THE SPACE AGE

ROCKET DREAMERS The late 20 th century saw a revolution in our understanding of the universe… for the first time, humans and their machines traveled into space!!

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857 – 1935) Russian School teacher Worked out the basic equations for rocketry, Determined liquid fuel rockets would be needed to get to space Oxygen and hydrogen would be the best fuels

Robert Goddard ( ) Physics professor 1926 launched the world’s first liquid fueled rocket. Developed nearly the entirety of rocket technology.

Hermann Oberth ( ) Developed principles of rocketry 1929 published influential book “The Rocket into Interplanetary Space” Convinced the world that rockets were the way to space

Wernher Van Braun ( ) Developed and launched first rocket capable of reaching space (German V2) At end of World War II, brought his scientists and engineers out of Germany to the Americans

The Space Race ( ) In the aftermath of World War II, the Soviet Union and the United States captured Germany rocketry, designs and personnel World War to Cold War

The Space Race ( ) Competition –Explore outer space with satellites –Send humans to space –Land humans on the Moon

Satellites Natural satellite = an object naturally occurring in orbit Artificial satellite = an object put into orbit by human endeavour

Sputnik 1 First artificial satellite to orbit the Earth Launched October 4, R-7 Rocket. Marks the start of the Space Race Caused fear and stirred political debate in the US Eisenhower administration formed NASA

Explorer 1 Launched February 1, Jupiter-C rocket. First USA Earth satellite These first satellites were used for scientific purposes. –Sputnik: density of upper atmosphere –Explorer: discovery of Van Allen radiation belt

Schooling Impacts Effort to regain technological supremacy National Defence Education Act –Revamp school curriculum –New school construction –Loans and fellowships for promising students –Vocational training –Other programs

Project SCORE S ignal C ommunications O rbit R elay E quipment World’s First communications satellite (USA) Launched December 18, 1958 Relayed a Christmas message from President Eisenhower to the worldChristmas message Atlas Missile used to launch SCORE

Animals in Space First animals = fruit flies –Launched by USA, 1946 –German V-2 Rocket First in orbit = dog named Laika –Launched by Soviet Union, 1957 –Sputnik2 –Never returned. Died from overheating and stress.

More Animals Soviet dogs, Belka and Strelka, orbited the Earth and returned Americans sent chimpanzees Soviets sent turtles in First to orbit the moon.

Humans in Space Soviets first to fulfill human spaceflight with own spaceship and launcher First Human: Yuri Gagarin –Vostok 1 –April 12, 1961 –Orbited Earth for 108min

Humans in Space 23 days later, Alan Shepard entered space for the USA Sub-orbital mission Freedom7 Less than 16min Altitude of 187km

Humans in Space First American to orbit the Earth, John Glenn February 20, 1962 Completed 3 orbits Friendship7

Humans in Space More Soviet Firsts –First dual-manned flight: August 11, 1962 –First woman: Valentina Tereshkova. June 16, 1963 –First flight with more than 2 crew: October 12, 1964 –First spacewalk: March 18, 1965

Lunar Missions Before they could put a person on the Moon, unmanned spacecraft had to land safely. Americans: –The Pioneer Program –The Ranger Program –The Lunar Orbiter Program –The robotic Surveyor Program (locate Apollo landing sites) Soviets: –Luna 1 (January 1959), Luna 2 (September 1959)

The Apollo Program Established in 1961 President Kennedy and V.P. Lyndon B. Johnson Goal: manned moon- landing missions December 21, 1968: James Lovell, Frank Borman and Bill Anders in Apollo 8 orbited the moon 10 times

The Apollo Program July 20, Apollo 11 mission Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins 5 other Apollo missions have landed on the moon Last in 1972

Since the end of the Race Science and math education in school Thousands of artificial satellites Food sterilization and packaging techniques Stay dry clothing, anti-fog goggles, scratch resistant glasses, athletic shoes, cordless tools, CAT scans and MRI

Since the end of the Race April 12, 1981: USA Launched first reusable Spacecraft (space shuttle) November 15, 1986: Soviet Union launched their first reusable spacecraft November, 1998: Assembly of the ISS begins October 15, 2003: China launched their first human spaceflight. Shenzhou 5.

Earth’s atmosphere is about 480km thick. About 80% is within the first 16km. No definite end, just thins until it merges with outer space. Generally agreed that space starts about 95km above Earth.

Space Shuttles During the “Shuttle Era”, 6 orbiters were built –Enterprise: approach & landing tests only –Columbia: first to fly into space. Broke-up during re- entry Feb –Challenger: lost in January 1986 –Discovery –Atlantis –Endeavor: built to replace Challenger

Escaping Earth Minimum velocity required to remain in orbit is called orbital velocity. Velocity required to escape Earth’s gravity is about 40%faster than orbital velocity. Escape velocity.

Escaping Earth Launch vehicles have 2 or more sections (stages) –Stage 1 must provide enough thrust (pushing force) to leave Earth’s surface –After the 1 st stage propellants are used up, it will fall away –Then the 2 nd stage fires. When its propellants are used up, it too will fall away.

Returning to Earth Must slowdown!!! Small rockets used to redirect flights path into upper atmosphere Skimming the top of Earth’s atmosphere. air resistance. At end of their fall, parachutes slow it further Shuttles have wings that help land like airplane; some early rockets landed in water