Space ExplorationChris Hall

Aerospace and Ocean EngineeringVirginia Tech

chall@aoe.vt.edu

Chris HallAerospace and Ocean

EngineeringVirginia Tech

chall@aoe.vt.edu

Our journeys to the stars will be made on spaceships created by determined, hardworking scientists and engineers applying the principles of science, not aboard flying saucers piloted by little gray aliens from some other dimension.

— Robert A. Bakerin “The Aliens Among Us: Hypnotic Regression Revisited”, The Skeptical Inquirer, 1988

Why Explore Space?

• Colonization - Marvin the Martian wants to colonize Earth and We want to colonize Mars

• Science - We want to understand the universe and other planets

• Communications - Every day we use hundreds of satellites to communicate with other Earthlings

• Weather and Navigation, and the list goes on

• Colonization - Marvin the Martian wants to colonize Earth and We want to colonize Mars

• Science - We want to understand the universe and other planets

• Communications - Every day we use hundreds of satellites to communicate with other Earthlings

• Weather and Navigation, and the list goes on

What’s In Space?

Planets!These pictures of Saturn and Jupiter were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Planets!These pictures of Saturn and Jupiter were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

History of Space Exploration

The heavens declare the glory of God,And the firmament showeth His handiwork...In them He has set a tent for the sun….

from Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God,And the firmament showeth His handiwork...In them He has set a tent for the sun….

from Psalm 19

• For thousands of years, humans observed the night sky

• They noticed the patterns and named groups of stars constellations

• They noticed that some of the stars wandered around among the others

• The ancient Greeks called these Wanderers Planets

• Aristarchus (c. 300 BC) first suggested that the Earth revolved around the Sun

• For thousands of years, humans observed the night sky

• They noticed the patterns and named groups of stars constellations

• They noticed that some of the stars wandered around among the others

• The ancient Greeks called these Wanderers Planets

• Aristarchus (c. 300 BC) first suggested that the Earth revolved around the Sun

Pre-Modern History• Tycho Brahe (left)

(1546-1601) made the observations that led to

• Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) discovering how the planets go around the sun, followed by

• Isaac Newton (1643-1727) inventing the mathematics used to prove Kepler’s discoveries

• Tycho Brahe (left) (1546-1601) made the observations that led to

• Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) discovering how the planets go around the sun, followed by

• Isaac Newton (1643-1727) inventing the mathematics used to prove Kepler’s discoveries

Some Modern History

"The earth is the cradle of mankind - one cannot remain in the cradle forever" - Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935)

"The earth is the cradle of mankind - one cannot remain in the cradle forever" - Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935)

• In 1814 Sir William Congreve’s (1772-1828) rockets were used by British at Ft McHenry, witnessed by Francis Scott Key

• In 1903 the Wright Brothers made the first powered airplane flight

• In 1926 Robert Goddard (left) (1882-1945) flew the first liquid fuel rocket

• In 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik the first artificial satellite

• In 1981 the Space Shuttle Columbia made the first shuttle flight

• In 1814 Sir William Congreve’s (1772-1828) rockets were used by British at Ft McHenry, witnessed by Francis Scott Key

• In 1903 the Wright Brothers made the first powered airplane flight

• In 1926 Robert Goddard (left) (1882-1945) flew the first liquid fuel rocket

• In 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik the first artificial satellite

• In 1981 the Space Shuttle Columbia made the first shuttle flight

International Space Station - Visible Passes Search Period Start: 12:00 Thursday, 15 April, 1999 Search Period End: 12:00 Sunday, 25 April, 1999 Observer's Location: Wytheville ( 36.9480°N, 81.0850°W)Local Time: Eastern Daylight Time Orbit: 384 x 391 km, 51.6°

