Space Exploration Merit Badge April 2003 Vincent Needham
Space Exploration Merit Badge April 2003 Vincent Needham Physics Department Kansas State University http: //jrm. phys. ksu. edu/Scouts/
Summary of Course • Describe the purpose and operation of a space transportation system, including: • Main components • Typical flight profiles • Payloads and their missions • • Review some history of space exploration Discuss careers in space exploration How to learn more. . . Launch and recover model rockets
First Controlled Powered Flight Orville & Wilbur Wright 10: 35 a. m. 17 December 1903 Kitty Hawk, North Carolina 120 feet in 12 seconds!
Basic Rocketry Reaction Action
2001: Anniversary of Goddard’s Launch
"Professor Goddard does not know the relation between action and reaction and the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react. He seems to lack the basic knowledge ladled out daily in high schools. " 1921 New York Times editorial "Further investigation and experimentation, have confirmed the findings of Isaac Newton in the 17 th century, and it is now definitely established that a rocket can function in a vacuum as well as in an atmosphere. The Times regrets the error. " 1969 New York Times retraction
The Space Shuttle (First Launch 12 April 1981) • Manned spacecraft • Orbiter • LH/LOX Main Engines (SSME) • Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB)
Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB)
Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME)
External Tank (ET)
Orbiter
Russkiu Sistema Russian Systems • • SL-4 Launcher Soyuz Spacecraft Progress Ferry Mir Space Station 1986 - 2001
SL-4/Soyuz Launcher • • Old (1963), but… Reliable Rugged Cheap
12 April 1961 Yuri Gagarin Launched on Vostok 1 First Man in Space
Soyuz & Progress • Soyuz • 3 Cosmonauts • Station Rescue • Progress • Modified, Unmanned Soyuz • Supply Ferry for Mir & Station
Shuttle Flight Profile
Shuttle Launch STS-107 Columbia 16 January 2003
ET Foam Strikes Left Wing (about 80 secs after launch)
Inside the Shuttle
Flight Deck • Flight Controls • Payload Systems
Avionics Upgrade
Mid-Deck • • Crew quarters Experiments Supplies Extended by • Space. Hab Module • Space. Lab
Payloads • Space. Lab/Space Station • Satellites (Delivered & Repaired!)
Io & Jupiter Hubble Space Telescope • Launched on 24 April 1990 • Shuttle service calls in: – December 1993 – February 1997 – October 1999
Hubble’s Greatest Hits
Planetary Exploration
Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Two rovers: Launches: KSC on Delta II 06 June 25 June Landings: Gusev Crater & Miridiani January 2004
Space. Lab • US/European cooperative venture • Similar to Space Station modules • Neuro. Lab, in April 1998, was the last Space. Lab mission
STS-107/Columbia Space. Hab Gravity Science (Launched 16 Jan, Lost 01 Feb) • Kalpana Chawla, Ph. D -MS 2, Aerospace Engineering -Cdr, Mechanical Engineering • Laurel Blair Clark, MD (Captain, • William C. Mc. Cool (Cmdr, USN) -Pilot, Computer Science -MS 4, Zoology & Medicine • Michael P. Anderson (Lt Col, USAF) -Payload Cmdr, Physics & Astronomy • Ilan Ramon (Colonel, IAF) -PS 1, Elec & Computer Engineering • David M. Brown, MD (Captain, USN) -MS 1, Biology & Medicine • Rick D. Husband (Colonel, USAF)
STS-107 Overview Science Research • Biology • Medicine • Earth Science -FREESTAR -MEIDEX • Physics -Combustion • Technology
Seen From the Ground
At Work in Orbit Kalpana Chawla and Laurel Clark in the Space. Hab Module
International Space Station • • • USA Russia Europe Japan Canada
Mir • Core module launched in 1986 • Phase 1 of the International Space Station • Last visiting U. S. astronaut was Andy Thomas • Final Shuttle-Mir mission was by Discovery on 28 May 1998. • Mir re-entry on 23 March 2001
Station Assembly in 2002 April: STS-110/Atlantis Installs S 0 truss segment; station robot arm first used in spacewalking June: STS-111/Endeavour delivers supplies & experiments; 3 spacewalks outfit “railroad”
Station Assembly in 2002 October – STS-112/ Atlantis delivers the S 1 Truss and installs it with 3 spacewalks STS-113/Endeavour delivers the P 1 truss and the Expedition 6 crew
Space Station Tour
ISS as of December 2002
At Home on the Station • Astronauts must be safe, happy & productive
ISS Expedition 6 Crew Aboard Nov 2002 – May 2003 • Nikolai Budarin - Cosmonaut - Mechanical Eng. • Ken Bowersox, Cdr - Captain, USN - Mechanical & Aero Engineering • Don Pettit, Ph. D - Chemical Eng.
Expedition 7 Crew • • Yuri Malenchenko, Cdr (Colonel, RAF) Edward Lu, Ph. D EE & Applied Physics Launch: Friday April 25 10: 54 p. m. CDT Docking: Monday April 28 12: 56 a. m. CDT
Zarya Zvezda Unity Destiny
Re-entry & Approach • Thermal tiles absorb extreme heat • Dead-stick landing • Energy management is critical
Landing • KSC is preferred spaceport • Edwards AFB is backup • White Sands, NM used once
Pilot’s Eye View
STS-107/Columbia Lost 01 Feb 2003 Amateur astronomers’ video image may show wing trouble Columbia breaks up over Texas
Columbia Left Wing Leading Edge Foam probably damaged “T-seal” between RCC panels 8 & 9
Things to Come! • June: - Launch of two Mars Exploration Rovers - Launch of Europe’s Mars Express & Beagle II • Summer: Release of CAIB report • August: Launch of Space IR Telescope Facility • Fall/Winter: - Return of Space Shuttle to ISS - Flight of Rutan Scaled Composite’s Space. Ship. One - First Chinese manned space flight? • December: Wright Brothers centennial celebrations
Mars or Bust! ESA Mars Express orbiter & Beagle II lander Two NASA/JPL Mars Exploration Rovers
Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) Last of four “Great Space Observatories”
Rutan/Scaled Composites Space. Ship. One goes for the X-Prize • Privately finances, builds & launches a spaceship, able to carry three people to 100 kilometers (62. 5 miles) • Returns safely to Earth Voyager • Repeats the launch with the same ship within 2 weeks
First Chinese Manned Spacecraft Shenzhou spacecraft launched on Long March CZ-2 F
Astronaut Qualifications How can I become an astronaut? Any adult man or woman in excellent physical condition who meets the basic qualifications can be selected to enter astronaut training. For mission specialists and pilot astronauts, the minimum requirements include a bachelor's degree in engineering, science or mathematics from an accredited institution. Three years of related experience must follow the degree, and an advanced degree is desirable. Pilot astronauts must have at least 1, 000 hours of experience in jet aircraft, and they need better vision than mission specialists. Competition is extremely keen, with an average of over 4, 000 applicants for about 20 openings every 2 years. Astronaut recruiting occurs periodically. For more information, write to the Astronaut Selection Office, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058.
Where to get more information • Your local library • The World Wide Web – Most of this presentation was prepared from WWW resources! • http: //www. phys. ksu. edu/area/jrm/vince. html • http: //spacelink. nasa. gov/ • http: //www. yahoo. com/Science/Space/ (1315 listings!)
Delta II Launch Cam
Space Shuttle Cam!
Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous
Roton Test Flight
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