UNIT E: SPACE EXPLORATION

Transcription

1 UNIT E: SPACE EXPLORATION S C I E N C E 9 1 Science 9 Unit E Section 4.0 SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ARE AFFECTED BY SPACE EXPLORATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE TECHNOLOGIES. SECTI ON 4.0 Science 9 Unit E Section

2 THE RISKS AND DANGERS OF SPACE EXPLORATION TOPI C 4.1 Science 9 Unit E Section SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER EXPLOSION KILLS ALL SEVEN ASTRONAUTS ABOARD (04:33) Science 9 Unit E Section

3 NASA GIVES DETAILS OF 2003 COLUMBIA DEATHS (00:54) Science 9 Unit E Section SHORTLY AFTER COLUMBIA, CHRIS HADFIELD BECAME CHIEF OF ROBOTICS FOR NASA I m extremely proud to have been part of the effort to figure out how to identify, prevent and mitigate risks so the Shuttle could fly again without harming one more person. We were entirely successful. We changed how we attached and inspected foam; we devised a way to survey the vehicle once it was on orbit; we figured out how to use a special type of glue during an EVA [Extravehicular Activity] to fix any damage and we always had a rescue Shuttle standing by in case the first one got in trouble. The Shuttle became a much safer vehicle and we never lost another crew member. From Chris Hadfield s An Astronaut s Guide to Life on Earth (page 63-64). Science 9 Unit E Section

4 PIGGY-BACK FLIGHT S P A C E S H U T T L E A T L A N T I S I S C A R R I E D B Y O N E O F N A S A ' S M O D I F I E D S H U T T L E C A R R I E R A I R C R A F T O V E R C A L I F O R N I A ' S H I G H D E S E R T A F T E R L E A V I N G N A S A ' S D R Y D E N F L I G H T R E S E A R C H C E N T E R A T E D W A R D S A I R F O R C E B A S E O N A F E R R Y F L I G H T B A C K T O T H E K E N N E D Y S P A C E C E N T E R I N F L O R I D A. T H E Y E A R Science S P A C9 E Unit S HE USection T T L E 4.0 P R O G R A M W A S R E T I R E D I N P H O T O C R E D I T : N A S A / J I M R O S S J U N E 1, RISKY BUSINESS Travel into space is an especially high risk business. Nothing can be taken for granted during the preparation for a manned or unmanned space flight. Astronauts are strapped into a small cockpit above several hundred tonnes of highly explosive fuel. Poor weather conditions, malfunctioning equipment, and even birds can interfere with launching a rocket. 4

5 RISKY BUSINESS Travel into space is an especially high risk business. Nothing can be taken for granted during the preparation for a manned or unmanned space flight. In space, floating debris, meteoroids, and harmful doses of radiation must be faced. Outside of Earth s protective atmosphere, there is no protection. The path that the spacecraft follows on reentry into Earth s atmosphere must be perfect. If it is too shallow an angle, the craft can bounce off the atmosphere and back into space (like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond). If it is at too steep an angle, the craft can move too quickly through the atmosphere and burn up. #1 SPACE JUNK Space junk refers to all the pieces of debris that have fallen off rockets, satellites, space shuttles and space stations, and remain floating in space. If the space garbage is just above the outer reaches of Earth s atmosphere, it can stay in orbit for thousands of years. #2 and #3 Science 9 Unit E Section

6 SPACE JUNK Science 9 Unit E Section HAZARDS IN SPACE Since 1957, more than 4000 missions have been sent into space. Each one has left its own bits of debris. The space shuttle and International Space Station are constantly being bombarded by tiny pieces of space debris called micrometeorites. Imagine a screw moving km/h, that collides with a spacecraft. That small object would have a higher impact velocity than a fired bullet. #3 6

7 HAZARDS ON EARTH There is always a possibility that leftover pieces of satellites can make their way back to Earth s surface. In January 1978, a nuclear-powered Soviet satellite crashed into the Great Slave Lake area of the Northwest Territories. On re-entry to Earth s atmosphere, the satellite disintegrated, showering radioactive debris over km 2 (which is almost equivalent to the entire size of Greece)! No lives were lost, but clean-up by Canadian and U.S. military personnel took almost eight months and cost $15 million (Cd.). #3 Science 9 Unit E Section HOMEWORK! Textbook Check and Reflect Page 459 # 1 6 Read Topic 4.2 Pages Science 9 Unit E Section

8 CANADIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO SPACE EXPLORATION AND OBSERVATION TOPI C 4.2 Science 9 Unit E Section In 1839, Sir Edward Sabine established the first magnetic observatory at the University of Toronto. He discovered that the aurora borealis was associated with sunspot activity. Science 9 Unit E Section

