DOC U ME NT. RESUME ED 027 223 SE 006 317 By-Corliss, William R.; Anderton, David A. America in Space, the First DecadeSpace Physics and Astronomy, Man in Space, Exploring the Moon and Planets, Putting Satellites to Work, NASA Spacecraft, Spacecraft Tracking,.Linking Man and Spacecraft. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D.C. Pub Date Oct 68 Note- 206p. EDRS Price MF-$1.00 HC-t10.40 .Descriptors-*AdultEducation,*AerospaceTechnology,Astronomy,*InstructionalMaterials,Physics, *Secondary School Science Identifiers-National Aeronautics and Space Administration Included are seven booklets, part of a series published on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The publications are intended as overviews of some important activities, programs, and events of NASA. They are written for the layman and cover several science disciplines. Each booklet contains numerous photographs and diagrams. The booklets included are "Space Physics and Astronomy," "Exploring the Moon and Planets," Putting Satellites to Work," "NASA Spacecraft, "Space Craft Tracking," "Man in Space: Linking Man and Space Craft," "America In Space, The First Decade." (BC) . 4 P- i' 4. 114 4- 44ft AL O I (Or 4. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE 4- OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE c\) PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT.POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY. A . 004. 0 0 America This is'one of a seriesoCfbooklets Titles in, this series- include: In publistied.on the .occasion. of ,the 10th 6 Anniversaly of the N,ational Aerizautcs I Space Physics and Astronomy Space:p a'nd Space Administration. llExploring the Moon'd Planet The- These Oublications are not intendécllI- IIIPuttirig '.atellite's to ork IV NASA Spacecraft Firet tei be ccirriprefiensive ristyry, nor dq ;\ bey deal'with-.all the facets of V Spacecraft Tracking .Decad . VI Linking Man and Spacecraft aeronautical 'and space_ . activities, Rather they are overviews \LLI Man in -Space, of sotri6 important activities, provrarris . Others are in preparation: TOpics dnd events written fOr the,la.yman in °includie: s V terms of the sveral sdience r disciplines! Propulsion 1 v.! Spacecraft Power Each of these subjects is treated in Space Life'S-ciences more clepth in qther NASApublicatiOrts Aeronautics' . and in screhtific journals. Space Age BY:products) (Material 1 ,OctOber 1968. 0,0 / c' et t. 4,14 A ., P.M,119,,=1,7,79, A MEI 1 MEW MUM =EY MMI by William R. Corliss National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D.C., 20546 Introduction In 1958 the National Aeronautics and Spacc including that of the Earth; solar physics; astronomy; and Administration became responsible for developingspace cometary physics and internlanetary dust. "Space Physics science. In that year it took up the work from where ahd Astronomy" describes the progress that has been balloon and sounding rocket flights had carried it. Four made in these studies during the first ten years of NASA's American artificial Earth-satellites had already been put existence. It represents one of the avenues selected by into orbit, and had discovered the Van Allen trapped the Agency to disseminate the knowledge that it has radiation belt. NASA began immediately with its gained in its programs in keeping with its responsibilities. creation of intensive programs of scientific study. These programs were divided into several disciplines: energetic Jthn E. Naugle particles and magnetic fields to study cosmic rays and Associate Administrator for other energetic particles in space, and to extend magnetic Space Science and Applications field measurements above the surface of the Earth; ionospheres and radio physics; planetary atmospheres, Table Of Contents Inside the Cocoon 1 The Great Radiation Belts2 The Magnetic Shell Around the Earth6 Wind From the Sun8 At the Fringes of Our Atmosphere 10 The Sun: Interplanetary Weather Maker14 Dust From the Sky 17 Cosmic Rays19 Robot Star Gazers21 Our New View of the Universe22 111=. * 11/0 1111/ r" -" , .0 : ..*Goatrrvewv ,r-mayza=zrei::"Zntm,-;,,,:rroetan-NVz.:::-P2z=v2-=:=M:`,"-r,r.n:i7LIT:,'C Space Physics And Astronomy Inside The Cocoon On clear Moonless wintry nights the stars look so to higher altitudes to reduce the absorbing effects close that it is hard to imagine that we live on of the atmosphere. a cozy planet well insulated from outer space. Three unseen barriers deaden the sights and sounds of In 1643, Torricelli simply climbed a mountain the vast, stormy space beyond the Earth. to see what happened to his barometer. Large kites These barriers are the atmosphere, the ionosphere, carried instruments even farther. By 1900, and a new one discovered by satellites, the balloons had lifted instruments beyond 50,000 feet. magnetosphere.Visible light penetrates these Scientific rocketry began in 1929 when Robert H. barriers easily; but most meteors, ultraviolet