Space Exploration

Question 1

What size are the smallest objects detectable in the Kuiper Belt?

Answer 1

~50km across

Question 2

Which planets have we sent probes to?

Answer 2

All of them

Question 3

Voyager Missions

Answer 3

•took advantage of rare outer planet alignment
•launched in 1977
•first up close view of ice giants
•discovery of moons, rings
•nuclear battery powered

Question 4

Mars exploration

Answer 4

•good opportunity to launch to mars every 2 years
•orbiters, landers, rovers
•evidence for water on mars
•searches for evidence of life

Question 5

Cassini-Huygens

Answer 5

•explored Saturn system 2004-2017
•Huygens landed on Titan

Question 6

Juno at Jupiter

Answer 6

•current NASA mission
•studying internal structure

Question 7

Pluto

Answer 7

•NASA New horizons mission
•surface feature photos: methane ice mountains, vast plains
•rich colour variations
•4 moons

Question 8

What mission were Hayabusa 2 and OSIRIS-Rex on?

Answer 8

Collecting samples from asteroids

Question 9

What was learnt from Rosetta and Philae comet missions?

Answer 9

•are loose rubble piles: 80% empty
•hard ice surface below 10-25cm layer of dust
•composition of water different to earth water
•lots of volatile organic compounds
•surface evolved due to many orbits close to sun