6-3 Space and Technology

Exploring Space – Course 3

My Planet Diary pg. 224Ellen Ochoa

A couple of years after Sally Ride became the first American woman astronaut, Ellen Ochoa applied to NASA. She eventually went on missions aboard the space shuttle. Before she flew in space, however, Ochoa worked for NASA and other research organizations as an engineer. She invented three systems that use optical devices like lasers and holograms to get information from images. Her research can be applied to many different applications. They include inspecting equipment in a manufacturing plant and helping a spacecraft make a safe landing on Mars.

How do you think Ochoa’s inventions could be useful on Earth?

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How Does Technology Help People Live in Space? Pg. 224

To help people live in space, engineers have created technology that provides air and insulation as well as the ability to work in microgravity.

• Space has no air and is nearly a vacuum, a place that is empty of all matter. Since there is no air in space, there is no oxygen for astronauts to breathe. So spacecraft must be airtight. Spacecraft must also be well insulated to protect astronauts against the extreme temperatures outside.

How Does Technology Help People Live in Space? Pg. 224

Astronauts in orbit experience a feeling of weightlessness, or microgravity. Space engineers must create devices that can work in microgravity. Astronauts feel weightless because they are falling through space with their spacecraft. They don’t fall to Earth because their inertia keeps them moving.

How Has Space Technology Benefitted People? Pg. 227

The space program has developed new technologies that help scientists work and new consumer products that people can use.

Technology for data collection and storage, sample collection, computation, measurement, and communication of information has aided scientists studying space.

A space spinoff is an item that has been used on Earth but was originally developed for use in space. Often such spinoffs are modified somewhat for use on Earth. The space program has led to the development of many thousands of products, among them consumer products, new materials, medical devices, and communications satellites.

Technology in Space Science pg. 227

NASA has published a list of space technologies that have been integrated into everyday items. The tangible benefits span from life-saving medical devices to protective eyewear. To date, NASA has documented nearly 1,800 "spinoff" technologies. Here's a short list.

Artificial limbs Baby formula Cell-phone cameras Computer mouse

Cordless tools Ear thermometer Firefighter gear Freeze-dried food

Golf clubs Long-distance communication Invisible braces

MRI and CAT scans Memory foam Safer highways

Solar panels Shoe insoles Ski boots Adjustable smoke detector

Water filters UV-blocking sunglasses

NASA did not invent: Tang, Velcro, TeflonRead more: http://www.businessinsider.com/everyday-items-developed-by-nasa-2012-8#ixzz2ScrhVh3S

Consumer ProductsSpace spinoffs include many devices used in consumer products.

Space and Technology

New Materials A variety of materials were first developed by chemists and engineers for use in spacecraft.

Space and Technology

Medical Devices Medical science has benefited greatly from the technology of the space program.

Space and Technology

Space and Technology

Space SpinoffsThe word bank below shows space spinoffs. Choose three items, and describe three ways we might use them on Earth.

Apply It! Pg. 228

Draw Conclusions- Three items are shown in the top row on page 228 now that were developed for use in space. In the bottom row write in the number for each item that corresponds to the space spinoff. Explain why you made each connection.

Assess Your Understanding pg. 229

1a. Define- What is a space spinoff? ______________________

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b. Assess- How does science benefit from communication technology? _______________________________________

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c. Compare and Contrast- Choose one space spinoff and compare how it is used in space and on Earth. ____________

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I get it! Now I know that the space program has developed

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What are some Uses of Satellites Orbiting Earth? Pg. 230

Satellites are used for communications and for collecting weather data, and other scientific data. •Observation satellites are used for many purposes, including tracking weather systems, mapping Earth’s surface, and observing changes in Earth’s environment.

•Observation satellites collect data using remote sensing, which is the collection of information about Earth and other objects in space without being in direct contact.

•Satellites are placed in different orbits depending on their purpose. Most communications satellites are placed in a geostationary orbit. In a geostationary orbit, a satellite orbits Earth at the same rate as Earth rotates and thus stays over the same place on Earth’s equator all the time.

Some Satellites in orbit around Earth (see brainpop satellites video)

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Assess Your Understanding pg. 231

2a Listing- Name 2 uses of satellites that affect everyday life.

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b. Infer- What advantage would there be to placing a satellite in geostationary orbit? _________________________________

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c. How does exploring space benefit people on Earth?

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I get it! Now I know that satellites are used for ______________

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