IAC-11.E1.4.2 First Orbit a New Film of Yuri Gagarin's Flight, Created To

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

IAC-11.E1.4.2 First Orbit a New Film of Yuri Gagarin's Flight, Created To 62nd International Astronautical Congress, Cape Town, South Africa. Copyright ©2011 by Dr C Riley, Dr C Welch, Dr E Detsis and A Ebrahimi. Published by the IAF, with permission and released to the IAF to publish in all forms. IAC‐11.E1.4.2 First Orbit A new film of Yuri Gagarin’s flight, created to celebrate the first 50 years of human spaceflight. Dr C Riley: chris@chris‐riley.com University of Lincoln, UK Dr C Welch: [email protected], Dr E Detsis: [email protected] A Ebrahimi: [email protected] International Space University, Strasbourg, France To mark the 50th anniversary of human spaceflight on the 12th April 2011 a feature‐length film, First Orbit, was produced to bring the story of Yuri Gagarin to a new generation. In collaboration with the European Space Agency, NASA, Roscosmos and the Expedition 25 through 27 crews on board the International Space Station (ISS), a new view of Earth was recorded from the station. It was filmed over several weeks as the ISS passed over the same ground track at the same time of day as Vostok‐1 had done on its flight. The resulting footage was edited together with the original voice recordings from Gagarin’s mission and a new musical score from composer Philip Sheppard. On the 12th April 2011 the film was premiered on YouTube, generating the largest audience for a long‐form film release in the web site’s history. During the same month the film was screened at over 1600 venues in more than 130 countries around the world; making it one of the most widely released independent films of all time. This paper presents a description of the whole project; from the conception and production of the film, to a comprehensive analysis of how this experimental documentary and its associated media were received around the world, while outlining plans for its future development. I. ORIGINAL CONCEPT & CONCEPTION transmission signal was lost and no attempt was made to continue recording pictures on board the spacecraft. In late 2009, following the success of his previous documentary film projects In the Shadow of the Moon Audio recordings of the flight loop between Vostok‐1 (2007)1, Moonwalk One – The Director’s Cut (2009)2, and mission control were recorded throughout the and the video installation Apollo Raw and Uncut flight; both on board the spacecraft and back on the (2009)3 – which projected the entire Apollo flight film ground when communications allowed. Translated archive into public gallery spaces in London and transcripts have been widely circulated since then, but Montreal, Christopher Riley began looking for another to Riley’s knowledge the complete audio recordings archive based film project to celebrate the 50th were never released outside of Russia. anniversary of human spaceflight. Yuri Gagarin’s Vostok‐1 flight of the 12th April 1961 was not captured in any significant way on film or video and documentaries made about his mission since then have always used rather poor quality black and white views of the Earth from later Vostok missions to illustrate Gagarin’s new perspective on his home planet. A single TV camera on board Vostok‐1 was used briefly to transmit an image of the cosmonaut inside his 4 capsule during his flight over Soviet territory . But, as Gagarin headed East over the Pacific Ocean, the Figure 1: The ground track of Vostok‐1 (Courtesy of Sven Grahn5). IAC‐11‐E1.4.2 Page 1 of 14 62nd International Astronautical Congress, Cape Town, South Africa. Copyright ©2011 by Dr C Riley, Dr C Welch, Dr E Detsis and A Ebrahimi. Published by the IAF, with permission and released to the IAF to publish in all forms. The creation of a new Vostok‐1 film was considered; ground track at the same time of day that Vostok‐1 had constructing a view of the Earth which Gagarin could flown almost fifty years before. The resulting footage have seen by piecing together existing archive footage could then be edited together into a 108 minute film shot in Earth orbit over the same ground track and at and combined with the original voice recordings, if the same time of day as he flew. Maps of the Vostok‐1 they could be found, to create a new video installation trajectory were taken from sources on the internet5 to for gallery spaces around the world. guide the archive research needed for such an approach (see Figure 1, previous page). To match the season, as well as the time of day and the ground path of Vostok‐1’s flight, it was hoped that Gagarin lifted off from the