If astronauts on the space station are held in orbit by Earth's gravitational pull, then why does it appear like they are weightless in space? What special tools or differences in lifestyle do they have as a result of this weightless-atmosphere? Weightlessness is a very discussed topic, yet a lot people do not know why astronauts are actually weightless in space. With this research paper you will be able to learn and understand how weightlessness in orbit works. Before anything we have to explain what weightlessness actually is; weightlessness is a sensation; it does not really corresponds to an individual who has lost weight. (physicsclassroom.com). Most people understand why astronauts and objects appear to float around in space, but …show more content…
This is totally incorrect. If they were that far away, Earth's gravity would not pull the shuttle either. Astronauts are weightless in space but not because of the reason mention above. But what is weightlessness actually? Weightlessness is the absences of 'weight'. It is an absence of stress and normal forces from floors, beds, scales, and the like. The tangential velocity allow astronauts to remain in orbital motion while the force of gravity pulls them inward. This is one of the reasons why astronauts appear …show more content…
Astronauts use different tools and life techniques to live a healthy life. Because life is so different between space and Earth, it is hard adapting and getting use to that life. Staying clean takes more work in space. Astronauts do not have a bathroom like we have at home. But they do have their own toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, brushes, and shavers. These are kept in a Personal Hygiene Kit (nasa.org). Another big and important issue that astronauts have to deal with is microgravity. Microgravity is the condition in which people or objects appear to be weightless. The effects of microgravity can be seen when astronauts and objects float in space (nasa.gov). Microgravity is an issue because astronauts are not used to have so little gravity. On Earth we do not deal with microgravity and for astronauts getting use to it may be difficult. What can be done in space to help deal with microgravity? With respect to nonliving things, every object in the shuttle or space station must be stowed in lockers, strapped down, or attached to the wall with Velcro.
2. Space is a big place, it is constantly expanding, probes sent into space haven’t even reached the edge of the solar system, and people have only been as far as the moon. When looking at space from a distance the Earth is nothing when compared to the whole of space. The Air Force Space Command is made up of over 38,000 people at over 130 locations across the globe, this includes cyberspace as well.1 Space has a several traits that
A shuttle is the size of a jetliner, lifts into space using powerful boosters, and returns to Earth as a glider due to its aerodynamic wings. Launching like a rocket, it orbits the earth like a spacecraft and lands like an airplane ("Shuttle Basics," par. 1). It takes eight and a half minutes for the shuttle to reach space, it travels at 17,500 miles per hour, and the crew can see the sunrise or sunset every 45 minutes ("Space Shuttle Program," par. 3). The shuttle consists three main parts: the Orbiter Vehicle, two Solid Rocket Boosters, and the External Tank.
Human minds cannot comprehend how colossal an idea like space is. To obtain a firmer understanding of what or who is floating around up there, scientists all around the world invest their entire fortune and lives into exploring the unknown. Many explorations have proven successful in expanding human knowledge about space, but Skylab, America’s first space station, has demonstrated triumphant in three different space missions documenting the foreign world (Dunbar, “Part I”). Skylab Space Station was a revolutionary development in the history of space exploration with its many missions and daily life for its astronauts.
This Interview was with Eddy the Eco-Dog and Julie Payette on Kidswebtv and they discussed about astronauts role in space and why we explore space and Julie Payette said that we explore in order to gain knowledge and understanding of our place in this solar system and this universe.18 (see Appendix D for the actual
Approximately sixty years ago the United States sent two monkeys, a Rhesus and Squirrel monkey, into space. The monkeys were named Able and Baker, they were shot into space about 360 miles up and experienced about nine minutes of weightlessness.
Support A: SECOND POINT: Astronaut’s health are the first priority before travelling to space however, it is proven that space exploration or staying in the space can actually affect a person’s health. Support A: According to a study done by NASA, astronauts that stays in space for six months or even longer are found to have some changes in their eyes and their vision.
The Effects of Gravity There are some people who worry when they're outside, if they don't keep a good grip on the ground, they'll just go flinging off into space. They needn't really worry. about this, because gravity generally keeps that sort of thing from happening. The thing is, no one is really sure what causes gravity, but the effects have been studied by many. physicists and astronomers of the world.
With no oxygen and almost zero pressure in the space, 12 seconds exposure to the vacuum of space will cause the blood in your body to vaporize, your body would swell just like a balloon being filled with air, your lungs would collapse, and the saliva in your mouth will start boiling. All these happens because the boiling point is significantly lower in the vacuum. The lower the pressure, the lower the boiling point is in that environment.
Detractors of public sector space agencies like NASA frequently argue that expending money and resources on sending humans into space is wasteful and irresponsible during shaky economic times. After all, in 2010 the U.S. Census Bureau in recorded 46.2 million people in poverty, the largest number in the 52 years the figure has been published. Putting tax dollars into a shuttle and sending it on an extraplanetary voyage is uneconomical in the eyes of many. However, beneficial developments of the space program can be found in airports, hospitals, laboratories, and homes around the world. Foam created for protecting the outside of a shuttle passing through the harsh atmosphere has found use as a durable, light-weight molding material for artificial limbs. Research and development for NASA'S programs has parented a network of hundreds of communication satellites used around the world on a daily basis and monitored by NASA. Robotic arms used for repairs, maintenance, and hazardous labor in sp...
Since we first sent rockets into Earths orbit, we have been pushing the technological boundaries in order to reach new heights. Space exploration has caused advances in almost every field imaginable. We have seen new technology in the fields of telecommunications, innovative new light-weight materials, rockets and aircraft material. Space exploration by nature causes innovation because the need for “increased performance in space… usually means getting more out of less” (Crusan & Neumann, 2011). These size and weight constraints on materials and equipment have lead to the creation of devices that we use everyday like water filters, scratch resistant lenses, and memory foam. The newest advancement in NASA’s long list of innovations is the International Space station (ISS). The ISS a long-term micro-gravity research station that helps us get closer to eventually making a journey to other planets. NASA has been doing the impossible for 55 years and is now in the process of handing over the reigns to the private sector. Companies like Virgin Galactic and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) have taken over wh...
(Source K) Flowers, Sarah. “Understanding: Space Travel.” Rev. of Understanding: Space Travel. PoQuest. N.p., Aug. 2000. Web. 12 Mar. 2012. .
I would like to add that as the contamination of space continues to grow it will increase the risk of collisions that cause damage to the spacecraft. With the existing technologies it is a difficult task of improving the state of the space environment but any reasonable step to preserve space for the future generations will involve steps to reduce pollution.
malfunctions, and psychological problems brought on by isolation. The solution to radiation exposure is to have proper shielding for the astronauts. The physiological problems faced by humans in a weightless environment could be eliminated entirely, if they had artificial gravity. If some type of malfunction were to occur on the spacecraft, or the temporary settlement on Mars, it would be prudent for the astronauts to have an emergency escape vessel. Also, providing some type of normality for the astronauts while in space and on Mars, like artificial gravity, books to read, movies to watch, games to play, and the creation of a weekly support group, would promote a healthy psychological mindset.
Measures to mitigate the risks of space debris, including spacecraft design and measures to protect against space debris.
Thesis statement: The International Space Station is an artificial satellite made up of pressurized and un-pressurized modules. The ISS serves as a low gravity research laboratory where experiments from the different fields of science are conducted in environments that are very different from those on the Earth.