Unit E Section 2.1 Flashcards
Getting an object into “space” (outside Earth’s atmosphere) first required figuring out what?
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.
What and when was the first attempt to go to outer space?
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
What is the first step in space exploration?
The first step in space exploration has been figuring out a way to get off the planet
Around 400 B.C., what did the Greek mathematician Archytas do?
used escaping steam to propel a model pigeon along wires
What did the Chinese do in the n the 1st
century A.D?
the Chinese were using gunpowder to make rocket-propelled arrows for battle.
Which country was the first to launch an artificial satellite?
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union became the first country in the world to launch an artificial satellite.
What was the name of the Soviet Union’s satellite?
It was called Sputnik, the Russian word for satellite.
Who was the first living creature to ever be sent to space?
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.
Rocketry relies on a fundamental law of physics:
for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
How is a balloon and a rocket similar?
- 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.
How do engineers organize the mass of the load in a rocket ship?
3% - machinery (tanks, engines, and fins)
6% - payload (including air, water, food, satellites,
crew quarters, and the astronauts)
91% - fuel
are three basic parts to a rocket:
- the structural and mechanical elements,
- the fuel,
- the payload
What do the structural and mechanical elements contain?
the rocket itself to engines, storage tanks, and the fins on the outside.
What does the fuel contain?
liquid oxygen, gasoline, and liquid hydrogen.
The mixture is ignited in a combustion chamber, causing the gases to expand and leave as exhaust.
What does the payload contain?
the materials needed for the flight, including
crew cabins, food, water, air, and people.
What are two new devices being considered for propelling spacecraft between the planets.
Ion drives and solar sails
What is Helios ( August 2001)
the first remotely piloted, solar-powered “flying
wing” that can fly more than 30 000 m above Earth.
What are ion drives?
engines that use xenon gas instead of chemical fuels
How is Xenon used in spacecraft?
the xenon is electrically charged, accelerated, and then emitted as exhaust.
This action pushes the spacecraft in the direction
opposite to the emission.
How is the thrust different between the ion drive than chemically fuelled rocket engines?
The thrust generated by an ion drive is 10 000 times weaker than the thrust achieved by today’s chemically fuelled rocket engines.
What is the advantage of the thrust in ion drives?
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
What is the amount of fuel required for a spacecraft?
For great distances, the amount of fuel required is
about 1/10 of what would be used by a typical spacecraft.
What are Solar Sails?
solar sails would use the Sun’s light to propel the spacecraft.
The process of using solar sails?
- 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.