Date Mag Starts Max. Elevation EndsTime El Az Time El Az Time El Az

16 Apr 3.1 6:04 AM 10 N 6:06 AM 19 NE 6:09 AM 10 E17 Apr 3.7 5:07 AM 10 N 5:08 AM 12 N 5:10 AM 10 NE18 Apr 2.3 5:44 AM 10 NW 5:47 AM 31 NE 5:50 AM 10 E19 Apr 3.3 4:46 AM 10 N 4:49 AM 18 NE 4:51 AM 10 E20 Apr 4.0 3:51 AM 11 NE 3:52 AM 11 NE 3:52 AM 10 NE20 Apr 0.9 5:24 AM 10 NW 5:28 AM 61 NE 5:31 AM 10 SE21 Apr 2.4 4:29 AM 28 NE 4:30 AM 28 NE 4:33 AM 10 E21 Apr 1.5 6:03 AM 10 W 6:06 AM 24 SW 6:08 AM 10 S21 Apr 1.6 9:01 PM 10 S 9:04 PM 23 SE 21:05 AM 22 SE22 Apr 0.4 5:08 AM 59 S 5:08 AM 59 S 5:11 AM 10 SE23 Apr 0.6 8:41 PM 10 SW 8:44 PM 48 SE 8:47 PM 10 NE23 Apr 3.2 10:18 PM 10 W 10:20 PM 18 NW 10:22 PM 13 N24 Apr 2.2 9:19 PM 10 W 9:22 PM 33 NW 9:25 PM 10 NEhttp://www2.gsoc.dlr.de/scripts/satvis/satvis.asp?Loc=Wytheville&Lat=36.948&Lng=-

81.085&TZ=EST

International Space Station - Visible Passes Search Period Start: 12:00 Thursday, 15 April, 1999 Search Period End: 12:00 Sunday, 25 April, 1999 Observer's Location: Wytheville ( 36.9480°N, 81.0850°W)Local Time: Eastern Daylight Time Orbit: 384 x 391 km, 51.6°

Date Mag Starts Max. Elevation EndsTime El Az Time El Az Time El Az

16 Apr 3.1 6:04 AM 10 N 6:06 AM 19 NE 6:09 AM 10 E17 Apr 3.7 5:07 AM 10 N 5:08 AM 12 N 5:10 AM 10 NE18 Apr 2.3 5:44 AM 10 NW 5:47 AM 31 NE 5:50 AM 10 E19 Apr 3.3 4:46 AM 10 N 4:49 AM 18 NE 4:51 AM 10 E20 Apr 4.0 3:51 AM 11 NE 3:52 AM 11 NE 3:52 AM 10 NE20 Apr 0.9 5:24 AM 10 NW 5:28 AM 61 NE 5:31 AM 10 SE21 Apr 2.4 4:29 AM 28 NE 4:30 AM 28 NE 4:33 AM 10 E21 Apr 1.5 6:03 AM 10 W 6:06 AM 24 SW 6:08 AM 10 S21 Apr 1.6 9:01 PM 10 S 9:04 PM 23 SE 21:05 AM 22 SE22 Apr 0.4 5:08 AM 59 S 5:08 AM 59 S 5:11 AM 10 SE23 Apr 0.6 8:41 PM 10 SW 8:44 PM 48 SE 8:47 PM 10 NE23 Apr 3.2 10:18 PM 10 W 10:20 PM 18 NW 10:22 PM 13 N24 Apr 2.2 9:19 PM 10 W 9:22 PM 33 NW 9:25 PM 10 NEhttp://www2.gsoc.dlr.de/scripts/satvis/satvis.asp?Loc=Wytheville&Lat=36.948&Lng=-

81.085&TZ=EST

Space Exploration Merit Badge

• Requirements– Know and describe the Purpose and

History of Space Exploration– Build and Fly a Model Rocket!– Know the basic Laws of Physics– Describe the operation of the space

shuttle– Discuss what has been learned about the

Moon and planets– Design a Space Station

• Requirements– Know and describe the Purpose and

History of Space Exploration– Build and Fly a Model Rocket!– Know the basic Laws of Physics– Describe the operation of the space

shuttle– Discuss what has been learned about the

Moon and planets– Design a Space Station