Steve Spangler Science: Mars Solar Bag

The heated air inside the bag causes the bag to float.

A Solar Bag is a long plastic bag made from a very thin plastic and colored black to absorb solar energy. The heated air inside the bag provides buoyancy and causes the bag to float. Over the years, it’s become a very popular science demo for teachers to share with their students as they explore the properties of air. You can imagine how surprised we were to learn that scientists from Pioneer Astronautics and Jet Propulsion Laboratory conducted successful tests of its Mars solar balloon inflation system using our Solar Bag. These photos give you a bird’s eye view of what our Solar Bag looks like at about 120,000 feet above the Earth! Keep reading to learn how scientists are conducting tests to develop an actual Mars balloon mission.


Science Topics
Pressure
K-6
4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade

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