Spacecraft require a wide temperature range for survival and operations, with thermal control systems (TCS) keeping temperatures within specific limits via passive or active systems. Examples of passive systems include paints, coatings and surface finishes which alter solar absorptivity or infrared emission on surfaces required to absorb or release environmental heat, as well as second-surface…
As NASA’s Mariner IV probe returned images of Mars to earth, people worldwide watched with anticipation as the planet revealed itself to them for the first time ever. What they discovered was unimaginable to most. Planet Earth features polar caps, volcanoes, canyons and deserts – in addition to two small moons: Phobos and Deimos. Images…
Egyptian gods and goddesses played an essential role in ancient life. They represented aspects of nature as well as daily living and afterlife that helped preserve order in society by keeping chaos at bay. Sobek was an Egyptian god associated with death, healing, procreation, and the Nile River. His image appeared in numerous temples and…
All but four astronauts who ever set foot on the Moon have now passed on, yet that was only part of Apollo’s unfortunate legacy. First was a tragic fire on the launch pad that claimed three lives: Gus Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee – an event which fundamentally altered NASA’s moon program. The Fire…
Starfish don’t possess brains or blood, but they do possess eyes which allow them to observe their surroundings. Furthermore, starfish have the ability to regenerate their arms should an unwelcome guest appear unannouncedly. Once fertilized eggs hatch into bipinnaria larva, the animal moves to the ocean floor where it undergoes metamorphosis into an adult form…
Computer control of spacecraft systems assisted Armstrong during descent. At certain altitudes, an abort was no longer an option and an abort procedure could only be carried out with clearance from NASA. On 20 July, Armstrong detached Eagle from Collins and began its powered descent towards the lunar surface, eventually conducting his inaugural two and…
Mars is often thought of as the nearest planet that could support life, as its soil contains nutrients, there’s water locked up in ice caps, and its atmosphere offers protection from solar and cosmic radiation. But living conditions there can be harsh. Toxic soil can suffocate you and temperatures are too cold to support comfortable…
People often ask why the sky is blue; this answer lies within atmospheric gases and dust particles which scatter sunlight back onto Earth, with blue wavelengths being scattered more often than any other hues. Tamil language provides distinct words for blue (neela – niil), green (pcc paccai) and yellow. Furthermore, light sky blue can also…
As soon as daybreak hits and sunlight hits the atmosphere, light is scattered in all directions – shorter wavelengths of light tend to disperse more rapidly than longer ones and give off a blue hue in the sky. The same process explains why sunrise and sunset skylines appear orange or red respectively. The Sun As…