launch site, near Baikonur, some filming might be possible around April 2010, and not far from the Aral Sea, at 06:07 UTC on the 12th an approach was made to the European Space Agency April 1961. He flew northeast across the eastern part (ESA) to see if the time on board the ISS to undertake of the Soviet Union and Siberia, and on across the the project could be sponsored and coordinated by terminator and into night over the Pacific Ocean. At them. The film production would be funded and 07:10 UTC he emerged into sunlight again over the produced by Riley’s production company The Attic Southern Atlantic and passed over Africa, the Room. Mediterranean Sea, Turkey and the Black Sea before landing just north of the Caspian Sea, 108 minutes II. PRODUCING THE FILM after launch. Pre‐Production Following a brief review of the range of Earth view footage in the NASA archive, shot over the past fifty With the support of Bob Chesson, Head of the Human years, it was concluded that it would be too difficult to Spaceflight and Exploration Operations Department at source existing media of consistently good‐enough ESA, an initial feasibility study was undertaken. quality to make the film in this way and the idea was shelved. Vostok‐1 ISS Orbit 302 x 170 km 350 x 350 km Inclination 65.04o 51.6o Table 1: Comparison of Vostok‐1 and ISS Orbits Full orbital elements for Vostok‐1 proved impossible to track down. Even for those parameters that were identified, there were small discrepancies in their values between different sources. The figures adopted for First Orbit were eventually taken from ‘Man’s First Space Flight – a TASS Report’.6 Using these values, and the map of Vostok‐1’s orbital ground path (see Fig. 1, page 1 ), ESA’s Gerald Ziegler performed the initial calculations to see if the Space Station’s ground track ever matched that of Vostok‐1. Figure 2: NASA astronaut Tracey Caldwell‐Dyson in the ISS Cupola, during Expedition‐24. Ziegler concluded that a similar ground track would be made by the ISS every 48 hours or so. However, when However, in early 2010 when the Italian Space the extra constraint of this taking place at the same Agency’s cupola was installed on the International time of day as Vostok‐1 was applied, the frequency of Space Station (ISS), much was made in the media about such occurrences dropped to around every six weeks. the unparalleled views of the Earth which it gave (see Figure 2), and the idea to film Vostok‐1’s orbit from Due to the different orbits of Vostok‐1 and the ISS, an scratch was born. ISS ground track which started above Baikonur could not follow that of Vostok‐1 for an entire orbit. As a Such a project could potentially capture new high‐ result, there was no chance of capturing a complete definition digital video views of almost the same ‘Gagarin view’ during a single pass around the Earth. IAC‐11‐E1.4.2 Page 2 of 14 62nd International Astronautical Congress, Cape Town, South Africa. Copyright ©2011 by Dr C Riley, Dr C Welch, Dr E Detsis and A Ebrahimi. Published by the IAF, with permission and released to the IAF to publish in all forms. Instead, Ziegler recommended breaking up Vostok‐1’s every 5‐10 minutes during each orbital segment, to ground track into a series of five separate segments, give plenty of different Earth views to cut between. which would then be matched to future ISS ground Following a review of this rather labour‐intensive tracks (see Figure 3, below). The filming opportunities approach, a decision was made to restrict the filming for each segment could then be identified and the of each orbital segment to a single camera position, so footage captured on different days and then edited reducing the total amount of crew time needed for the together to give the illusion of the single 108‐minute project substantially. Given that there would be flight around the Earth that Gagarin originally took. multiple opportunities to film each segment of the orbit during the time Nespoli was on board the ISS, this The five segments – labelled A‐E – were: would still provide a wide‐enough variety of shots from which to construct the film. A. Launch site near Baikonur to Eastern Russia B. Eastern Russia into the Pacific The revised shot list allowed the camera to be set up in C. Pacific night pass to Southern tip of Americas one fixed position, the recording started and the D. Sunrise over the South Atlantic to Africa camera left to run for the duration of the ground track (crossing Angolan coast) segment without needing further crew time until the E. Central Africa to Mediterranean and on across end of the segment. At this point, the camera would be Black Sea and home.
