Chapter 2 – Exploring
Space
Lesson 1 – The Science of Rockets
Rocket technology originated in China
hundreds of years ago and gradually
spread to other parts of the world.
 Rockets were developed for military use
as well as for fireworks
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A History of Rockets
Rockets were very simple-arrow coated
with a flammable powder that were
lighted and shot with bows.
 The British greatly improved rocketry in
the early 1800’s
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Origins of Rockets
Modern rockets were first developed in
the early 1900’s.
 Rocket design made major advance in
World War II.
 Von Braun used his experience to direct
the development of many rockets used in
the US space programs.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JJFQ
0kfanQ&feature=related
Development of Modern Rockets
Von Braun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=WBi69V8oNuw&feature=related
A rocket moves forward when gases
shooting out the back of the rocket push
it in the opposite direction.
 The movement of a rocket demonstrates a
basic law of physics: For every force, or
action, there is an equal and opposite
force, or reaction
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How do Rockets Work?
In order to lift off the ground a rocket
must have more upward thrust than the
downward force of gravity. Once a rocket
is off the ground, it must reach a certain
velocity in order to into orbit.
 The escape velocity a rocket needs to
leave Earth is about 40,200 kilometers
per hour.
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Orbital and Escape Velocity
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Three types of fuel are used to power modern
spacecraft: Solid fuel, liquid fuel, and electrically
charged particles of gas.
Solid fuel and liquid fuel rockets carry oxygen
that allows the fuel to burn.
In a solid fuel rocket, oxygen is mixed with fuel,
which is a dry explosive chemical.
In a liquid fuel rocket, both oxygen and the fuel
are in liquid form and stored in different
components.
Ion rockets do not burn chemical fuels, rather
they expel gas ions out of their engines at very
high speeds.
Rocket Fuels
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A rocket can only carry so much fuel, before
the chambers start to empty.
The main advantage of a multistage rocket is
that the total weight of the rocket is greatly
reduced as the rocket rises.
In a multistage rocket, smaller rockets, or
stages, are placed one on top of the other
and then fired in succession.
In the 1960’s, the development of powerful
multistage rockets such as the Saturn V
made it possible to send spacecraft to the
moon and the solar system beyond
Multi-Stage Rockets
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDvlzdXDwA
Multi-Stage Rockets
Lesson 2 – The Space Program

The space race began in 1957 when the
Soviets launched the satellite Sputnik I
into orbit. The United States responded by
speeding up its own space program.
The Race for Space
A spacecraft orbiting Earth is an artificial
satellite.
 The United States responded in early
1958 by launching its own satellite,
Explorer I, into orbit.
 Later in 1958, the US established a
government agency in charge of its own
space program, called the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA).
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The First Artificial Satellites
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The first American to orbit Earth was John
Glenn, who was launched into space in
1962 aboard Friendship 7. The tiny
capsule orbited Earth three times before
returning to the surface.
Humans in Space
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The American effort to land astronauts on
the moon was named the Apollo program.
Mission to the Moon
. In July, 1969, three American astronauts
circled the moon aboard Apollo II.
 . Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin entered
a tiny spacecraft called Eagle that later
landed on the moon’s surface called the
Sea of Tranquility.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGNryrs
T7OI
The Moon Landings
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Over the next three years, five more Apollo
missions landed on the moon.
The minerals that make up moon rocks are the
same minerals that are found on Earth. However,
in some moon rocks these minerals combine to
form kinds of rocks that are not found on Earth.
One way the Apollo explored the moon’s surface
was to crash equipment onto the moon’s surface.
These instruments measured the moonquake
waves that resulted. This allowed scientist to
determine that the moon may have a small core
of molten rock at the center.
The Moon’s Surface
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Soon, humans may walk on the moon. In
2004, the U.S. announced a plan to
establish a permanent colony of people on
the moon. From such a base, missions
could be launched to carry people to Mars
New Missions to the Moon
LESSON 3 – Exploring Space Today
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A space station provides a place where longterm observations and experiments can be
carried out in space.
In the 1970’s and 1980’s both the U.S. and
the Soviet Union placed space stations in
orbit.
The International Space Station has large
batteries to guarantee that it always has
power. Its main source of power, though, is
its eight large arrays of solar panels which
converts sunlight into electricity.
Space Station
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Information / data about other parts of the
solar system have been collected by space
probes.
Each space probe has a power system to
produce electricity, a communication system
to send and receive signals, and scientific
instruments to collect data and perform
experiments.
The scientific instruments that a probe
contains depend on the probe’s mission.
Some probes have small robots called rovers.
Space Probes
A rover has instruments that collect and
analyze soil and rock samples.
 Probes have now visited or passed near
all of the planets and have explored many
moons, asteroids, and comets.
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Exploring with Space Probes
Using Space Science on Earth
Except for a few stray atoms, and
molecules, most of space is empty.
 Since there is no air in space, there is no
oxygen for astronauts to breathe.
 Because there is no air, there is nothing to
hold the sun’s heat.
 Spacecraft must be well insulated to
protect astronauts against the extreme
temperatures outside.
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Vacuum
Astronauts in orbit experience a feeling of
weightlessness, or microgravity.
 Their mass is the same as it was on Earth,
but on a scale their weight would register
zero.
 Earth’s gravity is holding them in orbit.
 Long periods in microgravity can cause
health problems.
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Microgravity
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The space program has developed
thousands of products that affect many
aspects of modern society, including
consumer products, new materials,
medical devices, and communication
satellites.
Space Spinoffs
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Space spinoffs include many devices that
are used in consumer products, such as
the joystick controller, bar codes on
products you buy at a store, cordless
power tools, scratch resistant lenses,
freeze dried foods, smoke detectors, and
shock-absorbing helmets.
Consumer Products
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A variety of materials were first developed
by chemists and engineers for use in
spacecrafts. Examples: Flexible eyeglass
frames, materials used in tennis rackets
and golf clubs, shock absorbing materials
in running shoes, ceramic materials used
for braces, and insulating materials used
in homes, cars, and trucks.
New Materials
Medical science has benefited greatly from
the technology of the space program.
 Medical spinoffs include devices that use
lasers to clean clogged arteries and
pacemakers for hearts.
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Medical Devices
Satellites are used for communications
and for collecting weather data and other
scientific data.
 Observation satellites are used for many
purposes, including tracking weather
systems, mapping Earth’s surface, and
observing changes in Earth’s
environment.
 Satellites are placed in different orbits
depending on their purposes.
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Satellites