakthroughs in science often lead to advances in technology, and improved technological equipment leads to more accurate data collection in scientific inquiry.

Scientific Relevance IIB(1)
Important contributions in science have been made by many different people, in different cultures, and at different times.  Their places of work include offices, classrooms, laboratories, farms, factories, and natural field settings everywhere.

Universe VB(1)
Earth is a moving planet that has unique features.

Universe VC(1)
Research associated with space exploration has resulted in technological advances that have affected the quality of life.