OAGARRAF - Part 2

The International Space Station: Preparation for a Mission to Mars

International Space Station
Since its human-test introduction in 2000, the International Space Station has tested the limits of the human-space experience. In November 2000, the first set of astronauts to call the Space Station home arrived for six months of space living. Since then, the station has been continuously inhabited by astronauts from various countries, with each set of astronauts living in the Space Station for six month stays.
The Space Station Basics
The station is equipped with all of the benefits of a space home: the spacecraft docking station, the living quarters and the research areas. However, the Space Station does not equip visitors with Earth’s standby — gravity — often. Instead, astronauts are tested on the psychological and physical affects procured during a lengthy non-gravity stay. Gravity is available when necessary.
While the astronauts are being tested on their responses to gravity-free living, they complete repairs, upgrades and scientific tests. Each six-month mission is planned to include some spacewalks to repair and upgrade materials aboard the station. These spacewalks enable the astronauts to test their own human reactions to walking in space and to working on items during a spacewalk.
Scientific tests, on the other hand, may be completed in the laboratories or during spacewalks. Each of these tests can center around many laboratory experiments. For example, the astronauts may grow food, test materials or experiment with medical tests (to name a few).
The Future
As NASA and international space programs move forward in the experiments, the new technologies tested will be used in future explorations, farther from Earth. For now, scientists prefer to test the technologies in an environment closer to home. In the future, these tests will be used in missions to Mars and other missions farther from Earth.
Additionally, the Space Station tests completed on the astronauts will identify the problems that could be encountered in longer flights. Any psychological or physical problems encountered in lengthy space stays are better discovered now (240 miles above Earth) than later (34.6 million miles from Earth).

Filed Under: Astronomy, Observatory Tagged With: Earth, International Space Station, NASA

NASA’s Earth Science Mission Directorate

NASA’s Earth Science mission directorate addresses the science of Earth from the larger confines of space. Using satellites to map the oceans, climate and scientific responses, scientists can learn a lot of unknown information about Earth’s climates and environmental changes.
This brings the United States to the forefront of Earth science technologies, which can help us preserve crops and protect citizens through scientific understanding. It can also give us the chance to educate our future scientists, helping them to further explore our Earth in the future. Let’s look at both.
Gaining Scientific Understanding
Scientists still do not fully understand how Earth’s atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere and biosphere connect into one single planet-system. For that reason, NASA’s Earth Science organization aims to scientifically understand all of Earth’s mysteries, to better predict climate, weather and other hazards.
As NASA Earth System Science addresses these issues, the United States will benefit exponentially. Since the country depends on weather information for farming initiatives, weather hazard avoidance and other weather prediction behaviors, it becomes important to study the science, for both monetary value and citizen protection.
Educating Our Future Scientists
NASA Earth System Science also works closely with scientists around the world, collaborating with other scientists to better understand Earth. As they learn, they share their findings with scientists, university students and citizens of the nation and the world.
NASA also shares the information with teachers and instructors, who thereby teach our children to be excited about the math, science, engineering and technology. Instructors are also encouraged to peruse the NASA website for exciting new information that can be shared with students.
This student inspiration — for students of all ages — is one of the most important NASA initiatives, because exciting our children about the inner-workings of the Earth can help them become the leaders of our future world and of future NASA initiatives.
As NASA continues to move forward with Earth Science mission directorates, we will continue to learn ways to safeguard ourselves and our crops, while we teach future generations to seek scientific endeavors.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Earth science, NASA, United States

