Astronauts and Space Exploration

What is an Astronaut?

• Astronaut means “sailor among the stars”• Russian term cosmonaut means “sailor of the

universe”• An astronaut is someone who is trained to

pilot a spacecraft, travel in a spacecraft, or work in space

The Race to Space

• The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union (Russia) began in about 1947 and continued until about 1991

• The Cold War was not a battle, rather it was a time of tension between the two countries that resulted in competitions between them

• The countries raced to produce the most weapons, as well as raced to be the first to explore space

Important Astronauts in History

• Yuri Gagarin – was the first human in space and he orbited the earth in April 1961

• Alan Shepard – first American in space in May of 1961 (3 weeks later)

Important Astronauts in History

• John Glenn – first American to orbit the earth in 1962

• Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins – Apollo 11 crew that landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969

Canadian Astronauts: Marc Garneau

• First Canadian in space• Flew on the shuttle Challenger in 1984

• Orbited the earth 133 times and conducted experiments and tests

Canadian Astronauts: Chris Hadfield

• Served as mission specialist in April 2011

• The crew delivered and installed the Canadarm2

• First Canadian to leave the spacecraft for a spacewalk

• First Canadian to command the ISS in 2012 on his second mission

Female Astronauts

• Valentina Tereshkova: first woman in space in 1963

• Roberta Bondar: First Canadian woman in space in 1992

• Julie Payette: 1999 and 2009, first Canadian to participate in the assembly of the ISS

Canadian Astronauts

http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/former.asp

What Do Astronauts Do?

• Explore space (the Moon, possibly Mars)• Learn more about the earth, gravity,

microgravity• NASA’s astronauts are usually either pilots or

mission specialists (engineers and scientists)• Astronauts often spent time living on the MIR

Space Station or now the International Space Station (ISS)

MIR Space Station

• Space station built by Soviet Union (Russia) from 1986-2001

• MIR Space Station was a laboratory where scientists could study the earth from space

• The parts were assembled in space from 1986-1996

International Space Station• The ISS is the largest artificial body in space• It was launched in 1998 and is a collaboration by the

United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada• The station is used for research and can test

spacecraft systems and equipment required for missions to the Moon and Mars

How and What Do Astronauts Eat?

How and What Do Astronauts Eat?

• Fresh food (apples and oranges) can be eaten in the first few days in space

• Dried food – apricots, beef (jerky)• Irradiated food (specially treated to last long)• Natural food – nuts and tortillas• Dehydrated food (oatmeal, specially packaged meals)• Crystallized or dehydrated drinks (tea, coffee, juice,

lemonade)• Chris Hadfield’s menu:

http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/living-eating-menu.asp

How Do Astronauts Sleep in Space?

How Do Astronauts Sleep in Space?

• Sleeping bag tied to the wall of a sleeping pod inside the space station

• They do not need a pillow for sleeping because your body is at rest without gravity

• They do not sleep “lying down” because there is no down!

How Do Astronauts Breathe in Space?

How Do Astronauts Breathe in Space?

• Space station is hermetically sealed to keep oxygen in

• Vacuum sucks oxygen out of airlock room when opening into space for a spacewalk

• Backpack on spacesuit is filled with oxygen supply for a spacewalk

• Spacesuit is pressurized so the astronaut has an atmosphere inside their suit

The Canadarm and Canadarm2

Canadarm and Canadarm2

• Canadarm was the first robotic arm built by the Canadian Space Agency - it was 15 metres long and was “retired” in 2011

• Canadarm2 is a 17 metre-long robotic arm that assembled the International Space Station (ISS) while in space

• It is routinely used to move supplies, equipment and even astronauts

• Canadarm2 also “catches” spacecraft that are sent to the ISS with supplies for the astronauts

How Do Astronauts get to the ISS?

• Astronauts travel on space shuttles to get to the ISS

• Astronauts and their supplies are in the orbiter, the rest is the fuel to get them into space

Science Astronaut ReviewQuiz – Friday November 15

• know the astronauts and their “firsts” (first to land on the moon, first Canadian in space, etc.)

• MIR and International Space Station (ISS) – know some differences (who built each), which still in use, and what they are

• Canadarm/Canadarm2 – know what they are and what they are used for

• “Race to Space” – know countries involved• know some examples of what astronauts eat in space• basic idea of how astronauts sleep in space• know a few things about the spacesuit – how it keeps the

astronaut alive

Videos and References• Chris Hadfield – what it was like to go into space

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r-rMxNIsFA• Chris Hadfield – sleeping in space

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyFYgeE32f0• Neil Armstrong landing on the moon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwZb2mqId0A• Apollo 11 launch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmHABUfjYPI• Apollo 11 moonwalks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4KxesvbiMU• Bill Nye – space exploration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_hvH3KSkRg• How a space shuttle launches and the parts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF-QXK5f8SM• How Stuff Works – Astronaut Notes

http://science.howstuffworks.com/astronaut6.htm