Lesson plan:

The issue of space junk raised by this episode suggests a need for people to broaden existing notions of care for the environment. The European Space Agency Space Debris Working Group suggested in 1988 that there may be as many as 60,000 objects orbiting the Earth. Even tiny debris can have a devastating effect when travelling at orbital speed. Provide students with this information and ask them to identify the problems of space debris shown by the episode.

Discuss the issues

Discuss:

• How can space debris be controlled?
• Who should be responsible?
• What rules should be put in place?
  

Evaluate the value of space exploration

This episode also raises issues about the value and dangers of space travel. Ask students to list the advantages and disadvantages of space exploration. They could also suggest other priorities which might have a higher claim to resources. To what extent is the possible, and real, loss of life associated with space exploration an issue which should be considered.

Research space exploration

Sample topics include:

• fatalities associated with space exploration
• attempts to contact extra-terrestrial life
• spin-offs from space exploration eg developmentof teflon, dehydrated food.