The Haughton-Mars Project: An Earth-Bound Link to Mars Exploration

The Haughton-Mars Project (HMP) studies the terrain of Devon Island, High Arctic, and the subsequent technologies that make travel to Mars possible. The Devon Island location mimics Mars in many aspects, which makes the location an ideal setting for study, research and tests.
HMP works collaboratively with NASA, however, the project is operated and managed by the Mars Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to the scientific study of Mars. HMP findings are shared with scientists around the world, making their two focuses, scientific and exploratory studies, extremely important to NASA and the world.
Scientific Study
Scientific study in this extreme environment includes geological, biological and historical studies. These studies allow scientists to better determine the evolution of the rocky, polar and desert setting — which may offer insights into the possibility of former life on Mars.
The studies also actively seek life in the environment, studying Devon Island for signs of current life forms. As scientists research this phenomenon, they hope to link signs of life to the possibilities of former or present Martian life forms.
Historically, the Devon Island facility can offer insights into the history of water in the High Arctic. This can then be linked to the possibility of water’s existence on Mars, either in the past or currently.
Exploration Study
Since the Devon Island location is so similar to Mars, researchers are also making headway into the developments that will make human exploration of Mars possible. These research parameters include: developing and testing new technologies, strategizing exploration possibilities and testing the human power to withstand extremes.
The scientists develop and test new technologies, which include robotics, space suits and rovers. Exploration possibilities strategized and human power testing include the most recent HMP test, the Northwest Passage Drive Expedition, which drove over 490 km of sea-ice in the Moon-1 and Mars-1 Humvee Rovers to test the dual-pressurization in a long-range usage.
As HMP moves forward, NASA, the Mars Institute, and scientists worldwide will learn more about Mars, technologies and human capabilities, making our future civilian treks to Mars possible.

Filed Under: Planets, Satellites Tagged With: Mars, Mars Institute, NASA

Russian Spacewalk Planned as Part of NASA Experiment

Image via Wikipedia

A spacewalk, schedule for February 16, at 7:15 a.m. CST, is planned for Russian cosmonauts Dmitry Kondratyev and Oleg Skripochka. The flight engineers have been on the International Space Station for over a month as part of Expedition 26.
The spacewalk will be televised on NASA-TV, beginning at 6:45 a.m. CST, and will take place from the Russian Pirs Docking Compartment of the International Space Station.
This newest installment of the expedition — the second spacewalk in four weeks (the first completed on January 21, 2011 — will last almost six hours. In that time period, the cosmonauts will complete numerous tasks during their extravehicular activity (EVA), including installing two experiments, retrieving part of one experiment, and deploying a radio satellite transmitter, each which are examined in more detail below.
Installing Two Experiments
First, the cosmonauts will install two experiments. One experiment will be used to collect information, which can then be used in predicting earthquakes and forecasting seismic activity. The other experiment will examine lightning and thunderstorms in space, and will give scientists invaluable information about gamma splashes and optical radiation.
Retrieving an Experiment
Next, the Russian astronauts will retrieve an experiment: the pair of panels placed on the space station to test materials to be used in future spacecrafts. The panels should identify the best long-duration spacecraft building materials.
Deploying the Radio
Finally, the cosmonauts will deploy a ham radio transmitter. The nanosatellite will be used to transmit educational and congratulatory messages about the first human space launch. This educational satellite will mark the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s launch 50 years ago and is being presented by RAC-Energia, the Amatuer Radio on the International Space Station working group, Radio Amateur Satellite Corp. and the NASA Office of Educational International Space Station National Lab Project
The satellite will transmit the educational messages for three to six months, enabling ham radio operators a chance to connect with space and time.

Filed Under: Observatory, Satellites Tagged With: Extra-vehicular activity, International Space Station, Oleg Skripochka

Endeavour’s Last Mission to be Lead by Commander Mark Kelly

NASA’s last mission for Space Shuttle Endeavour, will take place on April 19, 2011. The mission, STS-134, will last for 14 days, and the crew will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer 02 (AMS-02) to the International Space Station during the flight. The mission is newsworthy for a few reasons: Mark Kelly is leading the crew and Endeavour will be retired after the mission, as detailed below.

Mark Kelly as Commander

After the tragedy of the Tucson, AZ, shooting, Mark Kelly has been featured in many news stories. As the husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), Kelly has stood by his wife’s side following the shooting, seeing her through ICU and a transfer to a care facility.

Although Kelly’s flight has been planned for years, the tragic events of the January 8, 2011, attack made Kelly’s attendance uncertain. Giffords’ critical condition challenged the commander’s desire to lead the mission — until Giffords’ recovery took a turn for the better.

