The Story of Our Journey from Earth to Mars

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CC-BY, provided by authors

Scientix Ambassadors Helena Pires and Maria Robalo worked on a learning scenario using the STEAM methodology in two different schools in Portugal, with 14/15-year-old students. The students worked in groups on the project “Interplanetary Travel: From Earth to Mars” and Hydroponics was a complement to the astronauts’ diet, and in fact, it is the ideal solution for long-term space travels, as it allows plants to grow in closed and controlled environments, without soil. This way, the plants can be grown in small spaces with little natural light. The students researched and investigated the necessary conditions to travel on a mission, such as:

• Possibility of life on Mars;
• Landing and survival on Mars;
• Aerospace scientists and rovers who are exploring Mars;
• Simulations – The correct launch date and when the spacecraft would reach Mars and Kepler’s Orbits and Laws;
• A public presentation was made at school.

After that, as our students were supposed to travel with the astronauts and, as you can imagine, food is a big challenge during space travel, and they needed to consume nutritious and healthy food during missions, they thought about eating hydroponic vegetables. Throughout this process, adaptations had to be made according to the mission’s conditions.

We created hydroponic gardens (without soil) always using the STEAM methodology. Thus, we prepared an indoor environment in a classroom in our school, carrying out simulations, so that in the future we’ll be able to participate in the mission with the production of vegetables (lettuce, turnip, basil, parsley, cherry tomatoes).  We made soup and shared it with our educational community, so that everybody could test its flavour.

We investigated and applied an artificial LED lighting system that allowed plants to develop in a healthier way and continue to photosynthesize, even without the benefit of sunlight, as plant pigments can absorb light between wavelengths from 450 nm to 660 nm and use its energy in photosynthesis.

The students investigated some technologies that would be applied in the mission, which were implemented in our automated hydroponic gardens. They explored and used Arduino, circuits, and sensors to monitor and adjust environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, pH, electrical conductivity for measurements, and soon we will also implement light sensors and nutrient levels in the Hydroponic Gardens in our schools. Our students also signed up for a simulation app called “Tinkercad.com” which was very helpful for them to practice Arduino, circuits, and sensors.

Then we built robots with baskets to help us transport the plants to the hydroponic gardens. During these activities and with “a little help from NASA”, we also got a “ticket” for our trip to Mars in July 2026. In conclusion, students learned a lot about Science, Technology, Robotics, Maths, Engineering, Arts and Hydroponics.

These activities became even more important once these students shared their knowledge with younger students from our school and from other schools, which made them feel helpful and even more motivated.

About the authors

Helena Pires, Scientix Ambassador, Teacher of Biology in Portugal. Enthusiast of projects in Environmental Education and technologies.

Maria Robalo, Scientix Ambassador, Teacher of Physics and Chemistry in Portugal. Enthusiast of projects in the areas of Science, Technology and Environmental Education.

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