9 1962 When it launched Alouette 1 in 1962, Canada became among the first nations in the world to use a satellite for non-military purposes When Apollo 11 made its historic first manned flight to the Moon in 1969, landing gear built in Canada ensured that the astronauts would safely touch down. Science 9 Unit E Section

10 1972 In 1972, Canada launched Anik 1 from Cape Canaveral in Florida. That satellite gave the whole country telecommunications coverage for the first time. A year after that, Canada became the first country in the world to use satellites to broadcast television. Since then, the nation has continued to be a leader in the development and use of satellites for communication purposes One of Canada s most famous contributions is the robotic arm, the Canadarm, sort of a 15-metre human arm with a wrist, elbow and shoulder. Since its debut in 1981 on the U.S. space shuttle Columbia, the Canadarm, which is manipulated by remote control, has launched and retrieved satellites, helped fix optical apparatus on the Hubble Space Telescope, and put together modules of the International Space Station. 10

11 OCTOBER 1984 The first Canadian in space was Marc Garneau, who participated in the space shuttle mission in October 1984 (and again in 1996, and 2000). He is currently the Minister of Transport, appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2015! Science 9 Unit E Section Roberta Bondar was the first Canadian female astronaut to fly on a shuttle mission, in Dr. Bondar was the first neurologist in space! Science 9 Unit E Section

12 1997 Canada provided technology for the Mars Pathfinder mission. It was a Canadiandesigned ramp that the Sojourner rover rolled down in Science 9 Unit E Section In April 2001, Chris Hadfield became the first Canadian to walk in space when he helped deliver Canadarm 2 to the International Space Station. Astronaut Stephen K. Robinson anchored to the end of Canadarm 2 12

13 2001 The next generation of Canadian space robotics is the Canadarm 2. Not only can the arm bend around corners and grasp objects with its computercontrolled fingers (DEXTRE), it can also move itself around the outside of the International Space Station, crawling like a caterpillar and making every part of the space station accessible. RECOGNIZING CANADARM 2 AND DEXTRE ON THE CANADIAN $5 BILL! Science 9 Unit E Section

14 AUGUST 2007 NASA's Phoenix Mars lander was launched at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Canada provided the meteorological instruments onboard the spacecraft which tracked the weather and climate on Mars for more than 5 months. It measured Mars' temperature and pressure, and probed clouds, fog and dust in Mars' lower atmosphere. Most significantly, the weather station confirmed that it snows on Mars by detecting snowflakes falling from clouds about 4 kilometres above the spacecraft's landing. HOMEWORK! Textbook Check and Reflect Page 463 # 1, 2, 6, 9 Read Topic 4.3 Pages Science 9 Unit E Section

15 ISSUES RELATED TO SPACE EXPLORATION TOPI C 4.3 Science 9 Unit E Section THE PROS AND CONS OF SPACE EXPLORATION Some people argue that space is the last great frontier, and that what we learn by exploring it could help us find ways of improving life on Earth. Other people argue that, because there are so many problems on Earth to be solved (such as poverty, hunger, pollution, and disease epidemics), countries should not be spending huge sums of money to explore new regions. #5 15

16 THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF SPACE S RESOURCES With the resources space has to offer, our energy needs on Earth could be satisfied for a long time. For example, scientists are looking for ways of capturing solar energy in space and beaming it to Earth. #5 THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF SPACE S RESOURCES Space is an endless source of mineral resources. At present market value, a ton asteroid would yield more than $350 billion worth of mineral resources. #5 16

17 THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF SPACE S RESOURCES The cost of space travel could be cut substantially. It costs a great deal of money to transport fuel and materials from Earth into space. If materials for the construction of space vehicles, supplies, and fuel can be found where they are to be located in space, costs would be reduced. #5 THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF SPACE S RESOURCES The first place scientists looked for resources in space was our closest neighbour, the Moon. Both hydrogen and oxygen can be easily processed from Moon rock. Combine the two and you have a readily available supply of water. Our Moon is not the only source of material. Phobos and Deimos, the moons of Mars, could be used to supply shuttles to that planet. 17

18 #5 WHO OWNS SPACE? On Earth, similar issues were debated over Antarctica. Though not to the same degree as space, Antarctica is a hostile, remote environment that has valuable resources. No one country, however, could lay claim politically to those resources for itself. In 1959, however, the 12 nations that had bases on the continent signed a treaty to share the resources of the area. Part of the Antarctica Treaty System reads, Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord. The concept requires that all nations work collaboratively to resolve differences. A space treaty could have the same requirements. 18

19 HOMEWORK! Textbook Check and Reflect Page 468 #1 7 Assess Your Learning Page 469 # 1 4, 6 Science 9 Unit E Section