light, Goddard installed scientific instruments on one of long radio waves, and subatomic particles never wakehis rockets. With the rocket, science could, in prin- it to the Earth's surface. In effect, the Earth is ciple, reach any spot in the solar system. Rockets wrapped in a three-ply cocoon. probed outer space a decade before the first satellites were launched in 1957. Earth satellites We need the insulation. Without the atmosphere turned out to be superb instrument carriers; staying and magnetosphere to absorb and ward off space in orbit for years and circling the globe in a matter radiation, life on Earth might not survive. So potent of hours. They radio back information about is space radiation that some scientists now wonder our atmosphere and what transpires beyond it. if the mass extinctions of earthly life so obvious in fossil-bearing rocks might be due to temporary Scientists found many unexpected things when the losses of our planet's protective magnetic field. first rockets and satellites broke through the atmospheric barrier.Outer space is not an empty Scientific curiosity about the universe and our vacuum. It seethes with flotsam and jetsam from the place in it is our major stimulus for reaching out solar system. The Sun violently stirs a thin extra- beyond the Earth's surface. A few meteorites, terrestrial soup of particles and magnetic fields. cosmic rays, the mysterious auroras, and a thin butMovement and interaction are everywhere. steady stream of tantalizing hints about outer space continuously slip through the Earth's insulating layers. To find out more about these phenomena, scientists realized they had to take their instruments 1 , m = meter = micron = 10-6 meters A = Angstrom unit = 10-10 meters x = x unit = 10-13 meters 4, Solar Some plasma cosmic rays Magnetopause Radio Photons, waves energetic cosmic rays H20 03 H20 CO2 02 Atmospheric fs* lu"N Molecule*, Moleculesetttonis, nUcjei< absorption , mechanisms Radio Optical window window , i i -liI I I < Ground level lkm lm lcm booA 1A Visible WAVELENGTH Radio waves Infra- Ultra- Gamma rays red violet 1 The Earth's magnetopause, ionosphere, and atmosphere absorb or turn back most of the incoming radiation. Only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum reaches the Earth's surface through the windows. Satel- lites carry instruments in and above these insulating layers. The past decade has been exciting and rewarding One hint came during the summers of 1952 for space science, but the new knowledge and insightsthrough 1955, when Van Allen's group from the have not come easily. And there are many things University of Iowa launched rockoons (balloon- we still do not understand. launched rockets) from the deck of a Coast Guard cutter in Baffin Bay near the north magnetic pole. The Great Van Allen's Geiger counters detected considerable soft (low energy) radiation at the peaks of the Radiation rocket trajectoriessome 50 to 60 miles upwnere Belts the Earth's magnetic lines of force bend down toward the pole. The results were intriguing. Scientists began probing the upper reaches of the What a boon an artificial satellite would be. atmosphere in 1946 when captured German V-2 It could criss-cross the polar regions north and south rockets arrived at the Army's missile test range at several times a day. Van Allen thus became a White Sands, New Mexico. Many of these leading proponent of the embryonic U.S. satellite early rockets carried Geiger counters and other program and an advocate of placing radiation radiation detectors to high altitudes. James A. Van detectors on the first spacecraft. Allen, Fred Singer, and other researchers wanted to see how the intensity and nature of cosmic rays Van Allen was successful in his campaign; Explorer I varied with altitude and latitude. Like everyone else(January 31, 1958) carried a Geiger counter. After they were perplexed by the polar auroras (northern the fourth stage of the Jupiter C rocket successfully lights) ; perhaps high altitude rockets might find injected Explorer I into its orbit, the satellite began subatomic particles that stimulated the upper to climb towards its apogee of nearly 1600 miles. atmosphere to emit the eerie greenish light Once in each revolution, every 107 minutes, Explorer I's typical of auroras. Geiger counter counted subatomic particles between altitudes of 225 and 1600 miles. As telemetry data were relayed via worldwide tracking stations, Van Allen 2 2Explorer III was almost identical to Explorer I. The whole last stage of the Juno launch vehicle went into orbit. "",%*7 '. :Aft antennillep *, Eoriverd anienna gaP (int:receiver) Low.power transmitter (icre.power transmitter) <, (high-power transmitter), Micrbmeteorite -Internal: ixtemal Sub.,,carrier erosion gages Launching surfaces " temp. gage < Geiger tube temp, gage oscillators' 15;2 cm 2 and his afisociates saw that their Geiger tube did notMagnetic tranping is easy to visualize.