Unit E Section 2.1

Question 1

Getting an object into “space” (outside Earth’s atmosphere) first required figuring out what?

Answer 1

The speed an object needed to overcome the force

of gravity pulling the object back toward Earth. That speed, it was found, had to be at least 28 000 km/h.

Question 2

What and when was the first attempt to go to outer space?

Answer 2

from the 16th century, the first rocket-assisted flight was attempted by Wan-Hu, a Chinese official.

Forty-seven rockets were attached to a chair that was
connected to two kites.

Massive explosion, no trace of Wan Hu, the chair, or the kites

Question 3

What is the first step in space exploration?

Answer 3

The first step in space exploration has been figuring out a way to get off the planet

Question 4

Around 400 B.C., what did the Greek mathematician Archytas do?

Answer 4

used escaping steam to propel a model pigeon along wires

Question 5

What did the Chinese do in the n the 1st

century A.D?

Answer 5

the Chinese were using gunpowder to make rocket-propelled arrows for battle.

Question 6

Which country was the first to launch an artificial satellite?

Answer 6

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union became the first country in the world to launch an artificial satellite.

Question 7

What was the name of the Soviet Union’s satellite?

Answer 7

It was called Sputnik, the Russian word for satellite.

Question 8

Who was the first living creature to ever be sent to space?

Answer 8

A month after Sputnik the Soviet Union launched a second space capsule. This one carried an
occupant, a small dog named Laika, who survived for seven days as the capsule orbited Earth.

Question 9

Rocketry relies on a fundamental law of physics:

Answer 9

for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction

Question 10

How is a balloon and a rocket similar?

Answer 10

• for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
• Rockets also use gas under pressure confined in a chamber or tank.

-Release the mouth of the balloon and it will be propelled in a direction opposite to the path of the escaping gas
-An opening in the chamber allows the gas
to be released, producing thrust (push) and causing the rocket to be propelled in the opposite direction.

Question 11

How do engineers organize the mass of the load in a rocket ship?

Answer 11

3% - machinery (tanks, engines, and fins)

6% - payload (including air, water, food, satellites,
crew quarters, and the astronauts)

91% - fuel

Question 12

are three basic parts to a rocket:

Answer 12

• the structural and mechanical elements,
• the fuel,
• the payload

Question 13

What do the structural and mechanical elements contain?

Answer 13

the rocket itself to engines, storage tanks, and the fins on the outside.

Question 14

What does the fuel contain?

Answer 14

liquid oxygen, gasoline, and liquid hydrogen.

The mixture is ignited in a combustion chamber, causing the gases to expand and leave as exhaust.

Question 15

What does the payload contain?

Answer 15

the materials needed for the flight, including

crew cabins, food, water, air, and people.

Question 16

What are two new devices being considered for propelling spacecraft between the planets.

Answer 16

Ion drives and solar sails

Question 17

What is Helios ( August 2001)

Answer 17

the first remotely piloted, solar-powered “flying

wing” that can fly more than 30 000 m above Earth.

Question 18

What are ion drives?

Answer 18

engines that use xenon gas instead of chemical fuels

Question 19

How is Xenon used in spacecraft?

Answer 19

the xenon is electrically charged, accelerated, and then emitted as exhaust.

This action pushes the spacecraft in the direction
opposite to the emission.

Question 20

How is the thrust different between the ion drive than chemically fuelled rocket engines?

Answer 20

The thrust generated by an ion drive is 10 000 times weaker than the thrust achieved by today’s chemically fuelled rocket engines.

Question 21

What is the advantage of the thrust in ion drives?

Answer 21

the thrust from an ion drive lasts an extremely long time

In space, that little bit of force applied over a long period of time results in a very fast vehicle

Question 22

What is the amount of fuel required for a spacecraft?

Answer 22

For great distances, the amount of fuel required is

about 1/10 of what would be used by a typical spacecraft.

Question 23

What are Solar Sails?

Answer 23

solar sails would use the Sun’s light to propel the spacecraft.

Question 24

The process of using solar sails?

Answer 24

• The Sun emits electromagnetic energy in the form of photons.
• The solar sails being tested are made of carbon fiber.
• When the photons hit the sail, the energy transmitted causes the spacecraft to move.

Question 25

What is the advantage of solar sails?

Answer 25

a spacecraft powered by solar sails could travel about 5 times as fast as a current spacecraft.

Question 26

What do Hubble Telescopes help with space discovery?

Answer 26

let us look far out into the universe and back in time to the birth of the universe

Question 27

There are three main types of spacecraft in use:

Answer 27

SHUTTLES,
SPACE PROBES,
SPACE STATIONS

Question 28

What do Space Shuttles do?

Answer 28

Shuttles transport personnel and equipment to orbiting spacecraft.

Question 29

What do Space probes do?

Answer 29

Space probes contain instrumentation for carrying out robotic exploration of space.

Question 30

What do Space stations do?

Answer 30

Space stations are orbiting spacecraft that have living quarters, work areas, and all the support systems needed to allow people to live and work in space for extended periods.

Question 31

How would a manned interplanetary space journey be much easier?

Answer 31

if the spacecraft did not have to begin by fighting Earth’s gravity or traveling through its atmosphere.

Question 32

Where is the best place to start an interplanetary flight?

Answer 32

the best place to start an interplanetary flight is from an orbiting space station or even from the Moon.

Question 33

Does the International Space Station orbit Earth with the altitude of?

Answer 33

The International Space Station, orbiting Earth at an altitude of 350 km,

Question 34

The Internation Space Station is a joint project with which countries?

Answer 34

16 nations, including the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, Brazil, and 11 nations of the European Space Agency

Question 35

What is The Internation Space Station?

Answer 35

The station will serve as a permanent laboratory

in space, as well as a command post for building and launching interplanetary rockets.