Recommended publications
  • Free Special Screening
    Notice of a Free Special Screening presented by the Australian Institute of Physics (SA branch) http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/aip-sa [email protected] Ph: (08) 8201 2093 or (08) 8234 6112 (a.h.) or Mob: 0427 711 815 Fax: (08) 8201 2905 Post: AIP-SA secretary, c/o CaPS, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide SA 5001 and by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (Adelaide Section) at 7:00 pm on Tuesday 12th April 2011 in the Kerr Grant lecture theatre, Physics building at the University of Adelaide ALL WELCOME “Yuri’s Night” On the 12th April 2011 it will be 50 years to the day since Yuri Gagarin climbed into his space ship and was launched into space. It took him just 108 minutes to orbit the Earth and he returned as the World’s very first space man. To mark this historic flight, film maker Chris Riley of In the Shadow of the Moon fame has teamed up with the European Space Agency and the Expedition 26/27 crew of the International Space Station, to create a new film of what Gagarin first witnessed fifty years ago. By matching the orbital path of the Space Station, as closely as possible to that of Gagarin’s Vostok 1 spaceship, and filming the same vistas of the Earth through the new giant cupola window, astronaut Paolo Nespoli, and documentary film maker Christopher Riley, have captured a new digital high definition view of the Earth below, half a century after Gagarin first witnessed it.
    [Show full text]
  • Webzine L'astrofilo
    WEBZINE DISTRIBUITO WETBRZAIMNIET E D INSTRERIBNUEIT TO TRAMITE INTERNET il mensile dell’astronomo dilettante numero 24 - novembre 2010 l’ A L’INAF apre S gli archivi T R O F I L Astrofotografia senza telescopio O Leonidi 2010 e oltre: le previsioni per tutte le informazioni su questo telescopio e sulla nostra intera produzione di strumenti per astronomia, visita il nostro sito www.northek.it oppure contattaci [email protected] tel. +39 (0)1599521 ? ! A ly S ta U I n n i i e e d d a a m m , o Ritchey-Chrétien n 250 mm f/8.5 tubo truss aperto o chiuso lunghezza 700 mm peso 16 kg il mix ottimale fra qualità e trasportabilità lA ’ STROFILO anno III - numero 24 - novembre 2010 il mensile di scienza e tecnica dedicato all'astronomo dilettante direttore responsabile IN COPERTINA Michele Ferrara La storica Specola dell’Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova ospitata sulla sommità del Torlonga. Questa suggestiva direttore scientifico immagine è stata ottenuta dall’astronomo Enrico Giro con Enrico Maria Corsini una Canon EOS 300D e filtro IR che taglia a 690 nm. editore, redazione, diffusione e pubblicità Astro Publishing di Pirlo L. Via Bonomelli, 106 25049 Iseo (BS) AA.VV. www.astropublishing.com 4 [email protected] Mondo astrofilo servizi internet Aruba S.p.A. SABRINA MASIERO P.zza Garibaldi, 8 14 52010 Soci (AR) L’INAF apre gli archivi registrazione MARCEL CLEMENS Tribunale di Brescia n. 51 del 19/11/2008 20 Astrofotografia senza telescopio abbonamento annuale 12 numeri telematici ALESSANDRO MARINETTI euro ZERO. La rivista viene distribuita gratuitamente.
    [Show full text]
  • Vostok by Andrew J
    Mercury's Competition: Vostok by Andrew J. LePage May 15, 2000 All through 1959 and into 1960, America's very single space suit-clad cosmonaut in a semi reclined public Mercury manned space program was making ejection seat which served a dual purpose: During the slow but steady progress (see Giving Mercury early phases of ascent, this seat could safely eject the Wings in the September 1, 1999 issue of cosmonaut away from the craft in case of a problem. SpaceViews). While it was quite clear that the Soviet Because of weight restrictions, the capsule could not Union also planned to send men into space, it was carry a large enough parachute to guarantee a soft difficult to sort the facts from the stream of enough landing for the pilot at the end of a normal propaganda. That began to change on May 15, 1960 mission. Instead a forced landing procedure was with the launch of Korabl Sputnik 1 (Spaceship developed where, after reentry was done, the Satellite 1) also referred to as "Sputnik 4" in the cosmonaut ejected from the descent module at an West. altitude of 7 kilometers (23,000 feet). He then used his own parachute to make a soft landing separate Carrying a dummy cosmonaut in a 312 by 369 from the more quickly falling descent module. kilometer (194 by 229 mile) orbit inclined 65 degrees to the equator, Korabl Sputnik 1 was the long awaited During the flight, the cabin interior maintained an inaugural flight of Mercury's competition. Although oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere at a pressure of one bar the actual configuration of the spacecraft would (15 psi) like on the ground.
