We had the chance to chat with Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg about the exciting possibility of discovering other life forms in space. In our conversation, she shared her thoughts on the search for extraterrestrial life, the challenges involved, and what such a discovery could mean for the future. Watch her response.

Have you ever wondered what kind of creatures might live on other planets? In Space Nova, the Nova family discovers amazing things in space, including aliens. Take a look at some of the alien images below and imagine what life could be like on different planets.

• How would you describe these aliens?
• What physical features stand out to you? How do you think these features help them survive on their planet?
• What kind of environment do you imagine their planet might have? For example, do you think it’s hot, cold, rocky or watery?
• How do you think they communicate?
• Do you think they would be friendly or dangerous? Why?
• If you were to meet one of these aliens, what questions would you ask them?

When developing the series Space Nova, the creators had to design concept artwork for the different characters, including the aliens. Look at some of the original concept artwork below and consider the design choices made.

• What do you notice about the colours and shapes used in the alien designs?
• How do the aliens' features reflect their possible environment or planet?
• What emotions or personalities do the aliens' facial expressions suggest?
• How does the alien design help you imagine their role in the story?
• If you were to design your own alien, what features would you choose and why?

Your mission is to create an alien for the Space Nova series. Design its features, ensuring it’s unique, capable of surviving on its home planet and fits into the storytelling world of Space Nova.

Step 1: Pick a planet

Before you design your alien, think about where it lives. Different planets have different environments. For example:

A windy gas planet where your alien might need big wings to glide through the air.
An icy moon where maybe it your alien needs thick fur or blubber like a space walrus.
A super-hot planet where your alien might need heatproof scales or live underground to stay cool.

Step 2: Design your alien

Grab your pencils, markers or modelling clay and design your alien. Think about these questions:

• What does it look like? Tall and thin? Short and spiky? Covered in glow-in-the-dark spots?
• How does it survive? Does it eat floating space dust? Drink from underground ice rivers?
• How does it move? Slither? Hop? Float using tiny jet boosters?

Label the different design elements of your alien and add a few notes on why they are important. Look at the concept artwork for inspiration.

Step 3: Share your alien

Once your alien is ready, give it a name and write a story about how the Nova family first encounter your alien.