Now, Kelly will be leading the mission, joined by a crew of Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel and Roberto Vittori.

Endeavour to Retire

Additionally, the Endeavour is scheduled to retire after this mission. The shuttle has served the country well: Since its first flight in 1992, the Endeavour has flown in the first three-person spacewalk satellite rescue/repair, has been part in an unprecedented lengthy spacewalk (eight hours), and housed the Protein Crystal Growth experiment.

The space shuttle was also the first of many to incorporate new hardware designs, including the installation of an external airlock that made docking to the space station possible. Improvements also included a 40-foot-diameter drag chute, better Auxiliary Power Units, and a reduced payload.

The Endeavour’s last mission will prove to be intriguing, since the AMS Experiment scheduled to unfold will allow researchers insight and information into the workings of the universe. When Mark Kelly leads his team and the Endeavour into space, scientists may even discover the origin of the universe.

Filed Under: Satellites, Science Tagged With: International Space Station, Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-134

How to Watch a Meteor Shower

People who love to stargaze should think about watching meteor showers. They are beautiful sky shows, and they happen throughout the year. Scheduling a night to go out and watch a meteor shower makes for a memorable evening.

Like stars, meteors are best observed on a clear, dark night without any interfering light. Try to find a flat area to lie down on, such as a field. Sitting up will probably hurt your neck, especially since you could spend a long time waiting for the meteor shower to actually happen. You can use binoculars or a telescope if you prefer, but you would likely miss some of the meteor shower. The beauty of a meteor shower is in the total effect, and zooming in on one area will cause you to miss the bigger picture. Using a sky map can help you determine where the meteor shower will be coming from and what direction it will travel in.

Meteor showers happen throughout the year. In early January, Quadrantids occurs. Typically, the main dates are in the first four days of January. There is a three month break, and then Lyrids is visible in late April. Then there is a full summer of meteor showers! In early May, Eta Aquarids has its peak days. Lyrids, the same one as in April, has another peak period in the middle of June. Delta Aquarids can be seen in late July, and Capricornids is visible immediately afterwards. Summer meteor showers wrap up with Perseids, which can be seen in mid-August. Draconids and Orionids are visible in early and late October. The year ends with Leonids in November and Geminids in the middle of December.

If you’re an avid stargazer, try watching a meteor shower for a change of pace. They are time-sensitive, so look at all the showers that occur throughout the year and try to catch one of them.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Geminid, Meteor shower

Tips for Teaching Astronomy to Children

Whether you are a teacher or a homeschooling parent, you know that it’s important for children to learn astronomy. However, it seems like an impossible task. Children work well with concrete ideas, and astronomy is made up almost entirely of hypothetical, theoretical, and otherwise confusing situations. You need to approach the subject carefully to make sure that kids learn what they need to be learning.

Since children learn so well with concrete examples, let them do as much as they can to physically see and manipulate astronomical concepts. A trip to a stargazing area is a good way of accomplishing this. Many museums also have astronomy exhibits with different things from space that you can touch; such an exhibit would be great for children, because it gives them a clear visual image of what you are teaching them.

When you are dealing with abstract concepts or ideas, try to tie it into their real life as much as possible. While talking about light-years and other huge units of measurement, don’t talk about how many times a certain distance stretches around Earth; talk about it in terms that kids understand. Although breaking the distance down to trips across the country or world may seem silly, they will understand that much better than any explanation that uses an abstract concept to teach an abstract concept.

Teach kids about NASA and other careers in space. Space may not be interesting to them until they can grasp the concept, but seeing people who go to space and explore it for a living can trigger a deeper interest within children.

Teaching astronomy is not always easy. However, by incorporating games, books, and children’s real lives, it quickly becomes a manageable topic. You can even make it interesting enough that they are begging to learn more.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Astronomy

How to Learn Constellations

Although just gazing up at the night sky can certainly be fun and relaxing, it doesn’t always seem very entertaining. Luckily, stargazers can find constellations to keep their mind engaged and have a little bit of fun while relaxing. If you haven’t located constellations before, it can be difficult to find and name them.

