Tools and Technologies: To Understand Our Universe

Standard and Benchmark Know that tools and technologies (e.g., telescopes, probes, satellites, spacecraft) have been used to further our understanding of the universe

Objective Discuss the importance of different tools that helped us understand the universe. Participate in a think-pair-share activity to discuss what they know about tools and technologies used to understand the universe. Participate in a three-minute review to ask questions to clarify what is being taught.

Vocabulary Telescope Rocket NASA Artificial satellite Space probe

Warm-up Think-Pair- Think for 2 minutes What are some tools and technologies that we use today to help us better understand the universe? How are they useful? Pair for 2 minutes Now, with a partner discuss your thoughts. Find common answers and differences. Make sure to remember what you and your partner discussed about. Share Now, everyone will share what we learned/discussed with our partner. Share

Telescope: It’s an instrument that gathers electromagnetic radiation from objects in space and concentrates it for better observation. Types of telescopes: –Optical Telescopes –Refracting Telescopes –Reflecting Telescopes –Nonoptical Telescopes –Radio Telescopes –Linking Radio Telescopes One of the first people to use a telescope to observe objects in the sky was Galileo Galilei (1609).

Continuation of Telescopes: Refracting telescopes use lenses to gather and focus light, whereas reflecting telescopes use mirror to gather and focus light. The atmosphere blocks most forms of electromagnetic radiation from reaching the Earth. To overcome this limitation, astronomers place telescopes in space. There are many types of telescopes that are used to detect objects in space.

Rocket Science About 100 years ago, a Russian high school teacher named Konstantin Tsiolkovsky proposed that machines called rockets could take people to outer space. Rockets would become the key to leaving the cradle of Earth and starting the age of space exploration. Although Tsiolkovsky proved that rockets could reach outer space, he never built any rockets. An American Physicist and inventor Robert Goddard tested more than 150 rocket engines.

Rocket Science Goddards’ work began to interest the US military. Rockets were used to transport explosives from Germany military bases to London. After the end of WWII marked the beginning of the Cold War (tension between US and Soviet Union). The Cold War was marked by an arms race by competition in space technology. The US government formed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in NASA combined all the rocket-development teams in the US.

How Rockets Work Rockets burn fuel to provide the thrust that propels them. In order for something to burn, oxygen must be present. Once rockets reach the upper atmosphere and in outer space, rockets need to carry enough oxygen to be able to burn fuel. (hundred of thousands of gallons of liquid oxygen). The gravitational pull of the Earth is the main factor that a rocket must overcome. Rockets must reach a certain velocity, or speed and direction to orbit or escape Earth.

Orbital Velocity and Escape Velocity The lowest possible speed a rocket may go and still orbit the Earth is about 8 km/s (17,927 mi/h). If it goes any slower, it will fall back to Earth. The speed a rocket must reach to escape the Earth is about 11 km/s (24, 606 mi/h).

Three-Minute Review You have 3 minutes to review with your group what has been said. You may ask clarifying questions or answer questions.

Artificial Satellites Any human-made object placed in orbit around a body in space. There are many kinds of artificial satellites– Weather Satellites, Communications Satellites, Remote- sensing Satellites. Not only does it help us explore space, it changed the way we lived.

The First Satellite Sputnik 1, was launched by the Soviets in Orbited the Earth for 57 days before it fell back to Earth and burned up in the atmosphere. Two months later, Sputnik 2 carried the first living being into space—a dog named Laika. The US follwed with the launch of its first satellite— Explorer 1 in Today, thousands of satellites orbit the Earth, and more are launched every year.

Where do they orbit? Satellites are placed in different types of orbits. All of the early satellites were placed in low Earth orbit (LEO). LEO moves around the Earth quickly and provides clear images of Earth. Most communications satellites are placed in geostationary orbit (GEO).

Three-Minute Review You have 3 minutes to review with your group what has been said. You may ask clarifying questions or answer questions.

Space Probes An uncrewed vehicle that carries scientific instruments to planets or other bodies in space. They are not like satellites, they travel away from Earth. They are important because they can complete missions that could be very dangerous and expensive for humans to undertake.

Luna and Clementine: Missions to the Moon Luna 1, the first space probe was launched by the Soviets in 1959 to fly past the moon. In 1966, Luna 9 made the first landing on the moon’s surface. During the next ten years, the US and Soviets have completed more than 30 lunar missions. In 1994, the US probe Clementine discovered the craters of the moon may contain water left by comet impacts. In 1998, the Lunar Prospector confirmed that frozen water exists on the Moon.

Venera 9 The first probe to land on Venus. (Soviet) The probe parachuted into Venus’s atmosphere and transmitted images of the surface. Venera 9 found that the atmospheric pressure and temperature are higher than on Earth.

The Magellan Mission In 1989, the US launched the Magellan probe, which used radar to map 98% of Venus’s surface. The Magellan mission showed that, in many ways, the geology of Venus is similar to that of Earth. Venus has features that suggests that plate tectonics occurs there. Venus also has volcanoes and some may be active.

The Viking Missions In 1975, the US sent a pair of probes—Viking 1 and 2 to Mars. The main goal of the Viking missions was to look for signs of life. Surface of Mars is similar to Earth. Viking found evidence that Mars was once warmer and wetter than it is now. Scientist posed questions regarding life existing there before and what caused the change of climate?

Three-Minute Review You have 3 minutes to review with your group what has been said. You may ask clarifying questions or answer questions.

Wrap it up So did we: Discuss the importance of different tools that helped us understand the universe? Participate in a think-pair-share activity to discuss what they know about tools and technologies used to understand the universe? Participate in a three-minute review to ask questions to clarify what is being taught?