Overview

Background

In September 1962 President John F Kennedy famously addressed the U.S. Congress and told them of his goal to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

Whilst acknowledging that the Soviets had a head start in their space program, Kennedy urged the U.S. to work diligently to lead the achievements of space travel because he believed that it held the key to our future on earth.

This (simple) example project uses this scenario as its basis.

Scope, Objectives and Deliverables

Scope

• Design, build and test a rocket and launchpad to transport a minimum of 3 astronauts to the moon's orbit
• Design, build and test a landing module capable of taking a mimimum of 2 astronauts from the rocket down to the moon's surface and safely back to the rocket.
• Design, build, test and staff a command centre to control the voyage from start to finish
• Recruit and train at least two teams of astronauts to control the rocket and landing module
• Film the journey to and from the moon and broadcast live

Out of scope

• The project will not be responsible for recovering any equipment from the moon's surface or from orbit

Objectives

• To land a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth by the end of the decade

Deliverables

• A rocket capable of taking 3 astronauts to the moon's orbit
• A landing module capable of landing 2 astronauts on the moon's surface
• A launchpad capable of launching the rocket and landing module safely into outer space
• 2 teams of trained astronauts
• A fully staffed command centre capable of monitoring the voyage
• Film footage of the full journey

Benefits

• To establish the USA as a world leading nation in the field of space exploration
• To increase the knowledge and understanding of the cosmos

Success Criteria

• At least one astronaut to have stood on the moon’s surface and safely returned to earth
• Evidence of the lunar landing to be filmed and live streamed to earth
• All 3 astronauts arrive back to earth alive and in reasonable health
• Astronauts to still be in good health 6 months after their return to earth