If you know an experienced stargazer, ask them for help identifying stars. Once you know how to look for one star and use it to find the rest of the constellation, you can just use a star map. Until then, you may need a little bit of help. A green laser pointer is a good solution; while red laser pointers disappear amongst the night sky, the beam from a green laser pointer will show up on the night sky. Ask a close stargazing friend to use the laser pointer to show you different stars and constellations.

For those who are willing to spend a little bit more to get a great stargazing education, handheld star finding devices can educate a new amateur astronomer. The two most popular handheld star locators are Sky Scout by Celestron and MySky by Meade. These small devices have GPS technology in them; the technology uses the stargazer’s location to determine what stars and constellations are in their viewable area of the sky. You can compare what the handheld is showing you to the stars you see; a few tries with it and you will be able to pick out constellations easily. These devices are equally useful when you are traveling and stargazing. Going to new places means that you may see unfamiliar stars, and these devices can help you find them.

While both of these pieces of technology seem like large investments, they are great tools for people who want to learn how to identify constellations.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Constellation, Night sky

A Beginner’s Guide to Telescope Usage

Purchasing a telescope is a big step for someone who is planning on making a long-term hobby out of astronomy. There’s something special about using your own astronomy equipment, but it can be a fairly daunting task to learn how to use your first telescope. Use these tips to get on the fast track to using your telescope and becoming an astronomy pro.

Most telescopes available for hobbyist use and purchase are small or mid-size, so you have to be careful about where you go to look. Light pollution is a serious problem for stargazers and you definitely want to avoid it; it refers to the light left over from city lights, streetlights, and even a moon that’s too bright. Ideally, you should go out on a night when the moon is just a sliver, preparing to start or end a new moon cycle.

Bring some additional equipment with you to stargaze. Star charts are an invaluable tool for finding constellations, naming stars, and learning something from your experience. You can’t enjoy the stars if you are uncomfortable, so be sure to bring blankets and sweatshirts in case the temperature drops too far. If you want to keep track of your stargazing progress, bring log sheets and something to write with. You can keep track of the stars and constellations you find, which is a good way to observe your growth as an amateur astronomer.

Set your equipment up early and be prepared. You do not want to be fumbling at the last minute for your telescope! This is especially true if you need to read the instructions; figure out ahead of time how to set the telescope up so you don’t waste any valuable time.

Stargazing with your own telescope is a very rewarding endeavor. As long as you prepare correctly and use your telescope properly, you will have lots of fun.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Astronomy, Telescope

Stargazing at Home

Sometimes you want to look at the stars without having to drive twenty minutes away from the city and all of its modern lights. If you have kids in bed, your only option is to stargaze at home! A few simple tricks make stargazing at home a fun and relaxing experience.

First, make sure that you are done with everything you need to do for the night. If the kids are awake, put them to bed. Nothing ruins a relaxing night more than having to interrupt your stargazing to take care of kids’ requests.

Since the majority of cities and suburbs have bright streetlights fairly close together, stargazing in your front yard is not a good idea; your view of the stars will be obstructed by pollution light. Instead, take a blanket or lawn chair to your backyard and stretch out.

Try to minimize extra lights from your house and your neighbors’ homes. If you have security lights on the back of your house, turn them off. If you don’t, you are going to get a bright light in your face every time you move. Hopefully, the neighbors don’t leave their lights on. If they do have lights on and they are distracting, move your chair to a location where the fence blocks the view of the neighbors’ homes.

Lastly, treat the stargazing experience just like you would if you had made a trip out for it. Stay quiet and enjoy the night. Just because you are at home does not mean you need to be accessible, so turn the phone off and head on outside.

These tips can help you change a boring night into a fun night full of stargazing. Just take every step you can to make your backyard a quiet, dark, and relaxing place and you’ll be on your way to relaxation.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Light pollution, Lights

Observations in Astronomy