Looking for a high-engagement STEM challenge your students will actually remember? This hands-on engineering project is perfect for National Space Day, Space Week, or as an astronomy project that blends planetary science with real-world problem-solving. In this Mars Lander Engineering Design Challenge, students take on the role of NASA engineers as they design, build, test, and improve a lander that must safely deliver two astronauts to the surface of Mars. Using simple materials—includin