Space Exploration
By Gina Wike
Light from Stars
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When you see the light from a star, it is light
that left it many years ago.
Light travels very fast, but the distances in
space are so great that it takes years for
the light to reach Earth.-sometimes tens of
thousands of years.
The light and other energy leaving a star
are forms of radiation.
Radiation
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Remember: radiation is energy transmitted
through electromagnetic waves.
Because of electric and magnetic
properties of this energy, it is called
electromagnetic radiation.
Electromagnetic waves carry energy
through both empty space and matter.
How do we hear astronauts in space?
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Sound waves are
mechanical waves;
they can’t travel
through space
So, how do we hear
astronauts in space?
How do we hear astronauts in space?
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When they speak into a
microphone, the sound is
converted into
electromagnetic waves
called radio waves. The
radio waves travel through
space and back to Earth
where they are converted
back into sound.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Electromagnetic Spectrum
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All electromagnetic waves have different
wavelengths, but the all travel at the speed
of light in a vacuum- 300,000 km/s in a
vacuum
2 types of telescopes- optical and radio
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Optical telescopes produce magnified
images of objects; they use the visible light
portion of the electromagnetic spectrum
Most optical telescopes are housed in
buildings called observatories.
Radio telescopes are used to study radio
waves that are in space.
Hubble Space Telescope
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Hubble Space
Telescope is an optical
telescope that is in
space. It was put into
space in 1990 by the
space shuttle
Discovery.
Hubble Space Telescope
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The advantage of
having a telescope in
space is that we do
not have to look
through Earth’s
atmosphere—pictures
are much better
because of this.
Hubble Space Telescope
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When Hubble was first
put into space it did
not work properly
because of an error in
the shaping of the
mirror; it was repaired
by astronauts from the
Endeavor in 1993.
Satellites
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A satellite is any object that revolves
around another object.
Satellites
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When an object enters space, it will travel
in a straight line until the Earth’s gravity
pulls it back toward Earth.
Because the satellite is traveling forward
and falling toward Earth at the same time,
the satellite will travel in a curved path
around Earth known as an orbit.
2 Types of
SatellitesNatural & Artificial
There are both natural and artificial
satellites.
Natural Satellites
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The moon is a natural
satellite.
It orbits the Earth.
Sputnik- 1st Artificial Satellite
Sputnik 1
 Sputnik
was
launched by the
Soviets in 1957,
marking the
beginning of
space
exploration.
Space Probes
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A space probe is an instrument that gathers
information and sends it back to Earth.
Space probes travel far into space.
Examples: Voyager I and II (didn’t land on a
planet), Viking (did land), Galileo (dropped
probe onto Jupiter)
Space Program &
Important People
Yuri Gagarin
&
President Kennedy
Yuri Gagarin
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In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first
human in space.
President Kennedy
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President Kennedy
called for the US to
put the first man on
the moon by the end
of the decade.
Projects that led to man on the moon
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Project Mercury
Project Gemini
Project Apollo
Project Mercury
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Project Mercury- orbit a crewed spacecraft
around Earth and bring it back safely
Alan Shepard
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1961- Alan Shepard
became 1st US citizen
in space
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Was not on Apollo 13
because of an ear
infection
Apollo 14-oldest man on
moon (47)
Hit golf balls on moon
John Glenn
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1962- John Glenn
became the 1st US
citizen to orbit the
Earth
Project Gemini
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Project Gemini- two teams of astronauts
met and connected
Project Gemini
Project Apollo
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Project Apollo- July
20, 1969 Apollo 11
landed on the moon
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Saturn V that
launched Apollo 11
Project Apollo
 Neil Armstrong
was the first man
to walk on the
man.
Neil Armstrong
 “That’s
one step
for a man, one
giant leap for
mankind.”
Apollo 11- Edwin Aldrin
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Edwin Aldrin was the
2nd man to walk on
the moon. He and
Armstrong explored
for 2 hours.
Apollo 11- Michael Collins
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Michael Collins
remained in the
Command Module.
A total of 6 lunar
landings brought back
2000 samples of moon
rock. The program
ended in 1972.
Space Shuttle
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A space shuttle is a
reusable spacecraft
that transports
astronauts, satellites,
and other materials to
and from space.
Space Shuttle
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At launch, the space
shuttle orbiter stands
on end and is
connected to an
external liquid-fuel
tank and two solid-fuel
booster engines.
Space Shuttle
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When the shuttle
reaches an altitude of
about 45 km, the
emptied solid-fuel
booster rockets drop
off and parachute
back to earth. They
are recovered and
reused again.
Space Shuttle
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The larger liquid fuel tank eventually
separates and falls back to Earth. It is not
recovered.
Space Shuttle
 Once
the space
shuttle reaches
space, it orbits
Earth.
Space Shuttle Landing
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At the end of a mission, the space shuttle
orbiter glides back to Earth and lands like
an airplane. The parachute slows it down.
Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster
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January 28, 1986
7 crew members diedone of which was
teacher Christina
McAuliffe
Mc Auliffe was first
member of the
Teachers in Space
Program
Challenger
Space Stations
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A space station has
living quarters, work
and exercise space,
and all the equipment
and support systems
needed to live and
work in space.
Skylab
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Skylab was a space
station put up in 1973.
In 1979 it was
abandoned and fell
back into earth’s
atmosphere and
burned up
Skylab Launch
Skylab Launch
Mir
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Mir was a Soviet
space station.
International Space Station
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International Space
Station serves as a
research lab for
several countries.
Permanent crew
Scientists on Earth
have almost instant
access to experiments
and can modify when
needed