    [Show full text]
  • Apollo Program 1 Apollo Program
    Apollo program 1 Apollo program The Apollo program was the third human spaceflight program carried out by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the United States' civilian space agency. First conceived during the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower as a three-man spacecraft to follow the one-man Project Mercury which put the first Americans in space, Apollo was later dedicated to President John F. Kennedy's national goal of "landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" by the end of the 1960s, which he proposed in a May 25, 1961 address to Congress. Project Mercury was followed by the two-man Project Gemini (1962–66). The first manned flight of Apollo was in 1968 and it succeeded in landing the first humans on Earth's Moon from 1969 through 1972. Kennedy's goal was accomplished on the Apollo 11 mission when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed their Lunar Module (LM) on the Moon on July 20, 1969 and walked on its surface while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit in the command spacecraft, and all three landed safely on Earth on July 24. Five subsequent Apollo missions also landed astronauts on the Moon, the last in December 1972. In these six spaceflights, 12 men walked on the Moon. Apollo ran from 1961 to 1972, and was supported by the two-man Gemini program which ran concurrently with it from 1962 to 1966. Gemini missions developed some of the space travel techniques that were necessary for the success of the Apollo missions.
    [Show full text]
  • The Space Race
    The Space Race Aims: To arrange the key events of the “Space Race” in chronological order. To decide which country won the Space Race. Space – the Final Frontier “Space” is everything Atmosphere that exists outside of our planet’s atmosphere. The atmosphere is the layer of Earth gas which surrounds our planet. Without it, none of us would be able to breathe! Space The sun is a star which is orbited (circled) by a system of planets. Earth is the third planet from the sun. There are nine planets in our solar system. How many of the other eight can you name? Neptune Saturn Mars Venus SUN Pluto Uranus Jupiter EARTH Mercury What has this got to do with the COLD WAR? Another element of the Cold War was the race to control the final frontier – outer space! Why do you think this would be so important? The Space Race was considered important because it showed the world which country had the best science, technology, and economic system. It would prove which country was the greatest of the superpowers, the USSR or the USA, and which political system was the best – communism or capitalism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaEvCNZymo The Space Race – key events Discuss the following slides in your groups. For each slide, try to agree on: • which of the three options is correct • whether this was an achievement of the Soviet Union (USSR) or the Americans (USA). When did humans first send a satellite into orbit around the Earth? 1940s, 1950s or 1960s? Sputnik 1 was launched in October 1957.
    [Show full text]
  • US Astronaut Hall of Fame® to Welcome the First
    U. S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® To Welcome the First Class of the New Decade Veteran NASA Astronauts Michael E. Lopez-Alegria, Pamela A. Melroy and Scott Kelly to be Inducted at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, May 2020 CAPE CANAVERAL (January 21, 2020) – KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – Veteran astronauts Michael E. Lopez-Alegria, Pamela A. Melroy and Scott Kelly, who have all demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in furthering NASA’s mission of exploration and discovery, have been selected to receive one of the highest honors in their industry. This May, they will be inducted into the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame® at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and will join the just 99 individuals who currently hold that esteemed honor as the “First Class of the New Decade.” An official ceremony and gala will take place at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on May 16, 2020. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the majestic Space Shuttle Atlantis®, the ceremony will be attended by a roster of astronaut legends. Later that evening, the newest Hall of Fame members will be celebrated at a black-tie event hosted by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. “As we enter the year 2020, we are particularly excited to welcome these accomplished astronauts into the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame,” said Curt Brown, space shuttle astronaut and board chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, which oversees the selection process. “They exemplify bravery, dedication and passion and their hard work has paved the way for what promises to be an unprecedented new decade of space exploration and interplanetary travel.” Lopez-Alegria, Melroy and Kelly all have had distinguished careers, centered around their love of space and science: Capt.
