EXPLORE SOMETHING FUNKY • TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING EVERYTHING
Technology Is Changing Everything
Technology is more than screens and apps. It is what happens when people use ideas, tools, engineering, and code to solve problems and do things that once seemed impossible.
Discovery 1 • Some Robots Work Millions of Miles From Earth
NASA uses robotic spacecraft to explore places people cannot easily visit. Rovers, landers, orbiters, and other robots can collect information and follow commands sent from Earth.
Think About It: What job would you give a robot on another planet?
Source: NASA — What Is Robotics? (Grades 5–8). Learn from NASA →
Discovery 2 • Robots Do Not Have to Look Like People
A robot can be a rover, a robotic arm, a spacecraft, or even an aircraft. What makes it useful is what it can sense, control, move, or accomplish—not whether it has a face.
Try It: Sketch a robot designed for one specific job. Let the job decide its shape.
Source: NASA — What Is Robotics? (Grades 5–8). Learn from NASA →
Discovery 3 • Computers Need Instructions
Programming is about creating instructions that a computer or robot can follow. NASA even has activities where students act like robots and classmates create the program that guides them through a mission.
Try It: Write instructions for walking from your desk to the classroom door. Could someone follow them exactly without guessing?
Source: NASA — BEST Programming Activities. Learn from NASA →
Discovery 4 • Satellites Can Help Figure Out Your Location
GPS uses a group of satellites orbiting Earth. A GPS receiver uses signals from satellites to help determine where it is.
Think About It: How many things in your life depend on knowing an exact location?
Source: NASA — What Is a Satellite? (Grades 5–8). Learn from NASA →
Discovery 5 • Satellites Help Us Watch Earth From Above
Satellites can collect information about clouds, oceans, land, air, wildfires, volcanoes, and storms. That technology helps scientists study Earth and can help people respond to emergencies.
Think About It: What would be easier to notice from space than from the ground?
Source: NASA — What Is a Satellite? Learn from NASA →
Discovery 6 • Satellites Need Power and Communication
Most satellites need a power source and an antenna. Solar panels can turn sunlight into electricity, while antennas send and receive information.
Try It: Design a satellite. What will power it? What will it measure? How will it send information home?
Source: NASA — Build Your Own Spacecraft. Learn from NASA Space Place →
Discovery 7 • Technology Can Make Spacecraft Smaller
As computer technology has become smaller, engineers have been able to fit more computing power into smaller spacecraft. Smaller spacecraft can sometimes require less fuel and smaller rockets to launch.
Think About It: When might making something smaller actually make it more useful?
Source: NASA Space Place — Spacecraft and computer technology. Learn from NASA Space Place →
Discovery 8 • Technology Usually Starts With a Problem
A great invention is not just something new. Engineers ask what problem needs solving, imagine possibilities, build, test, learn from what goes wrong, and improve.
Try It: Notice one small problem at school today. What tool or invention could make it better?
Source: NASA STEM — Learning Space activities for engineering and technology. Explore with NASA →
Discovery 9 • Students Help Build Real Space Technology
NASA’s TechEdSat projects have paired college and university students with NASA researchers. Students have helped design, build, test, and analyze small satellite systems that actually fly.
Think About It: What technology would you want to help create someday?
Source: NASA Ames — Technology Educational Satellites. Learn from NASA →
Discovery 10 • Technology Begins With People Thinking
Robots, satellites, computers, and inventions may look impressive, but people are behind them—asking questions, writing instructions, testing ideas, solving problems, and improving designs. Technology changes when people keep thinking about what could work better.
Your Challenge: Do not just ask, “What does this technology do?” Ask, “What problem was someone trying to solve?”
Source: NASA STEM — Technology, computer science, engineering, and robotics learning resources. Explore with NASA →