19.5 Traveling Into Space pp684-91

When did space exploration begin?

Earlier than 1,200 AD the Chinese were experimenting with small rockets

Russian Physicist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (shole-KAHV-skee)

He is considered the “Father of Modern Rocketry”

He worked in the early 1900’s

Proposed plans for multi-stage rockets

American Physicist Robert Goddard

In early 1900’s

First to develop a liquid-fueled rocket

Developed the multi-stage rocket currently used by modern space programs

German and American engineer and physicist: Wernher Von Braun

Early and middle 1900’s

Worked for Nazi’s and developed deadly V2 missile in WWII, then defected

Later became US citizen, began work for NASA

Pioneered rockets for modern space travel

Action = Reaction

It’s all about gases – when they are superheated, they expand and combust, creating the force and push (thrust) to send a rocket upward

Words to know:

¤ Orbital velocity: Speed needed to beat Earth’s gravity and remain in orbit.

¤ All satellites including the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle (no longer used) are at “Orbital Velocity” in flight

¤ Escape velocity: Speed needed to leave Earth and keep going

¤ Space probes –Voyagers I & II left, continue to collect and send data, but will never return

¤ http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/

See pages 687 - 8

¤ Multi-stage Rockets – the only way to go

¤ All Apollo Missions were with multi-stage rockets

¤ You only need enough fuel to reach orbital velocity and just a little to get back to Earth

¤ Main advantage – reduced weight through voyage

The Race for Space, 1950’s

*Began before JFK’s presidency

*USSR was our greatest rival – better scientists and technology – and more/bigger nuclear weapons

*Kennedy pumped $ into math and science education to help the next generation be able to compete with the USSR

Satellites first!

*Sputnik - Launched in October ’57 by USSR

*About 23”diameter

*About 184 pounds

*Orbited Earth in 98 minutes

*Ran out of battery power in 22 days

*Stopped orbiting Jan. ‘58

USA counters with Explorer I

*Launched in ‘58

*Only 31 pounds

*Mission = 111 days

*Stopped orbiting in 1970

*Followed by many more satellites from USA and USSR

Apollo 1964-72: Get men to the moon and safely return them to Earth

Orbital and Landing Missions

¤  http://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/topics/apollo/apollo-program/orbital-missions/

¤  Very cool Apollo site – check it out!

Exploration Today

Space Shuttles ¤  Satellites – orbit Earth, go no

further

¤  Reusable vessel and solid fuel tanks

¤  Huge liquid fuel tank for 1 use only – not recovered from ocean

¤  Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, Endeavour

¤  Used from 1981 to 2011. Program ended summer 2011.

Space Stations ¤  Mir – USSR first to have

long term place for stay and work

¤  Skylab – US first space station

¤  International Space Station

¤  Started in 1980’s

¤  US and 15 other countries

¤  Still being used and added to today!

Space Shuttle – program now retired

1976 – Enterprise – experimental

1981 - 2003 – Columbia 4 flights

1983-86 – Challenger 3 flights

1984-2011 – Discovery 5 flights

1985 – 2011 – Atlantis 3 flights

1992 – 2011 – Endeavor 3 flights

International Space Station – pieces slowly added to current size:

Docked with

US Space Shuttle

below left

International Space Station

Satellites – much smaller!

This is an approximate look at the satellites now orbiting Earth

Space Probes – go, send back lots of information, but never return

*Mariners, Vikings, Veneras – all probes to explore inner planets

*Galileo and it’s small atmospheric probe to Jupiter

*Launched in ‘89

*Took 6 years to get to Jupiter

*Mission duration ‘95 to ‘03

*Purposely crashed into Jupiter to prevent accidental crash with moon

Cassini & Voyagers & Pioneers

*Pioneer probes were launched before Voyagers and still send very weak signals

*Voyagers I & II give us first look at outer planets. Both are still sending weak signals from a distance.

*Cassini is at Saturn and dropped Huygens mini probe onto Titan in ’05, continues to send back data about moons