    [Show full text]
  • Details of Yuri Gagarin's Tragic Death Revealed 17 June 2013, by Jason Major
    Details of Yuri Gagarin's tragic death revealed 17 June 2013, by Jason Major later, details about what really happened to cause the death of the first man in space have come out—from the first man to go out on a spacewalk, no less. According to an article published online today on Russia Today (RT.com) former cosmonaut Aleksey Leonov—who performed the first EVA on March 18, 1965—has revealed details about the accident that killed both Yuri Gagarin and his flight instructor Vladimir Seryogin in March 1968. Officially the cause of the crash was said to be the ill-fated result of an attempt to avoid a foreign object during flight training in their MiG-15UTI, a two-seated, dual-controlled training version of the widely-produced Soviet aircraft. "Foreign objects" could be anything, from balloons to flocks of birds to airborne debris to… well, you see where one could go with that. (And over the years many have.) Yuri Gagarin on the way to his historic Vostok launch on April 12, 1961. Credit: NASA Images The maneuver led to the aircraft going into a tailspin and crashing, killing both men. But experienced pilots like Gagarin and Seryogin shouldn't have lost control of their plane like On the morning of April 12, 1961, Soviet that—not according to Leonov, who has been trying cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin lifted off aboard Vostok 1 to release details of the event for the past 20 to become the first human in space, spending 108 years… if only that the pilots' families might know minutes in orbit before landing via parachute in the the truth.
    [Show full text]
  • Soviet Steps Toward Permanent Human Presence in Space
    SALYUT: Soviet Steps Toward Permanent Human Presence in Space December 1983 NTIS order #PB84-181437 Recommended Citation: SALYUT: Soviet Steps Toward Permanent Human Presence in Space–A Technical Mere- orandum (Washington, D. C.: U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, OTA- TM-STI-14, December 1983). Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 83-600624 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 Foreword As the other major spacefaring nation, the Soviet Union is a subject of interest to the American people and Congress in their deliberations concerning the future of U.S. space activities. In the course of an assessment of Civilian Space Stations, the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) has undertaken a study of the presence of Soviets in space and their Salyut space stations, in order to provide Congress with an informed view of Soviet capabilities and intentions. The major element in this technical memorandum was a workshop held at OTA in December 1982: it was the first occasion when a significant number of experts in this area of Soviet space activities had met for extended unclassified discussion. As a result of the workshop, OTA prepared this technical memorandum, “Salyut: Soviet Steps Toward Permanent Human Presence in Space. ” It has been reviewed extensively by workshop participants and others familiar with Soviet space activities. Also in December 1982, OTA wrote to the U. S. S. R.’s Ambassador to the United States Anatoliy Dobrynin, requesting any information concerning present and future Soviet space activities that the Soviet Union judged could be of value to the OTA assess- ment of civilian space stations.
    [Show full text]
  • Dimov Stojče Ilčev CNS Systems
    Sources for Future African Multipurpose GEO Satellites (FAMGS) Presentation by: Dimov Stojče Ilčev Durban University of Technology (DUT) Space Science Centre (SSC) CNS Systems August 2012 CNS Systems (Pty) Ltd CNS Systems (Former- IS Marine Radio Ltd) is South African private company for design, Research and projects of Radio and Satellite Systems for Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) and other aspects in the Space Program - [www.cnssystems.co.za] Space Science Centre Aeronautical Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) via Spacecraft Soviet First Artificial Satellite Sputnik 1 First Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin Lifted in Orbit by Vostok 1 on 12 April 1961 First Commercail Communication Satellites Telstar 1 (Left) Launched by US in 1962 and Intelsat 1 (Right) in 1964 Introduction of Multipurpose GEO Satellite The South African company CNS Systems (Pty) Ltd and Space Science Centre (SSC) are potential and main designers of novel Multipurpose GEO Satellite constellation for full coverage of the entire African Continent and Middle East. The SSC Group at Durban University of Technology (DUT) may collaborate with similar institutes in the Country or Continent and provide essential project of first Multipurpose GEO Satellite by Africans for Africa. What is Multipurpose GEO Satellite? This is an integration of GEO Communication with GNSS (Navigation) Payloads in a modern satellite configuration for CNS Solutions. Advantages of Satellite Communications • Wide Coverage Areas • Broadcast DVB-RCS Capability • Broadcast CNS Solutions • Broadband, Multimedia and Internet Capability • High Bandwidth • Flexibility in Network Set-up • Mobility and Availability • Rapid Deployment • Reliability and Safety • Economic Solutions Available • Backbone in Areas without Adequate Terrestrial Telecommunication and Cellular Infrastructures Russian Space Vision US Space Vision Negative Effects of Van Allen Radiation Belts [Inner Belt is from 1000 to 5000 km and Outer Belt is from 16000 to 24000 km above the Earth Surface.
