NASA Demonstration Carts Information and Training Videos

Demo Carts for Educational Outreach Events

NASA’s Glenn Research Center has a collection of interactive demonstration carts available for use at educational outreach events. Each cart requires approximately a 15-minute training before use. Talking points are included.

The carts can be set up in 15 minutes and can be run effectively for multiple hours without restocking. The teardown and clean up also take about 15 minutes.

The following is provided:

image of a STEM teacher showing middle school students the demonstration cart — Photograph of a teacher during a demonstration with middle school students.

talking points for the demonstrator
details for the use of power and/or space
100-foot extension cord for those that require power
10 feet by 10 feet plastic tarp to protect floors
safety glasses and gloves
lockable key

Note: These demonstrations should only be conducted by trained adults using proper safeguards as noted in detailed printed instructions that are provided with the carts.

This page also includes training videos conducted by the education professionals who developed them.

Vacuum Chamber

How can we simulate the environment of space without spending the money to get there?

REQUIREMENTS:
One power outlet, 5 feet by 5 feet safety clearance.

This activity explores how common materials (balloon, marshmallow, soda, water) behave in a vacuum. This leads to explanations of pressurized suits for astronauts and the value of vacuum chambers to NASA.

Vacuum Chamber Training Video

Lunar Robotics

REQUIREMENTS:
One power outlet.

Activity participants will experiment with rovers in a simulated lunar environment, a long plastic container with lunar simulant. They will test identical LEGO NXT rovers with different wheel and tread systems and time them climbing across an inclined sandbox to determine which has the best chance at climbing a steep crater wall. This will explain the research being done at NASA’s Glenn Research Center SLOPE lab.

Learning Objective:
Students will be able to explain how the locomotion system of a rover affects its ability to maneuver on the lunar surface.

Lunar Robotics Training Video

Exhibits and Speakers

image of speaker at an exhibit near a spacesuit display — Photograph of a NASA staff member at an event.

NASA can also provide a variety of exhibits and speakers on a broad range of topics (unrelated to baseball).

View upcoming exhibits and events.

This information is a service of NASA’s Glenn Research Center as a part of our community relations program.