ALCOS 8: Technological Advances and Alabama’s Contribution to Space Industry.

1. ALCOS 8: Technological Advances and Alabama’s Contribution to Space Industry.

2. Essential Questions What are some spinoffs that we benefit from on Earth? How has Alabama contributed to the space industry? What was the first manned mission on the moon? What is the International Space Station (ISS)?

3. Background Knowledge • Natural satellites are found in space and include moons, asteroids, comets, and meteors. • Man-made satellites are launched by rockets and placed in the Earth’s orbit. • Man-made satellites help humans forecast weather, transfer telephone calls over the oceans, assist in the navigation of ships and aircraft, monitor crops and other resources and support military activities.

4. Vocabulary! • Marshall Team- helped to develop a satellite that orbits the Earth taking photographs of the planets and the universe. • Hubble Space Telescope- a large telescope that orbits the earth beyond the earth’s atmosphere. It provides photographs of the planets and the universe beyond.

5. Vocabulary: Define it! • Space probe-an instrument that is the most effective way for scientists to study far off locations such as Pluto Unmanned missions- missions which are primarily conducted by robots or machines. • Manned missions- missions in which humans are on bored and can conduct research.

6. International Space Station • ISS (International Space Station)-The International Space Station is a large spacecraft. It orbits around Earth. It is a home where astronauts live. The space station is also a science lab. Many countries worked together to build it. They also work together to use it. The space station is made of many pieces. The pieces were put together in space by astronauts. The space station's orbit is about 220 miles above Earth. NASA uses the station to learn about living and working in space. These lessons will help NASA explore space.

7. Alabama’s contribution to the space industry. • Who was Dr. Mae Jemison? She was the first African American female to enter space and was from Alabama. • Redstone Arsenal- An army base near Huntsville, Alabama that worked with scientists in space exploration. • Marshall Team and Hubble Space Telescope- developed in Alabama.

8. Things to know! • The Marshall team was from Alabama helped to design the Hubble Telescope. • Dr. Mae Jemison was the first African-American female to enter space. • She was from Alabama! • The Hubble telescope is a large telescope that orbits the Earth and takes picture of planets and the universe?

9. Things to know! • The sun is the greatest source of energy on Earth. • The pacemaker for the heart was a scientific development from space exploration but it also benefited medical research. • Alabama had the first manned rocket built. • Weather satellites have helped to develop weather prediction. • A space probe would be very effective in helping scientist to study far-off locations.

10. Questions to think about • What are some devices that do need satellites to work?

11. Saturn V Rockets • The Saturn V rocket was the largest, most powerful rocket ever built. When its tanks were full, it weighed over 6 million pounds. • It carried 3 astronauts inside the command space craft and also had to carry a moon lander. • Scientists at Marshall center/Marshall team designed the Saturn family of rockets.

12. Things to know • In 1950 Werhner Von Braun, who was from Germany, was the key scientist who helped the United States develop rockets. He led a team of German and American Scientists. • They built the Jupiter Rocket, one of America’s earliest rockets. • A Jupiter rocket carried the first U.S. satellite into orbit around Earth.

13. Things to know • A Jupiter rocket also carried the first U.S. astronaut into orbit. • A satellite is a smaller body that is in orbit around a larger one. • John f. Kennedy set the goal for the United States to send a man to the moon within the decade.

14. Things to know! • Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. • Neil Armstrong was the FIRST human to step on the moon. He said, “ One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind”. • Buzz Aldrin was the second man on the moon. • The Marshall Team designed the space shuttle, which enabled astronauts to go into space and return on the same vehicle.