    [Show full text]
  • Highlights in Space 2010
    International Astronautical Federation Committee on Space Research International Institute of Space Law 94 bis, Avenue de Suffren c/o CNES 94 bis, Avenue de Suffren UNITED NATIONS 75015 Paris, France 2 place Maurice Quentin 75015 Paris, France Tel: +33 1 45 67 42 60 Fax: +33 1 42 73 21 20 Tel. + 33 1 44 76 75 10 E-mail: : [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Fax. + 33 1 44 76 74 37 URL: www.iislweb.com OFFICE FOR OUTER SPACE AFFAIRS URL: www.iafastro.com E-mail: [email protected] URL : http://cosparhq.cnes.fr Highlights in Space 2010 Prepared in cooperation with the International Astronautical Federation, the Committee on Space Research and the International Institute of Space Law The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs is responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space and assisting developing countries in using space science and technology. United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs P. O. Box 500, 1400 Vienna, Austria Tel: (+43-1) 26060-4950 Fax: (+43-1) 26060-5830 E-mail: [email protected] URL: www.unoosa.org United Nations publication Printed in Austria USD 15 Sales No. E.11.I.3 ISBN 978-92-1-101236-1 ST/SPACE/57 *1180239* V.11-80239—January 2011—775 UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR OUTER SPACE AFFAIRS UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT VIENNA Highlights in Space 2010 Prepared in cooperation with the International Astronautical Federation, the Committee on Space Research and the International Institute of Space Law Progress in space science, technology and applications, international cooperation and space law UNITED NATIONS New York, 2011 UniTEd NationS PUblication Sales no.
    [Show full text]
  • NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA’s “Big Bang” Service Delivery Transformation: Shared Services in the Cloud Paul Rydeen NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) Enterprise Service Center (ESC) Program Manager Agenda • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Overview • NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) Overview • Where We Are Today • The Migration To The Cloud • Top Takeaways NASA Vision • We reach for new heights and reveal the unknown for the benefit of humankind NASA Mission Statement • Drive advances in science, technology, aeronautics and space exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, economic vitality and stewardship of Earth NASA Centers The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) • 17,605 Civil Service employees and 28,693 contractors at or near 10 Field Centers and NASA Headquarters • Four Mission Directorates: – Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate – Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate – Science Mission Directorate – Space Technology Mission Directorate • NASA’s FY17 budget is $19.0 billion What is the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC)? • A business model for delivering support services • Provides high-quality service and achieves cost savings for NASA • Opened for service in March 2006 Why Shared Services for NASA? • Reduces resources expended for support • Provides better quality, more timely services at lower cost • Improves data integrity, consistency, and accountability • Standardizes core business processes • Facilitates process re-engineering and
    [Show full text]
  • Engineering Lesson Plan: Russian Rocket Ships!
    Engineering Lesson Plan: Russian Rocket Ships! Sputnik, Vostok, Voskhod, and Soyuz Launcher Schematics Uttering the text “rocket ship” can excite, mystify, and inspire young children. A rocket ship can transport people and cargo to places far away with awe-inspiring speed and accuracy. The text “rocket scientist” indexes a highly intelligent and admirable person, someone who is able to create, or assist in the creation of machines, vehicles that can actually leave the world we all call “home.” Rocket scientists possess the knowledge to take human beings and fantastic machines to space. This knowledge is built upon basic scientific principles of motion and form—the understanding, for young learners, of shapes and their function. This lesson uses the shape of a rocket to ignite engineering knowledge and hopefully, inspiration in young pupils and introduces them to a space program on the other side of the world. Did you know that the first person in space, Yuri Gagarin, was from the former Soviet Union? That the Soviet Union (now Russia) sent the first spacecraft, Sputnik I, into Earth’s orbit? That today, American NASA-based astronauts fly to Russia to launch and must learn conversational Russian as part of their training? Now, in 2020, there are Russians and Americans working together in the International Space Station (ISS), the latest brought there by an American-based commercial craft. Being familiar with the contributions Russia (and the former Soviet Union) has made to space travel is an integral part of understanding the ongoing human endeavor to explore the space all around us. After all, Russian cosmonauts use rocket ships too! The following lesson plan is intended for kindergarten students in Indiana to fulfill state engineering learning requirements.
    [Show full text]