Deep Space 2

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/deep-space-2

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the mission type?NASA Mars subsurface exploration mission
2. What is the key technological principle?Subsurface penetration via high-velocity impactor
3. What were the Deep Space 2 probes called?The two probes were named Scott and Amundsen, after famous polar explorers.
4. Why did the probes crash into Mars instead of landing gently?They were built to crash so they could drive themselves a few feet into the ground, avoiding heavy landing gear.

New Millennium Program: A NASA initiative focused on developing and demonstrating advanced technologies for future space missions.
Penetrator: A spacecraft designed to strike a celestial body with significant force to bury itself beneath the surface.
Biosignatures: Substances, patterns, or phenomena that provide evidence of past or present life.
Regolith: A layer of loose, heterogeneous superficial deposits covering solid rock, including dust, soil, broken rock, and other related materials.