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Make a space habitat

Explore the future of space travel and design some out-of-this-world habitats

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You’ll need

  • Craft materials (for example, tissue paper, pipe cleaners, stickers)
  • Pens or pencils
  • Big pieces of paper
  • Scrap card
  • Scissors
  • Clean items of recycling
  • Building toys, such as LEGO (optional)
  • Clay, playdough or plasticine (optional)

Before you begin 

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There’s also more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.   
  • Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely. 
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help.  

Planning and setting up this activity 

  • Gather any materials needed, including any reference materials, such as books, magazines or images, about current space habitats and future space travel.

Running this activity

  1. Gather everyone together and explain that in the future space travel might be different from today. NASA says that by 2075 astronauts will be doing some amazing things in space! Here's what they might be up to:
    • Building homes on the Moon: Astronauts will work on creating safe places to live on the Moon so people can stay there for a long time. The Moon's surface has extreme temperatures that can vary from +127°C to -173°C, which means space habitats need to be well-insulated to protect astronauts.
    • Doing cool science experiments: They'll study the Moon's rocks, the Sun's power, and how living in space affects our bodies.
    • Using the Moon’s resources: They'll figure out how to use things, such as ice on the Moon to make water, oxygen and even rocket fuel!
    • Testing tools for Mars: Astronauts will try out new machines and systems on the Moon to see if they’ll work for exploring Mars.
    • Getting ready to visit Mars: They'll prepare everything we need—such as rockets and space stations—for humans to travel and live on Mars one day. 
  2. Ask everyone to think about what living in space might be like. If you stepped out into space without the proper equipment, you’d only last a few seconds. The International Space Station (ISS) needs to recreate the conditions of Earth in space.
  3. They should think about how astronauts live in space, what they live in, what they eat and drink, how they breathe, and how they might look after their bodies. 
  4. Tell everyone that they’re going to to design a space habitat. It could be a home for the first humans living in space, something for astronauts while exploring space, or even design a habitat for other planets, such as Mars!
  5. Ask everyone to think about things such as
    • What might the challenges be?
    • What will people do there? For fun and exercise.
    • What will their sleep accommodation or living space look like?
    • Will they need to access electricity for power or the internet?
    • How will they travel around?
    • How will they grow their own food?
    • Are they able to breath air? or will they need special equipment?
    • Can they have pets?
    • Astronauts typically conduct science experiments, will they be able to do that too, how will they take equipment?
  6. Now, ask everyone to get into pairs or small teams. Give out pens and paper to sketch design their ideas out first.
  7. Once each team has drawn their design, they can create it using craft materials such as clay, pipe cleaners, or foam, or recycled items like cardboard, empty containers, paper cups, toilet rolls, newspaper, or yoghurt pots. They could also use building toys like LEGO or other craft supplies.
  8. Once each group has finished their design, they can present it to the group, or display them all on a table for everyone to look at.
  9. After seeing all the builds, you could also ask everyone if there is anything they'd add or change after seeing the other groups designs. They could vote for the one they'd live in if they got the chance to explore in space!

Reflection

This activity was all about imagining what it would be like to live on the Moon or even Mars! You got to design a space habitat for the future, thinking about important things like how you’d work, rest, stay safe from space dangers, and live together. It was a chance to solve problems and share creative ideas for making life in space possible. 

Think about your design—what was the most fun part of creating your space habitat? What was tricky about figuring out how people or astronauts could stay safe, get food and water, or breathe? How did your team work together to come up with ideas, and what cool inventions do you think astronauts will need to explore space in the future? 

If you had more time, how would you improve your design? Imagine what space travel might look like years from now—could people build cities on Mars or use amazing new gadgets to explore faraway planets? What’s your favourite idea for how humans might live and explore in space someday 

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.

Glue and solvents

Always supervise young people appropriately when they’re using glue and solvent products. Make sure there’s plenty of ventilation. Be aware of any medical conditions that could be affected by glue or solvent use and make adjustments as needed.

Scissors

Supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.

Rubbish and recycling

All items should be clean and suitable for this activity.

Active games

The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.

Crafting with younger sections: Be well prepared, with everything ready before you begin. Make sure equipment and materials are age appropriate. Make sure small objects are not put in mouths, ears and noses. Remind young people not to put anything in their mouth and wash hands regularly. 

  • To make this activity easier, you could offer templates for groups to use, draw designs on paper without making them, or make one big habitat together as a group. 
  • To make this activity harder, you could add more complex challenges into the design, such as having to include recycling or waste disposal.
  • If someone struggles with fine motor skills, pair them up and have them work in a team or have an adult offer additional support

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Cubs Space Activity Badge
Explorers Space Activity badge

If you enjoyed this activity, you could also explore virtual tours of the International Space Station (ISS), visit a science museum or watch a film about space exploration.