Model of Spacecraft Cassini

Kenneth Fuller
(copyright information 2005)

Comments:
After building the model myself, I have rewritten the instructions to be more appropriate for classroom use.  If you think some changes would be more suitable for your particular situation, feel free.
Cutting out all the pieces first separates the pieces from their names.  Also, loose pieces are easily lost, especially if more than one session is needed for completion of the model.
Cutting slots for tabs is difficult and inserting tabs in slots can be tricky.  I chose to not cut slots, but used the tabs for gluing.
Properly used, white glue would probably make the best model, but some students will have their models saturated and wrinkled.  A glue stick does a pretty good job.
The heavier the paper the better the model, use card stock if you can afford it.
Feel free to copy these instructions, paste them to a word processing document, and duplicate them for use with your students.

Instructions for the model of the Cassini Spacecraft:
            © Kenneth Fuller 2005
1. Cut out the central core;
    A. Do not cut the slots.
    B. Cut off tabs B.
    C. Cut across the ends of tabs A, making one tab the full length of the side.
    D. Assemble the central core by rolling it into a tube with the print on the outside,
    E. Glue the tab on the inside of the tube.
3. Cut out one RTG;
    A. Do not cut the slots.
    B. Assemble the RTG by rolling it around a pencil to form a tube.
    C. Glue the white tab inside, so only black shows.
    D. Bend the tabs across the end of the tube, one on top of the other.
    E. Glue the tabs together to make a flat end to the tube.  place the eraser end of a pencil inside the tube to press against.
    F. With one finger inside the central core, and the pencil in the RTG, glue the RTG to an X (try to hide the slot marks).
    G. Repeat with the other RTG's.
4. Cut out a thruster;
    A. Do not cut the slots.
    B. Fold on the dotted lines.
    C. Glue the white tabs inside the printed side to make a box.
    D. Crease the thruster support downward along the center line.
    E. Glue the tabs I to the Y slot marks, so that the ridge of the support points toward the far end of the tube.
    F. Repeat with the other thrusters.
5. Cut out the launch adaptor;
    A. Do not cut the slots.
    B. Make tab A the length of the side.
    C. cut off tab B.  
    D. Glue the tab on the inside to make a cone with the print on the outside.
    E. Glue the launch adaptor to the end of the central core by the thrusters.
Now the model can stand on the launch adaptor, to avoid damage to the thrusters and other parts.
7. Cut out the top of the probe.
    A. Glue the tab inside to make a cone with the print on the outside.
8. Cut out the bottom of the probe.
    A. Glue the tab outside to make a cone with the print inside.
    B. Bend supports outward toward the point of the cone.
    C. Glue the tabs on the bottom of the cone to the inside of the top cone, be sure the points of the cones are opposite each other, and pointed in opposite directions.
    D. Glue the tabs on the supports to the marks Z on the central core.
9. Cut out the remote sensing platform.
    A. Do not cut the slots.
    B. Fold on the dotted lines.
    C. Glue tabs to make a box with the print outside.
    D. With the narrow end beyond the end of the central core, glue tabs G to the W marks.
10. Cut out the field and particles platform.
    A. Do not cut the slots.
    B. Fold on the dotted lines.
    C. Glue tabs to make a box with the print outside.
    D. With the narrow end beyond the end of the central core, glue tabs H to the V marks.
11. Cut out the upper adaptor.
    A. Glue the tab inside to form a cone with the print on the outside.
    B. Glue the adaptor to the inside of top end of the central core.
12. Cut out the cosmic dust analyzer.
    A. Roll the tube and glue with the print outside.
    B. Bend the tabs on the round end of the tube.
    C. Glue to the tabs to the inside of the tube.
    D. Place the rectangular end of the analyzer on the top edge of the upper adaptor with the print up.
    E. Glue the tab to the inside of the adaptor.
13. Cut out the electronics module
    A. Do not cut the slots.
    B. Cut off tab B and glue tab A on the inside.
    C. Glue the tabs of the electronics module to the inside of the upper adaptor.
14. Cut out the magnetometer boom.
    A. Fold lengthwise on the lines, with the print outside (the edge of a ruler helps).
    B. Glue the white side inside to form a triangular cross section.
    C. Place the end tab on the top edge of the electronics module, with the M up.
    D. Glue the tab to inside of the module.
15. Cut out the high gain antenna.
    A. Do not cut the slots.
   B. Glue the tab to the outside, to form a cone with the print on the inside.
16. Cut out the low gain antenna.
    A. With the print up, bend the supports down.
    B. Glue the supports to marks D inside the high gain antenna.
17. Glue the high gain antenna to support points on the electronics module.


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