MISSION CONTROL

Details

Available: August 5 & 16 September 2026

Location: Parliament House, Victoria

Levels: 7 – 12   

Capacity: 50 

Duration: 3.75 hours  

Special opportunity to visit and participate in a program at Parliament House in Victoria.

Where will you work in the future? Down the road? Across the sea? Up in space? The space sector is set to triple in size by the year 2028 and will have a role in many diverse industries including agriculture, meteorology, precision mapping and health. What industries would it take to make Mars our home?

In this program, students will think critically about the skills and knowledge needed for a successful mission to Mars. After debating and voting on industries to send on the mission, in a way that mirrors Victoria’s parliamentary process, they will work collaboratively to complete a hands-on design challenge as they consider how to sustainably power operations, feed the population, and communicate across the far reaches of space.

Key Themes: space, earth sciences, biology, digital technologies, robotics, innovation, civics and citizenship.

Double-length Workshop: $21 per student  
Access: We offer a limited number of free programs for eligible schools (<1050 ICSEA).
$50 education service fee applies to all bookings
Participate in facilitator-led group activities and discussions that prompt critical thinking and provoke curiosity.
Explore the space industry, including career pathways, current research and technology applications.
Debate and vote on industries to help them better understand the Victorian parliamentary process
Investigate and discuss the properties and conditions of extra-terrestrial bodies, and the constraints and limitations for future habitation.
Work in teams to form an interplanetary base of operations, such as establishing communications, data collection, environmental conditions, and transportation.
Informally engage with university students – who make up our facilitator team - and learn about diverse post-school pathways.
Design and Technologies
Digital Technologies
Economics and Business
Science
Civics and Citizenship
Critical and Creative Thinking