Being able to develop cost-effective solutions is an important aspect of engineering and one that students investigate in this challenge. This challenge looks at the maximum volume of a satellite communications frame made from a fixed length of tubing. There is some guidance given to students through a series of...

Connecting radiators

Radiators are used to keep the communications part of a satellite at an optimum temperature. This is necessary in order for the equipment to function correctly. Connecting the radiators together adds robustness to the system. In this challenge students investigate the...

All the resources listed here are aimed at the age group 14 to 16, except for the "Space for Engine" resource. 

Coolant tank design

Making efficient use of physical space and of materials is a central theme of many engineering problems. In this challenge students...

Origami with squares

Solar panels are an important part of satellite design. There are design constraints on the distance a panel can be from the core of the satellite. In order to increase the area of the panels, satellites of the future may well deploy panels other than rectangular ones....

These 17 resources use the context of satellite design to link in to areas of the mathematics curriculum.

The challenges enable students to take an active stance in the solving of mathematical problems. This is achieved through a variety of approaches; some of the challenges are very open, whilst for others...

Satellites often carry communications equipment or experiments placed into modules. These are then placed in equipment cabinets. This challenge looks at the most efficient way of packing equipment modules into a cabinet. This is an open investigation that can be tackled in a variety of ways.

Mathematical...

This pack of worksheets, produced by the Spode Group, is designed to give students experience in problem solving during the early years of secondary school, and was written in response to publications encouraging the teaching mathematics through problem solving,...

The engineers behind the Watt Nightclub in Rotterdam turn the energy created by clubbers on the dance-floor into power for the lighting. There is even a giant battery to monitor the energy and encourage the crowd to dance more.

This document from the Department of Education looks at how the headteacher and teachers at two different secondary schools work together to promote good behaviour. The resource explores strategies including the 'head's breakfast', listening staff, the 'ladder' of detentions, visibility of senior staff and the...

The Royal Academy of Engineering oversees a number of projects to enhance and enrich the teaching of engineering. This collection contains case studies and details of activities which can be used to encourage pupils to take part in engineering study.

The collection includes:

• Engineering at the...

The Royal Institution's 2021 Christmas Lecture - Going Viral, will be broadcast on the BBC in late December. Although the specifics of the lectures are a closely guarded secret, STEM Learning have pulled together a collection of resources from the STEM Learning eLibrary that will support...

The Royal Society is a an independent scientific academy in the UK, dedicated to promoting excellence in science.

This collection of resources from the Royal Society contains a variety of activity types and themes, such as why a career in science is for me, inspiring scientists and climate change, and the...

This excel file deals with the puzzle where a number between 1 and 63 is chosen. That number can be seen on some of a set of six cards. The number can easily be calculated by looking at the cards containing that number. This puzzle is based on binary numbers and the fact that any number can be uniquely expressed as...