Station 1 :
Identify the three types of space probes, and describe the purpose of each.
- Interplanetary: the purpose of this space probe is to fly by celestial bodies.
- Orbiters: these probes are placed in orbit around a celestial body.
- Landers: these probes land on the surface of a celestial body.
Describe three milestones in space exploration that you think are interesting ( include the data, name of the mission &/or probe/ship, and why you think it is important).
- First Animal in Orbit: Mission Sputnik 2, November 3, 1957. A dog named laika was sent into orbit and survived the launch, but it was found that although having a weeks supply of food she died within hours, this was possibly due to a life support failure causing her canister to over heat. This mission is important because although the dog had died it was the first time that a living creature was sent into orbit.
- First Human in Space: April 12, 1961, the Soviet Union launches cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin on a 108-minute flight. Gagarin becomes the first to successfully orbit the globe. His spaceship, however, is not designed to land at a safe speed, so on the descent, Gagarin jumps out and parachutes the final few thousand meters. This is an important event because he was the first human in space and was able to survive, it was a landmark in history, and it is also impressive that he landed without his spaceship.
- First Manned Moon Landing: July 20, 1969, The lunar module of Apollo 11, nicknamed the Eagle, touches down on the moon, with 30 seconds’ worth of fuel to spare. Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., descend to the surface. This event was important because it was the very first time a human had gone to the moon, and we were able to learn more about our surroundings
Station 2 :
Explain the relationship between spending time in space and the following:
Sense of spinning: While in space it is hard for your body to adjust, for example, your inner ear, it tells your body when you are moving or stopped, or when you are lying on your side but, when you’re in space that small mechanism goes awry, which often cause astronauts to experience things such as motion sickness for a day or so after entering microgravity. Many have also experienced this after re-entering our planet’s pull.
Bones and Muscles: While on earth body parts such as your muscles, bones, and even your heart work a fair amount to keep our bodies moving. Scientists have found that while in space we do not have the downward force of gravity, causing our bodies to become weaker, this is due to the fact that they don’t have to work as much as they do on earth.
Body fluid: Without gravity the fluids in our bodies float to our heads. This fluidic drift can cause serious conditions including pressure on the optic nerves, which can effect your vision.
Cosmic radiation: Earths magnetic field provides a form of natural shielding that protects us from a good amount of high energy radiation. Out side of this zone artificial shielding on the ISS partially protects astronauts from radiation exposure, but isn’t effective for all radiation types which leaves some astronauts more susceptible to cancer and other long term health risks.
Watch the video of astronaut Chris Hadfield making a PB&J in space and find another video.
Station 3:
Choose a Canadian astronaut (CSA link) – describe one mission that this astronaut participated in. Give the personal history of that astronaut.
Chris Hadfield
Mission: On December 19th, 2012, Chris Hadfield went on a Soyuz spacecraft to the ISS (International space station) to carry out scientific experiments, to operate Canadarm2, and perform robotics tasks.
History: Born August 29, 1959, in Sarnia, and raised in Milton, Ontario. Chris Hadfield is married to Helene Hadfield, they have three children. He enjoys skiing, playing guitar, singing, riding, writing, running, and playing volleyball and squash.He also Graduated as an Ontario Scholar from Milton District High School in 1977; Received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering (with honours), Royal Military College, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, in 1982; Conducted post-graduate research at the University of Waterloo, Ontario in 1982; Received a Master of Science in aviation systems at the University of Tennessee in 1992.
Choose a future NASA mission – explain the objective of the mission, and any relevant details (where, when, etc.).
Mid-Infrared Instrument: will image stars and galaxies in infrared light.
Objective: Data from the instrument will contribute to investigations about the evolution of the universe and the search for the first-ever episode of star formation, or “first light.”
Details: This mission is set to launch in 2018. Launch location: Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana.