Space Exploration and Astronomy

10 Questions

What was the first tool for space exploration?

Clark refractor

Why do rockets for space exploration need to be large?

force of gravity

What does the Hubble Space Telescope provide that ground-based telescopes cannot?

clearer images

Why do astronauts wear spacesuits in space?

to keep their bodies functioning in the vacuum of space

What kind of challenges do interplanetary navigators deal with when steering spacecraft?

solar flares, atmospheric entry, fuel calculations

What is the purpose of astronauts practicing tasks in a pool on Earth before going to space?

to simulate weightlessness

What is the length of the Saturn V rocket?

over 120 meters

What did the space shuttle Columbia carry into orbit?

five people and a bus load of luggage

What was the Mars Pathfinder mission designed to do?

navigate Mars' atmosphere and surface

Why are spacesuits airtight and self-contained?

to handle extreme temperatures in space

Study Notes

Humans have been observing the night sky for thousands of years, using telescopes to explore space and discover planets.
The first tool for space exploration was the Clark refractor in Flagstaff, Arizona, which is 10 meters long with a 60 cm lens.
The Hubble Space Telescope, in orbit above Earth's atmosphere, provides clearer images of objects in the universe than ground-based telescopes.
Rockets for space exploration need to be large because of the force of gravity keeping them on Earth.
The Saturn V rocket is over 120 meters long and has enough fuel to get a spacecraft to the moon.
The space shuttle Columbia carried five people and a bus load of luggage into orbit.
Astronauts wear spacesuits in space to keep their bodies functioning in the vacuum of space.
Temperatures in space can be extreme, so astronauts wear garments with liquid cooling water and spacesuits are airtight and self-contained.
Astronauts practice tasks in a pool on Earth before going to space.
Interplanetary navigators like Sheikh Diara steer spacecraft to their destination planet and deal with challenges like solar flares, atmospheric entry, and fuel calculations.
The Mars Pathfinder mission involved designing a complex spacecraft to navigate Mars' atmosphere and surface.
Living in space is very different from Earth, and everything needed must be taken with you, including water and a vacuum system for the toilet.
The space station is built of large modules and experiments are the same size, with racks for storing and retrieving them.
The space shuttle returns to Earth at high speeds, and tiles on the exterior must withstand re-entry temperatures of over 1200 degrees Celsius.
The universe is vast and most of it is empty space.
Bill Nye, the Science Guy, explores space and encourages everyone to join him in this exciting adventure.