Mission to Mars
In the not-so-distant future, an extraordinary adventure awaits, with scientists predicting humanity’s journey to Mars by the year 2040. However, the true challenge of this undertaking extends far beyond the mere act of reaching the Red Planet but, more crucially, in the creation of a sustainable, permanent habitat within its harsh, alien terrain.
Our students embark on an ambitious and extraordinary undertaking. This sprawling endeavor encompasses everything from the construction of a large-scale space station to the cultivation of a hydroponic farm and the establishment of a robotics laboratory. The mission is meticulously designed to scrutinize the questions, confront the challenges, and embrace the opportunities that will inevitably accompany the establishment of a thriving human settlement on Mars. This project was elevated to an extraordinary level thanks to the unique partnership with Grayson’s Genius-in-Residence, Astronaut Dr. Serena Auñón-Chancellor, with whom we had the privilege of speaking while she was aboard the space station.
“It is clear that this project was deeply immersive, cross-disciplinary, and controlled to a large degree by the students themselves. It is a supreme example of the power of PBL, and my own take is that it also sounds like a heck of a lot of fun for all involved — and isn’t that the very best way to learn?””
