MondayOctober 29, 2012(The Race to the

Moon: Sputnik and Explorer, Projects

Mercury and Gemini)

The Launch PadMonday, 10/29/12

How many manned lunar landings

occurred during the Apollo program?

6

In what three years did manned lunar

landings take place?

1969, 1971, 1972

How many men have walked on the Moon?

12

Who was the first man to go into

space?

Yuri Gagarin

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Assignment Currently Open

Summative or Formative? Date Issued Date Due Final Day

Quiz 6 S1 10/5 10/5 11/2

Quiz 7 S2 10/12 10/12 11/2

Quiz 8 S3 10/19 10/19 11/2

Quiz 9 S4 10/26 10/26 11/9

Recent Events in ScienceNew Model Reconciles the Moon's Earth-Like Composition

With the Giant Impact Theory of Formation

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121017141759.htm

Read All About It!

According to the “collision” scenario, the Moon formed from debris ejected

into an Earth-orbiting disk by the collision of a smaller proto-planet with

the early Earth.

Earlier models found that most of the disk material would have originated from the Mars-sized impacting body, whose composition likely would have

differed substantially from that of Earth.

The newest models involve a much larger impactor than were previously

considered.

In the new simulations, both the impactor and the target (Earth) are of

comparable mass, with each containing about 4 to 5 times the mass of Mars.

Recent Events in ScienceNew Model Reconciles the Moon's Earth-Like Composition

With the Giant Impact Theory of Formation

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121017141759.htm

Read All About It!

The near symmetry of the collision causes the disk's composition to be extremely

similar to that of the final planet's mantle over a relatively broad range of impact angles and speeds, consistent with the Earth-Moon compositional similarities.

The new impacts produce an Earth that is rotating 2 to 2.5 times faster than implied by the current angular momentum of the

Earth-Moon system, which is contained in both Earth's rotation and the Moon's orbit.

However, new findings suggest that a resonant interaction between the early

Moon and the Sun (known as the evection resonance) could have decreased the angular momentum of the Earth-Moon system by this amount soon after the

Moon-forming impact.

The Race to the Moon

Highlands

The Race to the MoonAfter World War II, the United

States and the Soviet Union became engaged in what was referred to as the “Cold War.”

They were bitter rivals and both were out to convince the

world that their style of life (politics) was superior to the

other’s.

Both realized early-on that advanced technology was the

key to proving their superiority.

The Race to the Moon

Highlands

In October of 1957, the US was dealt a harsh blow

when the Soviets launched the first artificial satellite

into Earth orbit, named Sputnik I.

Americans became very nervous knowing that there was a Russian

spacecraft flying over their heads once every 90

minutes.

The Race to the Moon

Highlands

The US suffered several major failures in the attempt to match the Soviet’s feat.

On January 31, 1958, the US finally launched their first satellite, called Explorer I.

The space race had begun, but the Soviets held a decided

lead.

It was now up to a new US president to urge the country

on in this extremely important show of ability.

The Race to the Moon

Highlands

President John F. Kennedy had no great interest in space achievements for

their own sake.

He did, however, realize their political importance in showing the world that the American system of

Democracy was preferable to the Soviet system of

Socialism (Communism.)

The Race to the Moon

Highlands

The space agency NASA had been created, and so

Kennedy urged the country to proceed with the goal of putting a human being into

space.

Another serious setback to the US space program soon occurred – the Soviets put

the first man into space just as America was preparing to

accomplish this important feat.

The Race to the Moon

Highlands

The US, finding itself in the position of trailing

the Russians in the Space Race, finally launched Alan Shepard on a 15-

minute sub-orbital fight on May 5, 1961.

The stage was now set for President Kennedy to

make his move.

The Race to the Moon

Highlands

On May 25, 1961, President Kennedy

made his now famous speech that committed

the nation to the Moon landing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_JlSdRCg7g&feature=related

The Race to the MoonThe United States

moved forward with Kennedy’s bold proposal,

conducting Project Mercury.

This initial program was designed to

test man’s ability to survive in space.

The Race to the MoonOn February 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn,

making the third Mercury flight, became the first

American to orbit the Earth.His spacecraft was named

Friendship 7.A total of six successful

Mercury flights took place, paving the way for

America’s second manned spacecraft program, Project Gemini, which would carry a

two-man crew.

The Race to the MoonGemini had three major goals:

• to test the ability of a man to go outside of his

spacecraft and float freely in space,

• to see if man could function in space over long

durations,

• and, to test the procedures for bringing two spacecraft together in space , called rendezvous and docking.

The Race to the MoonAll of Gemini’s goals had to be met before a man could go to

the Moon.

On June 3, 1965, during the Gemini IV mission, Ed White became the first American

astronaut to leave the relative safety of his spacecraft and

perform what is called an EVA, extra-vehicular activity

(commonly called a space-walk.)

The Race to the MoonFrom December 4-18, 1965,

astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell spent 14 days in their Gemini

VII spacecraft.

It was equivalent to spending two weeks in the front seat of a

Volkswagen.

The long-duration flight proved that men could function in space long

enough to make a flight to the Moon and back.

Gemini Vi spent a couple of days in orbit with Gemini VII.

The Race to the MoonOn March 16, 1966, Neil Armstrong and David Scott performed the first

docking of two spacecraft when Gemini VIII briefly mated with an unmanned

Agena target vehicle.

With 10 total flights, all of Gemini’s goals had

been met.The way was clear for

the final program, Project Apollo, which

would attempt to land a man on the Moon.