1. The Hazards for Spacecraft

2. Warm Up Questions CPS Questions (1-2)
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

3. Lesson Overview The threat caused by high levels of radiation
The hazards of impact damage to spacecraft
The threats associated with surface landings
Fire hazards in space
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

4. (Note to teacher: Use “Pick a Student” button in CPS)
Quick Write
How do you think NASA scientists should protect against the hazards of space impact? Are collisions in space an acceptable part of the price to pay for space exploration?
(Note to teacher: Use “Pick a Student” button in CPS)
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

5. The Threat Caused by High Levels of Radiation
Radiation exposure is one of the biggest hazards to spacecraft
Outside the protection of Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field, spacecraft and their crews are exposed to solar radiation—solar flares—to cosmic radiation from elsewhere in the universe
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

6. The Threat of Solar Storms to Spacecraft in High Orbit
A solar storm - an episode of violent space weather resulting from particles streaming outward from the Sun
Chapter 5, Lesson 3
Courtesy of SOHO/ESA & NASA

7. How Radiation Can Damage Machines and Cause Computer Failure in Space
Radiation in space poses several threats to space hardware
It can cause metals and
materials to deteriorate,
lose strength, and
become less flexible
Chapter 5, Lesson 3
Courtesy of NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Scientific Visualization Studio

8. How Radiation Can Damage Machines and Cause Computer Failure in Space, cont.
Electronics can break down when cosmic rays pass through critical parts and short the circuits
Ions or electromagnetic radiation can affect the output or operation of an electronic device
Critical computer systems need the ability to detect and correct errors
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

9. The Damage That Meteoroids Can Cause to Spacecraft
When a meteoroid hits a spacecraft, it can disintegrate, creating a cloud of plasma
Under the right conditions, this plasma cloud can set off a chain reaction causing massive short circuits
When scientists forecast meteoroid showers, NASA and other authorities take precautions, such as pointing vulnerable systems away from the incoming meteoroids
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

10. The Damage That Meteoroids Can Cause to Spacecraft, cont.
Even a small particle of debris can do a lot of damage if it travels on a collision course with a spacecraft.
Chapter 5, Lesson 3
Courtesy of NASA

11. How Junk in Space Can Damage Spacecraft
Items no longer serving a useful purpose remain in orbit
Posing a potential collision hazard to everything else in space
Space junk moves pretty fast
Even a small object can do a lot of damage
Chapter 5, Lesson 3
Courtesy of NASA

12. The Threat Caused by Clouds of Space Dust
Top priority for NASA to
map dust clouds and calculate their orbits
This work involves
computer modeling of streams of cometary debris
Scientists also watch the sky for meteor outbursts on Earth
Chapter 5, Lesson 3
Courtesy of NASA

13. How Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology Helps Spacecraft Avoid Hazards
ALHAT system is designed to detect hazards and then to direct the lander to the safest spot available for touchdown
ALHAT will be able to guide spacecraft precisely and repeatedly to certain designated landing sites
Chapter 5, Lesson 3
Courtesy of NASA

14. How Surface Boulders, Craters, and Sloping Hillsides Threaten Spacecraft
Any single boulder, crater or sloping hillside could be enough to threaten a spacecraft’s safe landing
Another lunar safety hazard is the blinding dust that the lunar lander’s rocket exhaust kicks up
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

15. The Threats Associated With Propulsion Maneuvers in Space
Spacecraft rely on enormous rockets to get up into space in the first place, and then on smaller rockets to maneuver once they leave Earth
Any time a spacecraft pilot fires up the rockets, he or she is playing with fire
At any point, something could go wrong
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

16. The Special Concerns for Fire Prevention in a Microgravity Environment
In microgravity – a condition of gravity so low that weightlessness results - no convective flows exist, and flames are spherical, soot-free and blue
Vital to know what makes flames start and stop in low gravity, and how flames in such conditions behave while burning
Chapter 5, Lesson 3
Courtesy of NASA

17. Research Into Spiral Flames
Researchers thought that spiral flames could be common in microgravity
Scientists want to understand better the phenomenon of fire whorl or “devil wind,” and they think they can learn from studying spiral flames
Combustion studies are a key aspect of spacecraft safety research
Chapter 5, Lesson 3
Courtesy of NASA

18. Learning Check CPS Questions (3-4)
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

19. Activity 1: Shooting Hoops
Answer trivia questions relating to the vocabulary and other terms in the lesson for the chance to earn points for your team.
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

20. Activity 2: Meteoroid Hazards to Spacecraft
Follow the instructions to complete this activity about what it takes to protect spacecraft and astronauts from meteoroids
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

21. Activity 3: Shooting for the Moon
After watching the NASA video “Shooting for the Moon” with your class, gather in your assigned small groups to discuss and answer the questions on the worksheet
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

22. Technology Enrichment: Research on Space Junk
In your assigned groups, use a search engine such as goggle.com or yahoo.com or a NASA site to conduct research on the Internet about space junk
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

23. Review
Radiation from the Sun and elsewhere in space poses several threats to space hardware
Even a small particle of debris can do a lot of damage if it travels on a collision course with a spacecraft
Any single boulder, crater, or sloping hillside could be enough to threaten a spacecraft’s safe landing
Combustion studies are a key aspect of spacecraft safety research
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

24. Review Questions CPS Questions (5-6)
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

25. Summary The threats caused by high levels of radiation
The hazards of impact damage to spacecraft
The threats associated with surface landings
Fire hazards in space
Chapter 5, Lesson 3

26. Next… Done – The Hazards for Spacecraft
Next – Making Space People-Friendly
Chapter 5, Lesson 3
Courtesy of NASA