High-Level Project Summary
To solve the On the Way to the Sun Challenge we have created a board game which incorporates the Parker Solar Probe’s journey to the sun. While people play the game, they learn the story of the Parker Solar Probe, including who it was named for, when it was launched, the challenges it has overcome, the information it is gathering, and the records it has broken. We chose to solve this challenge using a board game format, because we think it will appeal to everyone. Gameplay also makes learning new information fun and exciting. It’s important to learn about exciting projects like the PSP to inspire young audiences to continue to problem solve and explore.
Link to Final Project
Link to Project "Demo"
Detailed Project Description
Our game educates people about the journey of the Parker Solar Probe. By making our solution in an interactive game format it makes learning about the PSP exciting .
The board game tells the Parker Solar Probe story by making players probes that go through the same journey and challenges that the PSP does. The game starts with liftoff then goes through the challenges and benefits that the PSP encounters along the way. It includes information and special events that the probe encounters and details the instruments used to collect data and control its journey.
We hope that people playing this game will enjoy learning about the PSP and be curious to follow its remaining mission over the next couple of years.
We used a lot of NASA websites to give us information about the Parker Solar Probe and made our game out of cardboard, paper and tape. We added a spinner made with a thumb tack and paperclip, and used a 6 sided die from a dice set.
Space Agency Data
Orbital image used on game board:
Guo, Y., Thompson, P., Wirzburger, J., Pinkine, N., Bushman, S., Goodson, T., Haw, R., Hudson, J., Jones, D., Kijewski, S., Lathrop, B., Lau, E., Mottinger, N., Ryne, M., Shyong, W.-J., Valerino, P., & Whittenburg, K. (2021). Execution of Parker Solar Probe's unprecedented flight to the Sun and early results. Acta Astronautica, 179, 425-438. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.11.007 https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0094576520306512?token=5E284A4BD03FF03BFB094FE24028A92D49C24FF8D3DA6FF721B8DE91DF8C7B8F1F2491A80A3CF8782D152CC8B5BDA0FF&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20221002020424
Hackathon Journey
We found this experience to be really fun, and more than a little tiring keeping up our momentum over the weekend.
We learned how the Parker Space Probe overcame a lot of challenges in relation to extreme heat, solar dust, navigation on its own, who the Parker probe was named after, why the probe is famous, and the difference between CMEs and solar flares.
We started with the idea of a board game and built in ways to incorporate the storyline and challenges of the probe.
Some of our challenges included how to find a way to choose the game components that were used and resolving differences of opinion. We really had to work on our collaboration and negotiation skills!
We would like to thank Jasper's mum her help in submitting our project and providing snacks.
References
Parker Solar Probe Mission page: http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/The-Mission/index.php
Space Dust Presents Opportunities, Challenges as Parker Solar Probe Speeds Back toward the Sun https://blogs.nasa.gov/parkersolarprobe/2021/11/10/space-dust-presents-opportunities-challenges-as-parker-solar-probe-speeds-back-toward-the-sun/
Five Questions about Space Weather and Its Effects on Earth, Answered https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/five-questions-about-space-weather-and-its-effects-on-earth-answered
Guo, Y., Thompson, P., Wirzburger, J., Pinkine, N., Bushman, S., Goodson, T., Haw, R., Hudson, J., Jones, D., Kijewski, S., Lathrop, B., Lau, E., Mottinger, N., Ryne, M., Shyong, W.-J., Valerino, P., & Whittenburg, K. (2021). Execution of Parker Solar Probe's unprecedented flight to the Sun and early results. Acta Astronautica, 179, 425-438. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.11.007 https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0094576520306512?token=5E284A4BD03FF03BFB094FE24028A92D49C24FF8D3DA6FF721B8DE91DF8C7B8F1F2491A80A3CF8782D152CC8B5BDA0FF&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20221002020424
NASA Enters the Solar Atmosphere for the First Time, Bringing New Discoveries https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/nasa-enters-the-solar-atmosphere-for-the-first-time-bringing-new-discoveries
Five Weird Things That Happen in Outer Space https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/five-weird-things-that-happen-in-outer-space
Parker Solar Probe’s Upcoming Close Encounter with a Highly Active Sun https://blogs.nasa.gov/parkersolarprobe/#:~:text=As%20it%20orbits%20the%20Sun,and%20high%2Dspeed%20particles%20escaping
Parker Solar Probe Thriving Four Years after Launch http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/Show-Article.php?articleID=179
CME Week: The Difference Between Flares and CMEs https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/the-difference-between-flares-and-cmes
Parker Solar Probe https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/parker-solar-probe/in-depth/
Tags
#ParkerSolarProbe #game