Collect useful data
Plan repeatable tests with clear variables, controlled conditions, measurement tools, and enough trials to support a claim.
POE Unit 4
Mission Performance: Statistics, Kinematics & Test Data
Students use repeated trials, graphs, statistics, and kinematics to explain how aerospace systems move and perform. Mission, launch, projectile, glider, or rover data become the basis for predicting motion, measuring variation, and making data-supported engineering decisions.
Unit Purpose
What this unit prepares you to do
Unit 4 focuses on using data to understand motion. You will plan fair tests, collect repeated measurements, use statistics to describe variation, use kinematics to model motion, and make an engineering recommendation based on evidence.
Analyze performance
Use graphs, central tendency, variation, probability, speed, acceleration, and projectile calculations to explain what happened.
Defend decisions
Turn measurements into engineering conclusions about reliability, consistency, accuracy, and possible design improvements.
Unit Project
Mission Data Investigation
Design and run a controlled aerospace motion investigation. Your team will collect repeated data from a mission, launch, glider, rover, projectile, drop, or approved custom motion system, then use statistics and kinematics to defend a performance recommendation.
Possible investigations
Glider range, projectile accuracy, launch angle, payload drop timing, rover path consistency, ramp/rolling motion, or a approved custom aerospace motion test.
Required analysis
At minimum, include repeated trials, labeled data tables, graphs, average performance, variation, and at least one kinematic calculation connected to your test.
Required evidence
Problem statement, variables, test plan, raw data, graph(s), calculations, error notes, design iteration if applicable, and final performance review.
Project Brief
Mission Performance Data Investigation
Use this brief to guide the rover or motion investigation, variables, repeated trials, statistics, kinematics, and final claim.
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 4 lesson sequence
Each lesson builds toward a data-supported aerospace motion investigation using statistics, graphs, and kinematics.
| Lesson | Title | Student Objective | Deliverable | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Unit Launch: Mission Performance and Test Data | I can explain how aerospace engineers use repeated test data to evaluate mission performance and make design decisions. | Mission performance data map | Open Lesson |
| 4.2 | Variables, Measurement, and Trial Design | I can identify independent variables, dependent variables, controls, and repeated trials in an aerospace test. | Controlled test plan draft | Open Lesson |
| 4.3 | Probability and Reliability in Aerospace Testing | I can use probability ideas to describe reliability, success rate, and risk in repeated aerospace tests. | Reliability and probability practice set | Open Lesson |
| 4.4 | Frequency Distributions and Histograms | I can organize repeated test results into a frequency distribution and histogram. | Frequency table and histogram | Open Lesson |
| 4.5 | Mean, Median, Mode, and Range | I can calculate and interpret measures of central tendency and range for aerospace test data. | Central tendency calculation sheet | Open Lesson |
| 4.6 | Standard Deviation and Design Consistency | I can use variation and standard deviation to compare the consistency of two aerospace designs or test setups. | Consistency comparison using variation | Open Lesson |
| 4.7 | Data Displays and Engineering Claims | I can choose an appropriate graph and use data to support an engineering claim. | Graph and claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph | Open Lesson |
| 4.8 | Distance, Displacement, Speed, and Velocity | I can distinguish between distance, displacement, speed, and velocity in an aerospace motion scenario. | Motion quantities practice set | Open Lesson |
| 4.9 | Acceleration and Motion Graphs | I can calculate acceleration and interpret position-time and velocity-time graphs. | Motion graph analysis | Open Lesson |
| 4.10 | Free Fall and Gravity Drop Testing | I can use free-fall data to estimate acceleration due to gravity and evaluate measurement error. | Free-fall calculation and error notes | Open Lesson |
| 4.11 | Projectile Motion: Horizontal and Vertical Components | I can separate projectile motion into horizontal and vertical components to predict motion behavior. | Projectile component diagram and calculations | Open Lesson |
| 4.12 | Launch Angle, Range, and Mission Requirements | I can connect launch angle and initial velocity to projectile range and mission accuracy. | Launch angle prediction table | Open Lesson |
| 4.13 | Energy Transfer in Launch and Mission Systems | I can explain how stored energy transforms into motion in a launch or mission system. | Energy transfer diagram | Open Lesson |
| 4.14 | Design Brief: Mission Data Investigation | I can define the Unit 4 investigation problem, criteria, constraints, variables, and required evidence. | Problem statement and investigation plan | Open Lesson |
| 4.15 | Test Plan and Prediction Development | I can create a safe, repeatable test plan and make predictions before collecting performance data. | Test plan, data table, and prediction | Open Lesson |
| 4.16 | Build, Setup, and Calibration Workday | I can prepare the test system, check measurement tools, and document calibration before data collection. | Setup evidence and calibration notes | Open Lesson |
| 4.17 | Mission Testing, Data Collection, and Iteration | I can collect repeated performance data and use early results to improve a rover or motion system. | Official test data and iteration notes | Open Lesson |
| 4.18 | Final Data Analysis and Performance Review | I can analyze mission-performance data and defend a design recommendation using statistics, graphs, and kinematics. | Final data analysis and performance review | Open Lesson |
Resources
Unit 4 Resources
Use these resources to support data collection, graphing, calculations, and engineering conclusions.
CAD Resources
Use the Unit 4 project brief, test data table, and current class files to support mission performance investigations.
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.