LUNAJourney to the Moon

Characteristics

384,000 Km away from earth Diameter of 3,476 Km Density is 1/80th of Earth Temperature range: 130°C to -180°C No atmosphere No liquid water, Ice at Poles

Moon’s Surface3 major Features

Maria: Dark flat areas due to lava flowsLatin for seas. Galileo thought

there were oceans Craters: Large round pits

Caused by impact of meteoroids Chunks of rock or dust

Highlands: Light-colored features that are mountains

Origin of the Moon

Planet sized object crashed into earth

Mantle material and outer layer ejected into space

Forms a ring around Earth Gravity formed into Moon

Traveling into Space

Rocket: a device that expels gas in one direction to move the rocket in the other direction

A rocket moves forward when gases shooting out the back of the rocket push it in the opposite direction

2 Forces: Action and Reaction

Action and Reaction

Law of Physics: For every force, or action, there is an equal and opposite force, or reaction.

Thrust: Reaction force that propels a rocket forward Depends upon mass and speed of gases Greater the thrust the greater the velocity

Action Force: Rocket pushes gases out Reaction Force: Gases push rocket

forward

Orbital and EscapeVelocity

Escape Velocity: Velocity a rocket must reach to fly beyond a planet’s gravitational pull

Orbital Velocity: The velocity a rocket must achieve to establish an orbit around Earth.

What is the advantage of a multistage rocket?

Multistage Rocket

NASA National Aeronautics and Space

Administration Established 1958

Mercury Missions: 1959 – 1963 How do we get into space

Gemini Mission: 1961 – 1966 Travel, maneuvering, living in space, how

do we get to the moon Apollo Missions: 1961 – 1972

Getting a man to the moon, landing and getting them back safely