A Base on the Moon

Learn more about the plan for our return to the moon.

Airboats: Transportation for Wetlands

Airboats are flat-bottomed boats powered by a propeller attached to an automobile or aircraft engine. The flat bottom allows airboats to navigate easily through shallow swamps and marshes.

Calculating the Power of the Wind

Want to show your students specific real world examples of radius, area and algebra? Wind Analyst Emily Hardy does just that... in under two minutes!

Calculating the Volume of a Cylinder

In the 1800s, New York City required that all buildings higher than 6 stories be equipped with a rooftop water tower. This was necessary to prevent the need for excessively high pressures at lower elevations, which could burst pipes.

Developing a New Tool

Engineering & building a new space launch vehicle sometimes requires a new type of tool, and it's important to fully understand how that tool works before you start manufacturing.

Evaluating Hazards for Rocket Propellant

Discover the four main hazards or stimuli that scientists test and evaluate when developing rocket propellant. [The Ares rockets were part of NASA's Constellation Program which ended in 2010. Despite the policy change, this movie shows real-world

Forest and Micro-climates

Reforestation - an example of micro-climates.

Guitar Pickups and Electromagnetism

A guitar pickup is a device that acts as a transducer (a device that receives a signal in the form of one type of energy and converts it to a signal in another form) that captures mechanical vibrations and converts them to an electrical signal.

Indicator Species

Indicator species are used as an early warning of pollution or degradation in an ecosystem.

Maria Bualat

Maria Bualat describes what she does as an engineer for NASA Ames Research center in Mountain View California. Hear her talk about her passion and how she got started in engineering

Measuring in Different Units of Weight

It is important to measure the size of the animal and understand how each animal’s size and unique needs relate to the area or capacity of its enclosure.

Measuring Length, Capacity & Temperature

It is important to measure the size of the animal and understand how each animal’s size and unique needs relate to the area or capacity of its enclosure.

Rocket Motor & Rocket Engine Difference

The Ares I rocket has both a motor and an engine. What's the difference between the two? [The Ares rockets were part of NASA's Constellation Program which ended in 2010. Despite the policy change, this movie shows real-world applications of STEM]

Rocket Roll Control

Learn more about how rockets are kept from spinning and can stay pointed in the right direction during a launch.

Rocket Stages & Separation (Launch)

Get a closer look at the stages of the Ares I rocket and how they will function during a launch.

Testing Development & Qualification Types

There are two basic types of testing when developing a new space launch system: development & qualification. Find out more and see examples of both in this two-minute clip.

The Avionics System

This two-minute clip defines the "avionics system" and explains what it does.

The Chemistry of Solid Rocket Propellant

Get a closer look at the chemistry behind solid rocket propellant.

The Heavy Lifter of the Constellation Program

Learn about the vehicle that is going to be "the largest launch vehicle that the world has ever seen" in this two-minute clip about Ares V.

The Protective Insulation on the Ares I First Stage

The rocket propellant in the Ares I First Stage burns at 5600 degrees Fahrenheit. The rocket's metal case would melt rapidly if it weren't protected somehow--find out how they do it.

The Salt Marsh Ecosystem

The Salt Marsh Ecosystem serve many important functions. They buffer stormy seas, slow shoreline erosion, and provide vital food and habitat for sea life, as well as offering shelter and nesting sites for several species of migratory birds.

Using Alloys in Spacecraft Development

Learn what an alloy is and why alloys are so important in vehicle development and manufacturing.

Wireless Power Calculation for the Space Solar Power Concept

Space solar power expert, John Mankins, explains the equation behind the physics of wireless power transmission.