GET STARTED
AQUiLA MAGAZINE
FEEL GOOD
Make your own Cosmos Care Package
In February ’ s Feel Good issue of AQUILA magazine we looked at how astronauts keep their mental health intact whilst in a stressful environment like space ! One thing that helps is messages from friends and family and little ‘ care packages ’ from home which contain all their favourite things ! Let ’ s make one !
ACTIVITY SKILLS
ASTRA ’ S MISSION
Astronauts have to live and work in space , away from their friends and family , for months at a time . To keep morale high and boredom at bay , space agencies arrange for care packages to be sent up to the International Space Station ( ISS ) about every three months . Loved ones can put gifts and letters in these care packages to let astronauts know they ’ re thinking of them – plus plenty of all-important snacks . We ’ ve got some top tips below on how to design your own space station care package and fill it with everything an astronaut might need – who knows , you might be the astronaut who needs it one day !
GET STARTED
STEP 1 :
First of all , decide who your care package is for . You might decide to make one for yourself , to not-so-subtly let your family know what you would want if you went to space . Or , you might decide to make one for a friend or sibling to let them know you ’ re thinking of them . Once you ’ ve decided , grab a shoebox or a shoebox-sized container to keep your contents in . The size is important – NASA uses specially designed cargo bags , roughly the same size as a shoebox , for all their care packages , so your items must be able to fit inside if you want them to reach space successfully .
STEP 2 :
Label the outside with the recipient ’ s name . Then , use your artistic skills to decorate the outside with reminders of home . You might choose to draw your pet or your garden , cut out pictures of celebrities and animals from old magazines , or print out photographs of your family or your favourite park . Think specifically about including pictures of things that probably won ’ t fit inside the care package , such as plants , places , or your neighbour ’ s dog .
1 hour
DIFFICULTY
o Empty shoebox , or a similar size container with a lid
o Paper and pens o Scissors oOld magazines oPrinter oGlue
YOU WILL NEED
oKitchen scales
o Snacks , toys , books and anything else you want to put in your care package
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