Analyze forces
Create free body diagrams, vector components, moment calculations, and equilibrium explanations for simple aerospace structures.
POE Unit 2
Built to Survive: Aerospace Structures, Materials & Testing
Students study how aerospace structures carry loads while staying lightweight, reliable, and efficient. They analyze forces, material behavior, and structural performance, then design and test a payload support or aerospace structure using evidence from calculations and physical testing.
Unit Purpose
What this unit prepares you to do
Unit 2 moves from force analysis to material testing and structural design. You will study how loads travel through structures, how material properties affect performance, and how test data supports an engineering recommendation.
Compare materials
Use density, stiffness, strength, manufacturability, and test evidence to choose materials for a lightweight payload support.
Build and test
Construct a structural prototype, run a repeatable load test, analyze failure or performance, and recommend improvements.
Unit Project
Rover Payload Support Structure Challenge
Design and test a lightweight aerospace structure that supports a required payload while minimizing mass and using material and force evidence to justify the final design.
Possible structures
Payload shelf, truss support, landing platform, wing support stand, launch tower section, rover mission fixture, or approved custom aerospace support structure.
Required evidence
Problem statement, criteria and constraints, force diagrams, material selection, concept sketches, decision matrix, prototype photos, test data, and final design review.
Performance data
Teams collect measurements such as mass, dimensions, load supported, deflection, failure mode, structural efficiency, and consistency across trials.
Project Brief
Rover Payload Support Structure Challenge
Use this brief to guide the structure design, material selection, force analysis, load testing, and final recommendation.
Student Project Brief
This PDF explains the challenge statement, scenario, design requirements, constraints, engineering evidence, checkpoints, and success criteria for this unit project.
Open Project BriefProject Support
Common templates
Use these LockwoodSTEM templates to plan, document, test, analyze, and present engineering work.
Notebook Entry
Document sketches, calculations, evidence, and next steps.
Open PDFDesign Brief
Define the problem, criteria, constraints, and deliverables.
Open PDFTest Plan
Plan variables, setup, procedure, and success criteria.
Open PDFTest Data Table
Collect repeated trials and calculate summary statistics.
Download XLSXProject Reflection
Explain what worked, what changed, and what should improve next.
Open PDFFinal Design Review Slides
Use the slide template to present the final engineering argument.
Download PPTXDaily Lesson Map
Unit 2 lesson sequence
Each lesson builds toward a tested aerospace structure that can be explained with force analysis, material evidence, and performance data.
| Lesson | Title | Student Objective | Deliverable | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Unit Launch: Built to Survive | I can explain how aerospace structures balance strength, stiffness, mass, safety, and material choice. | Aerospace structure systems map | Open Lesson |
| 2.2 | Forces, Loads, and Aerospace Structures | I can identify tension, compression, shear, bending, torsion, and distributed loads in aerospace structures. | Load type identification chart and annotated structure sketch | Open Lesson |
| 2.3 | Free Body Diagrams | I can create a free body diagram that shows the forces acting on a structural component or system. | Free body diagram practice set | Open Lesson |
| 2.4 | Vectors, Components, and Resultant Forces | I can break a force into components and determine how angled loads affect a structure. | Vector component calculation set | Open Lesson |
| 2.5 | Moments, Torque, and Structural Rotation | I can calculate moment and explain how forces can cause structural rotation around a point or support. | Moment calculation notes and beam sketch | Open Lesson |
| 2.6 | Static Equilibrium | I can use equilibrium ideas to explain when a structure is balanced and why reaction forces matter. | Equilibrium practice problems | Open Lesson |
| 2.7 | Trusses and Member Forces | I can explain how trusses distribute loads and identify members likely to be in tension or compression. | Truss force path diagram | Open Lesson |
| 2.8 | Centroids and Structural Cross-Sections | I can describe how centroid location affects balance, loading, and structural behavior. | Centroid and cross-section comparison sheet | Open Lesson |
| 2.9 | Moment of Inertia and Stiffness | I can explain why shape and material placement affect how much a structure bends under load. | Structural stiffness comparison notes | Open Lesson |
| 2.10 | Aerospace Material Families and Selection | I can compare metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, and wood/paper materials using properties important to aerospace design. | Aerospace material selection chart | Open Lesson |
| 2.11 | Density, Mass, Volume, and Structural Efficiency | I can calculate density and use mass-to-performance data to compare structural efficiency. | Density and structural efficiency data table | Open Lesson |
| 2.12 | Non-Destructive Material Testing | I can perform non-destructive tests and use observations to infer useful material properties. | Non-destructive material test results | Open Lesson |
| 2.13 | Destructive Testing and Stress-Strain Behavior | I can explain why engineers test materials to failure and identify key regions of a stress-strain curve. | Stress-strain curve annotation and interpretation | Open Lesson |
| 2.14 | Materials Test Lab and Data Collection | I can collect repeatable material or structure test data using a controlled procedure. | Material/structure test data sheet | Open Lesson |
| 2.15 | Design Brief: Aerospace Payload Support Structure | I can interpret the Unit 2 design brief and define the problem, criteria, constraints, and required evidence. | Problem statement, criteria/constraints list, and initial test plan | Open Lesson |
| 2.16 | Concept Development, Decision Matrix, and Build Plan | I can generate multiple structure concepts and use evidence to select a design direction. | Concept sketches, decision matrix, and build plan | Open Lesson |
| 2.17 | Prototype Build and Load Testing | I can build a structural prototype safely and test it using a repeatable procedure. | Prototype photos and load test data | Open Lesson |
| 2.18 | Data Analysis, Iteration, and Final Design Review | I can use test data to evaluate structural performance and defend a final design recommendation. | Final design review and structural performance summary | Open Lesson |
Resources
Unit 2 Resources
Use these resources to support structural sketches, calculations, material testing, and design documentation.
CAD Resources
Use the Unit 2 project brief, test plan, data table, and current class files to support structural design and testing.
Linked Lesson Resources
Use the engineering graph paper, measurement data sheet, decision matrix, project planning worksheet, and design review form from the shared resource library during this unit.