Station 1: Space Probes

1. There are three types of space probes: interplanetary, orbiters, and landers.

Interplanetary probes: They fly by the celestial bodies.

Orbiters: They are placed in orbit around a celestial body.

Landers: They land on the surface of a celestial body.

2. November 3, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first animal in space. It was a dog called Laika. She was sending in orbit by the spacecraft Sputnik 2. It is important because it marked the first animal form be send into space.

April 12, 1961, the Soviet Union launched cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin on a 108-minute flight. It was important because Gagarin was the first to successfully orbit the globe. The spacecraft which carried him was Vostok 1.

July 20, 1969, the lunar module of Apollo 11 landed on the moon from America, Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., descend to the surface. It is important because it is the first manned moon landing.

Section 2: Humans in Space

 a. Spinning Heads Over Tails: Our inner ear works roughly like an accelerometer in a smartphone. It tells our body our action and position. However in space, this mechanism goes awry, which often gives astronauts motion sickness. “It’s like coming off a ship and not having your land legs under you.” says Neal.

b. Bones and Muscles: When people are in space, the low-gravity lifestyle would cause muscle deterioration and loss of bone density. Their heart muscle is also affected. To counteract these problems, astronauts need to exercise a lot.

c. Body Fluid: Every second, fluids rush throughout our bodies. Our Earth gravity keeps our body fluid down to our legs. However, in space, the fluids tend to go to our head. This make the astronauts’ faces look redder, but also can cause some serious condition such as optic nerves pressure which can cause vision problems while in space.

d. Cosmic Radiation: Earth’s magnetic field protect us from a good amount of high-energy radiation from space, which could otherwise damage DNA. However, without the protection from Earth, the artificial shielding on the ISS can partially protect astronauts from radiation exposure, but it isn’t effective for all radiation types. This leaves astronauts more susceptible to cancer and other long-term health risks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOIj7AgonHM

Section 3: Space Missions

The astronaut I choose is Chris Hadfield. He was born August 29, 1959, in Sarnia, and raised in Milton, Ontario. Hadfield joined the Canadian Armed Forces in May 1978. He Received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering (with honours), Royal Military College, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, in 1982; in 1984-1985, he trained as a fighter pilot in Cold Lake, Alberta on CF-5s and CF-18s. In June 1992 Chris Hadfield was selected to become one of four new Canadian astronauts. The one mission he participated in was expedition 34/35. On December 19, 2012, he was launched aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). On March 2013, he became the first Canadian Commander of the ISS.

The future NASA mission I choose is Mars 2020. The objective of the mission is investigate key questions about the habitability of Mars, and assess natural resources and hazards in preparation for future human expeditions to the Red Planet. The launch date will be 2020.