Some things to discuss…

• When did the “Space Age” start?

• What made humans start to believe that reaching space was actually possible… not just a dream?

• Who were the main players/countries in the Space Race?

• What were the outcomes of the Space Race?

THE SPACE AGE

ROCKETS

• http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/rocket/rktflight.html

• HOW DOES A ROCKET WORK?

• There were 3 main rocket pioneers…

1) Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857 – 1935)

• Russian School teacher• Looked not only at putting

rockets in space but living in space!

• Worked out the basic math equations for rocketry in 1903.

• Determined liquid fuel rockets would be needed to get to space

• Oxygen and hydrogen would be the best fuels

• "Men are weak now, and yet they transform the Earth's surface. In millions of years their might will increase to the extent that they will change the surface of the Earth, its oceans, the atmosphere, and themselves. They will control the climate and the Solar System just as they control the Earth. They will travel beyond the limits of our planetary system; they will reach other Suns, and use their fresh energy instead of the energy of their dying luminary."-Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

He also predicted:

• space suits

• the problems of eating, drinking, and sleeping in weightlessness

• Many of his ideas came before flight!

“Plan of Space Exploration”1) Creation of rocket airplanes with wings.2) Progressively increasing the speed and

altitude of these airplanes.3) Production of real rockets-without

wings.4) Ability to land on the surface of the sea.5) Reaching escape velocity (about 8

Km/second), and the first flight into Earth orbit.

6) Lengthening rocket flight times in space.

7) Experimental use of plants to make an artificial atmosphere in spaceships.

8) Using pressurized space suits for activity outside of spaceships.

9) Making orbiting greenhouses for plants.

10) Constructing large orbital habitats around the Earth.

11) Using solar radiation to grow food, to heat space quarters, and for transport throughout the Solar System.

12) Colonization of the asteroid belt.13) Colonization of the entire Solar System and

beyond.14) Achievement of individual and social perfection.15) Overcrowding of the Solar System and the

colonization of the Milky Way (the Galaxy).16) The Sun begins to die and the people remaining

in the Solar System's population go to other suns.

2) Robert Goddard (1882-1945)

• “Father of Modern Rocketry”

• Professor at Clarke University (USA)

• Developed the theory of controlled, liquid-fuelled rocketry.

• 1926 launched the world’s first liquid fueled rocket.

• Developed nearly the entirety of rocket technology.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Robert_Goddard_footage.ogg

3) Hermann Oberth (1894-1989)• Developed principles of

rocketry• 1929 published influential

book “The Rocket into Interplanetary Space”

• Convinced the world that rockets were the way to space

• Romanian by birth, German citizen

• His ideas created many rocket societies

Wernher von Braun (1912-1977)

• Engineer• Developed and launched

first rocket capable of reaching space– German V2

• At end of World War II led his scientists and engineers out of Germany to the Americans

• Worked on the IRBM (intermediate range ballistic missile)

• Joined NASA

V-2 Rocket

- world's first long-range

combat-ballistic missile

- first human artifact to

achieve sub-orbital

Other Note-worthy Rockets

• In the 1930s, a German, Gerhard Zucker, experimented with powder rockets similar to fireworks as a mode of delivering post. After moving to the United Kingdom, Zucker attempted to convince the General Post Office that Rocket Mail was viable. The post was attached to an internal parachute which would deploy upon arrival at its destination. On 31 July 1934 a rocket packed with 1,200 envelopes was launched over a 1600-metre flight path between the Hebridean islands of Harris and Scarp in Scotland. Unfortunately for Zucker, the rocket exploded and destroyed most of its cargo.

The Space Race (1957-1975)

• Competition between Soviet Union and USA to:– Explore outer space with satellites– Send humans to space– Land humans on the Moon

• Important because of military implications and morale-boosting benefits

• Occurred along with Cold War/Arms Race

Satellites• Natural satellite = an

object naturally occurring in orbit

• Artificial satellite = an object put into orbit by human endeavour

• Communication satellite = a satellite stationed in space for the purposes of telecommunications

Sputnik 1• First artificial

satellite to orbit the Earth

• Launched October 4, 1957 by Soviet Union

• R-7 Rocket• Marks the start of the

Space Race• Caused fear and

stirred political debate in the US

• Eisenhower administration- formation of NASA

Sputnik 2• Launched a month

later by Soviet Union

• Important as it carried a dog (first living creature in space)

Explorer 1

• Launched February 1, 1958

• Jupiter-c rocket• First USA Earth

satellite• These first satellites

were used for scientific purposes.– Sputnik: density of

upper atmosphere– Explorer: discovery of

Van Allen radiation belt

• Van Allen Belt – a radiation belt around Earth

Schooling Impacts• The USA was in a “crisis” –

Soviets had started the Space Race and the USA’s first attempt had failed (Project Vanguard)

• In an effort to regain technological supremacy, Eisenhower came up with the National Defense Education Act– Revamp school curriculum– New school construction– Loans and fellowships for

promising students– Vocational training

Project SCORE• Signal Communications

Orbit Relay Equipment

• World’s first communications satellite (USA)

• Launched December 18, 1958

• Relayed a Christmas message from President Eisenhower to the world

Atlas Missile used to launch SCORE

Animals in Space

• First animals = fruit flies– Launched by USA, 1946– German V-2 Rocket

• First in orbit = dog named Laika– Launched by Soviet Union, 1957– Sputnik 2– Never returned. Died from

overheating and stress.

