Comments to: crs@uvm.eduReviewed as of 4/20/98
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EXERCISE FOUR
The Outer Space Experience
Take a few minutes to read the following paragraph and individually
complete the exercise. When everyone has ranked the critical
items, review your decisions as a group.
You are a member of a space crew originally scheduled to rendezvous
with a mother ship on the lighted surface of the moon. Due to
mechanical difficulties, however, your ship was forced to land at
a spot some 200 miles from the rendezvous point. During re-entry
and landing, much of the equipment aboard was damaged and, since
survival depends on reaching the mother ship, the most critical
items available must be chosen for the 200-mile trip.
Below are listed the 15 items left intact and undamaged after
landing. Your task is to rank them in terms of their necessity to
your crew in reaching the rendezvous point. Place the number 1 by
the most crucial item, the number 2 by the second most crucial, and
so on through number 15, the least important.
KEY TO STEPS:
1--your individual ranking 4--differences between steps 1 & 3
2--the team ranking 5--differences between steps 2 & 3
3--survival experts' ranking
Items Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5
Box of matches
Food concentrate
50 ft. of nylon rope
Parachute silk
Portable heating unit
Two .45-caliber pistols
One case dehydrated milk
Two 100-pound tanks of oxygen
Stellar map (of the moon's
constellation)
Life raft
Magnetic compass
Five gallons water
Signal flares
First-aid kit containing
injection needles
Solar-powered FM
receiver transmitter
Totals: Individual Score Team Score Step 4 Step 5
Turn to next page for Exercise Key.
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The Outer Space Experience Exercise Key
(15) Box of matches Little or no use on the moon
(4) Food concentrate Supplies daily food required
(6) Fifty feet nylon rope Useful in tying injured
together, help in climbing
(8) Parachute silk Shelter against sun's rays
(13) Portable heating unit Useful only if party landed on
dark side
(11) Two .45-caliber pistols Self-propulsion devices could
be made from them
(12) One case dehydrated milk Food, mixed with water for
drinking
(1) Two, 100-pound tanks oxygen Fills respiration requirement
(3) Stellar map (of moon's One of principal means of
constellation) finding directions
(9) Life raft CO2 bottles for self-propulsion
across chasms, etc.
(14) Magnetic compass Probably no magnetized poles,
thus useless
(2) Five gallons water Replenishes loss by sweating, etc.
(10) Signal flares Distress call when line of
sight possible
(7) First-aid kit containing Oral pills or injection medicine
injection needles valuable
(5) Solar-powered FM receiver- Distress signal transmitter
transmitter possible communication
with mother ship
>> The Outer Space Experience Follow-Up
1. What method (or methods) of group decision-making were used
primarily?
How was the choice of decision-making method(s) made?
2. How well did the group use its resources? Was there anyone who
had information that was not used by the group? Were there people
who were silent during the process? How were they treated by the
group?
3. Who was influential in the group's decision-making process? How
did they do this? Who was not not influential? Why?
4. How were group members feeling during the decision-making
process? How did you know?
5. How did you feel during the process? What were you thinking?
6. What do you wish you yourself had done differently during the
process?
What did you like about what you did?
ADAPTED FROM: Similar exercises and presented at a University of
Vermont Extension Service Training Conference, 1981.
Comments to: crs@uvm.edu
Reviewed as of 4/20/98