Moon Mission: Lunar Legacy
A self-paced, fully online program for 5th-8th graders that gives students the opportunity to send a capstone project to the Moon. Completed projects are submitted to Uplift Aerospace for laser inscription onto 5D memory crystals, which will travel aboard a lunar rover to the Moon in real life.
Through 8 NGSS-aligned lessons featuring 45 interactive digital activities, students will:
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Explore space careers, form crews, design mission patches, and help rescue a fictional crew stranded on the Moon.
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Investigate lunar hazards, including radiation, dust, extreme temperatures, and low gravity.
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Apply the scientific method in digital labs exploring radiation shielding, water filtration, communication systems, and energy transfer.
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Discover Newton’s laws through rocket launches and lunar landings.
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Explore radio waves and binary code to develop Earth-to-Moon communication methods.
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Use block coding to program a rover to deliver supplies to the stranded crew.
Current Mission:
Astrolab Lunar Rover
As part of an upcoming mission, expected to launch in 2028, students will create their own capstone project Mission Manifest that will be laser inscribed into a 5D crystal attached to the rover.
Each student will craft a personal message predicting what life on the Moon will be like 50 years from now and how lunar technology could benefit life on Earth. Their message may even find itself on Astrolab's lunar lander and get sent to the Moon!
But this is more than just a message—it’s an interactive coding challenge! Students will write their predictions in a structured essay, then bring their words to life through Python programming, designing a program that will unveil their message only when the year 2075 arrives.
What is a 5D Crystal?
A 5D crystal is a small disc of durable fused silica glass that stores digital information. This 5D crystal holds student projects, personal messages, patch designs and artwork, preserving a record of people’s ideas and hopes in 2025 and 2026 for future generations. The messages are expected to launch to the surface of the Moon at the end of 2026.
How is it created?
Ultrafast laser pulses record text and images as microscopic structures inside the glass.
What “5D” means
The “five dimensions” are three
coordinates locating data inside the glass, plus two optical properties. Specialized equipment reads the data with polarized light.
Why use a 5D crystal?
The glass retains information without power. Its exceptional durability offers the potential to preserve a human legacy for millions of years.
Your Lunar Legacy
Lesson by Lesson Journey
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Assemble the Crew: Explore space careers, form your team, and design a mission patch as you prepare for a lunar rescue.
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Explore the Lunar Environment: Investigate radiation, dust, water, and extreme temperatures, then test ways to protect the stranded crew.
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Send a Message to the Moon: Explore radio waves, binary code, and digital communication to connect Earth and the Moon.
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Launch the Rescue Mission: Apply Newton’s laws as you test rocket launches and practice safe lunar landings.
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Code the Lunar Rescue: Use block coding to navigate lunar terrain, solve challenges, and deliver rescue supplies.
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Power the Rescue Base: Explore circuits and energy transfer to design a reliable power system for Shackleton Base.
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Reflect and Refine: Capture your mission experiences, exchange peer feedback, and develop your personal reflection.
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Create Your Lunar Legacy: Bring together your mission patch, message, and reflection in a final project for preservation on a memory crystal bound for the Moon.
Our Collaborators
Each Letter to the Moon mission ties in industry leading aerospace partners, astronauts, and artists.
Optional Career-Connected Learning Experiences
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All-inclusive 3-day Kennedy Space Center VIP Trip! Students will meet astronauts and engineers, tour launch facilities, and potentially witness a live rocket launch (weather permitting).
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Classes can also purchase Starborn Academy’s Virtual Astronaut Training Level 1. Starborn Academy puts students in the boots of astronauts, allowing them to embark on missions that include building rockets, designing rovers, programming autonomous systems, conducting chemistry experiments, exploring space agriculture, and more.
Contact us to enrol your students today!
Questions?
Secure your classroom's place in this historic program and give them the opportunity to be part of the next phase of lunar exploration! Reach out if you have questions.