More Animals

• Soviet dogs, Belka and Strelka, orbited the Earth and returned. 1960.

• Americans sent chimpanzees in 1961.

• Soviets sent turtles in 1968. First to orbit the moon.

Humans in Space

• Soviets first to fulfill human spaceflight with own spaceship and launcher

• First Human: Yuri Gagarin– Vostok 1– April 12, 1961– Orbited Earth for 108min

Humans in Space

• 23 days later

• Alan Shepard entered space for the USA

• Sub-orbital mission Freedom7

• Less than 16min

• Altitude of 187km

Humans in Space

• First American to orbit the Earth

• John Glenn

• February 20, 1962

• Completed 3 orbits

• Friendship7

Humans in Space

• More Soviet Firsts– First dual-manned

flight: August 11, 1962– First woman: Valentina

Tereshkova. June 16, 1963

– First flight with more than 2 crew: October 12, 1964

– First spacewalk: March 18, 1965

Lunar Missions• Before anyone could put a

person on the Moon, unmanned spacecraft had to land safely.

• Soviets (first):– Luna 1 (unsuccessful)– Luna 2 (successful - 1959)

• Americans:– The Pioneer Program

(unsuccessful)– The Ranger Program (successful

– 1962)– The Lunar Orbiter Program– The robotic Surveyor Program

(located Apollo landing sites)

Failed…

• http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~marcsulf/unmanned.html

The Apollo Program

• 1961 President Kennedy and V.P. Lyndon B. Johnson

• Goal: manned moon-landing missions

• December 21, 1968: James Lovell, Frank Borman and Bill Anders in Apollo 8 orbited the moon 10 times

The Apollo Program

• July 20, 1969 - Apollo 11 mission

• Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins

• FIRST man to walk on moon!

• 5 other Apollo missions have landed on the moon

• Last in 1972

More Firsts in Space

• 1959 – First weather satellite (USA)• 1959 – First photo of Earth from orbit

(USA)• 1960 – First spy satellite (USA)• 1962 – USA has first “flyby” around a

planet other than Earth (Venus)• 1971- Soviets create the first Space

Station

Who Won the Space Race?

• Americans believed they won:– First man on the moon

• Soviets believed they won: – First man in space

WHAT DO YOU THINK???Create a list of “firsts” and decide who has won in your opinion!

Soviets

• First satellite• First animal• First animal that survived• First manned spaceflight• First manned spaceflight with more than 1

person• First woman in space• First space station

USA

• First communications satellite

• First planetary “flyby” (going near a planet)

• First man on the moon

• Purpose for many space programs was data

End of Space Race

• Although the end of the Space Race is difficult to determine, in 1975 the first multinational manned mission was completed by USA and Soviets together.

Since the end of the Race

• Science and math education in school has been at the forefront

• Thousands of artificial satellites in space

• Food sterilization and packaging techniques

• Stay dry clothing, anti-fog goggles, etc

Since the end of the Race• April 12, 1981: USA

launched first reusable Spacecraft (space shuttle)

• November 15, 1986: Soviet Union launched their first reusable spacecraft

• October 15, 2003: China launched their first human spaceflight (Shenzhou 5)

Space Shuttles

• During the “Shuttle Era”, 6 orbiters were built – Enterprise: approach &

landing tests only– Columbia: first to fly into

space. Broke-up during re-entry Feb 2003.

– Challenger: lost in January 1986

– Discovery– Atlantis– Endeavour: built to replace

Challenger

Atmosphere

• The Earth’s atmosphere is a layer of gases that surrounds the Earth. This layer protects life on Earth. It is held in by gravity.

• Earth’s atmosphere is about 480km – 650km thick. About 80% is within the first 16km.

• There is no definite end to the atmosphere; the air thins until it merges with outer space. Generally agreed that space starts about 100km above Earth.

Exosphere

• last layer before “outerspace”

• no clear boundary with space and the exosphere

• the exosphere is sometimes considered outer space

• 190,000 kilometres: half the distance to the Moon

Outerspace

• the void that exists beyond any celestial body including the Earth

• Outside the atmosphere and exosphere

• It is not a perfect vacuum but close

Space

• 100 km from sea level? Kármán line

• Outerspace (outside exosphere)?

• Exosphere itself?

• 80km (USA determines anyone who flies at this altitude an astronaut)

Escaping Earth• Overcoming gravity is the

biggest problem in space exploration

• Minimum velocity required to remain in orbit is called orbital velocity.

• Velocity required to escape Earth’s gravity is about 40% faster than orbital velocity. It is called escape velocity.

Escaping Earth

• A powerful rocket called a launch vehicle helps a spacecraft overcome gravity.

• Launch vehicles have 2 or more sections (stages)– Stage 1 must provide enough

thrust (pushing force) to leave Earth’s surface

– After the 1st stage propellants are used up, the launch vehicle will fall away

– Then the 2nd stage fires. When its propellants are used up, it too will fall away.

Returning to Earth• Stage 3: Must slowdown as it

approaches Earth!!! • Small rockets are used to

redirect flights path into upper atmosphere

• The rockets aim to skim the top of Earth’s atmosphere, allowing air resistance to aid in slowing the space shuttle down.

• At end of their fall, parachutes slow it further

• Shuttles have wings that help land like airplane; some early rockets landed in water