Home

Requirements June 1972 until January 1975

1. Write a report on the history of space exploration. This is to be at least 500 words.

2. Do the following:

(a) Name from pictures five U.S. space launch vehicles. Do the same for seven U.S. unmanned spacecraft.

(b) Describe the reason for two U.S. space probes. Give the reason for two satellites. Give the main kinds of instruments in each.

(c) Name and describe the missions of at least three U.S. manned spacecraft.

3. Explain in writing, space problems. Tell how they have been solved. Do this for five of the following: radiation, meteoroids, weightlessness, food, sanitation, clothing, acceleration, deceleration, reentry, breathing, and communication.

4. Plan and build a model of a space launch vehicle. Use it to show how it would put a spacecraft in orbit. Show how a space probe might be launched from such spacecraft. Explain how a satellite stays in orbit.

5. Do ONE of the following:

(a) Describe six exercises that you might use to prepare yourself for space exploration. Explain what they do.

(b) Visit a space laboratory or space rocket launch facility. Report on your visit.

(c) Give a 5-minute talk on the values of space exploration at a troop meeting.

Requirements January 1975 until January 1984

1. *Build, launch, and recover a model rocket. Make a second launch to accomplish a specific mission objective. (Rocket must be built to meet Safety Code of the National Association of Rocketry.)

2. Tell the purpose of space exploration including (a) historical reason, (b) immediate goals in terms of specific knowledge, (c) benefits of "spin-offs," (d) values as related to earth resources, and (e) advancement of technology.

3. Tell about main steps in man's movement into space. Tell the contributions of each of these: Hermann Oberth, Jules Verne, K.E. Tsiolkovsky, Werner von Braun, Robert Goddard, and NASA.

4. Discuss and demonstrate each of the following:

(a) The Law of Action-Reaction
(b) Apogee and perigee
(c) How satellites stay in orbit

5. Explain the meaning of each of the following. Five an example for each: satellite, unmanned space probe, manned space mission, rocket engine, "air breathing" engine, remote sensing, telemetry, "spin-off," rocket propellant (fuel/oxidizer, closed environment, booster stage, payload, miniaturization, orbit, sounding rockets, burnout, weightlessness, and trajectory.

6. Describe some benefits that come from the space program and one of the following:

(a) The Appollo-Soyuz joint mission.
(b) A planetary fly-by project
(c) A planetary landing project
(d) Space shuttle
(e) An earth-orbiting application project
(f) An earth-orbiting scientific project.

7. Discuss with your counselor two possible careers in space exploration.

* If you can't do requirement 1 because of local laws, do the following: make a model of a NASA rocket. Explain the function of parts. Give the history of the rocket. (Or) Design a rocket for a space mission (to fly by, land, land and return, manned or unammed) to a planet in our solar system. Tell what the requirements would be for the mission in time, life support systems, fuel, and telemetry.