Astronomy and Space Science

Question 1

What is space weather and why is it important?

Answer 1

Space weather is short-term fluctuations in emissions from the Sun.

Can disturb power and communication systems both on satellites and on the ground.

Question 2

You are designing a mission to measure space weather.

What typical payload might it have?

Answer 2

A couple from: instruments to measure magnetic fields (magnetometer), X ray, electrons, protons

Question 3

You are designing a mission to measure space weather.

What orbit would you put it in? Explain your reasoning including any disadvantages of the
chosen orbit.

Answer 3

(NOTE: scoring is focused on the reasoning rather than the choice made.)

L1 points towards the Sun so would intercept particles between Sun and Earth, but more thermal shielding might be needed.

An Earth orbit would also work. Geosynchronous is what the GOES satellites do to measure weather at the same time, so these satellites can measure what is coming to one hemisphere.

Question 4

What sorts of scientific questions are astronomy (i.e. telescope in space) missions trying to answer and what parameters do they need to measure?

Answer 4

The origins of the universe – looking back in time and space to distant galaxies or the cosmic microwave background.

Measure redshift or microwave background -> infra-red or millimetre wave radiation respectively

Question 5

What are the typical engineering constraints on an astronomy mission?

Answer 5

Some or all of the following:

Orbit – L2 is often used because it gives a good view of deep space with the Earth and Sun lined up in the opposite direction

Infra red detectors need to be cool and therefore have good heat shields

Telescopes need to have well designed mirrors

Question 6

Which factors influence the development of a scientific space mission?

Answer 6

Technical Factors

• Scientific Questions
• Engineering Possibilities

Non-Technical Factors

• Political Drive / National Ambitions (usually linked to funding)
• Perception of Novelty vs Technology Readiness Levels
• Well-argued case for mission.

Question 7

What types of scientific space missions are there?

Answer 7

Astronomy (telescopic search for deep space bodies and exoplanets)

Solar System (Planets / Comets / Asteroids)

Our heliospheric environment (the Sun and Space Weather)

Fundamental Physics (testing theories such as the Equivalence Principle)

Question 8

What is Redshift?

Answer 8

Redshift is caused by the Doppler effect. Light from objects moving away from Earth is shifted towards the red part of the electromagnetic spectrum.