EAPS 105: Homework 12

12.20. In Wikipedia, look up "Artificial gravity" and answer this question: True or False: In a spacecraft, an inertial force that mimics the effects of a gravity can be created by spinning the spacecraft. A) True B) False

A) True

12.19. In Wikipedia, look up "Effect of spaceflight on the human body" and answer this question: Which of the following is not an effect of prolonged weightlessness? A) Muscle atrophy B) Deterioration of the skeleton C) Changes in the immune system D) All the above are effects of prolonged weightlessness

D) All the above are effects of prolonged weightlessness

12.18. In Wikipedia, look up "Kessler syndrome" and answer this question: What is the Kessler syndrome? A) A scenario in which collisions between space debris in orbit could cause a cascade in which each collision generates more space debris that causes further collisions. B) A psychological effect of space travel that causes astronauts to become non-compliant. C) A chain reaction within a solid rocket engine that causes overpressure followed by explosion. D) Where competition for limited resources within a space or planet colony leads to violence.

A) A scenario in which collisions between space debris in orbit could cause a cascade in which each collision generates more space debris that causes further collisions.

12.13. In Wikipedia, look up "Solar Wind" and answer this question: What is the solar wind? A) A stream of charged particles released from the upper atmosphere of the Sun. B) An intense localized eruption of electromagnetic radiation in the Sun's atmosphere. C) Pressure caused by photons (light). D) Forces associated with the heliosphere (the Sun's magnetic field)

A) A stream of charged particles released from the upper atmosphere of the Sun.

12.6. In Wikipedia, look up "Space Shuttle Challenger disaster" and answer this question: What killed the Space Shuttle Challenger astronauts? A) The vehicle exploded early in its flight. B) Actually, the astronauts survived an oxygen tank explosion. C) A cabin fire during a launch rehearsal test. D) The vehicle disintegrated during reentry.

A) The vehicle exploded early in its flight.

12.5. In Wikipedia, look up "Soyuz 11" and answer this question: True or False: The three crew members of Soyuz 11 are the only humans to have died in space. A) True B) False

A) True

12.3. In Wikipedia, look up "Apollo 13" and answer this question: What killed the Apollo 13 astronauts? A) The vehicle exploded early in its flight. B) Actually, the astronauts survived an oxygen tank explosion. C) A cabin fire during a launch rehearsal test. D) The vehicle disintegrated during reentry.

B) Actually, the astronauts survived an oxygen tank explosion.

12.12. In Wikipedia, look up "Micrometeoroid", read the intro and then scroll down to "Effect on spacecraft operations", and answer this question: How does a Whipple shield (meteor bumper) protect a spacecraft from micrometeoroid impacts? A) Slanted hull geometries cause micrometeoroids to deflect without penetrating the spacecraft outer wall. B) An outer thin foil film vaporizes the micrometeoroid, diffusing its energy before it impacts with the spacecraft outer wall C) A strong outer shell made of iron coated with cobalt is strong enough to prevent micrometeoroids from penetrating the spacecraft outer wall. D) A thick spongy layer of material surrounding the spacecraft absorbs the energy and captures the micrometeorite, preventing it from penetrating the spacecraft outer wall.

B) An outer thin foil film vaporizes the micrometeoroid, diffusing its energy before it impacts with the spacecraft outer wall

12.16. In Wikipedia, look up "2009 satellite collision" and answer this question: Which statement of the 2009 satellite collision is true? A) The satellite collision was done on purpose as a test of an anti-satellite weapon. B) By 2011 over 2000 large debris fragments were catalogued. C) A small piece of satellite debris hit the International Space Station damaging a solar panel. D) All the above

B) By 2011 over 2000 large debris fragments were catalogued.

12.1. In Wikipedia, look up "Apollo 1" and answer this question: What killed the Apollo 1 astronauts? A) The vehicle exploded early in its flight. B) Actually, the astronauts survived an oxygen tank explosion. C) A cabin fire during a launch rehearsal test. D) The vehicle disintegrated during reentry.

C) A cabin fire during a launch rehearsal test.

12.7. In Wikipedia, look up "Space Shuttle Challenger disaster" and answer this question: What was the cause of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster? A) The external oxygen tank ruptured. B) The failure of one of the three liquid orbiter engines. C) The failure of O-ring seals in a joint in one of the solid rocket boosters. D) The failure of a strut that attached the orbiter to the external tank.

C) The failure of O-ring seals in a joint in one of the solid rocket boosters.

12.11. In Wikipedia, look up "Micrometeoroid", read the intro and then scroll down to "Effect on spacecraft operations", and answer this question: What is the danger of micrometeoroids to space exploration? A) Their large size B) The manner in which they disrupt communications C) Their extremely high velocity D) All the above

C) Their extremely high velocity

12.14. In Wikipedia, look up "Solar flare" and answer this question: Which is not a danger of a solar flare? A) High dosages of radiation to spacecraft and astronauts B) Disruption to electric power grids C) They can scorch the Earth (set forests on fire) D) All the above

C) They can scorch the Earth (set forests on fire)

12.15. In Wikipedia, look up "Colonization of Mars", read the intro and then scroll down to "Radiation", look at the plot of Compares of radiation doses, and answer this question: Compared to the US Annual Average of radiation exposure (Dose Equivalent), how much more radiation will an astronaut experience by traveling to Mars or living on its surface for 500 days (note that this plot is logarithmic)? A) 2 times B) 10 times C) 20 times D) 100 times

D) 100 times

12.10. In Wikipedia, look up "Jerrie Cobb" and answer this question: Which of the following did Jerry Cobb accomplish in her lifetime? A) She was also part of the Mercury 13, a group of women who underwent physiological screening tests at the same time as the original Mercury Seven astronauts. B) She set numerous aviation records and became a consultant for NASA. C) She conducted over 30 years of missionary work in South America and was honored by 5 governments. D) All the above

D) All the above

12.2. In Wikipedia, look up "Apollo 1", read the intro and then scroll down to "Choice of pure oxygen atmosphere", and answer this question: North American Aviation had suggested using an oxygen/nitrogen mixture for the Apollo capsules, but NASA overruled this. What did NASA judge to be the advantages of using a pure oxygen environment? A) It was safer B) It was less complicated C) It was lighter in weight D) All the above

D) All the above

12.8. In Wikipedia, look up "Space Shuttle Challenger disaster" and answer this question: According to the Roger's commission, what administrative failures within the Space Shuttle program led to the Challenger disaster? A) NASA's organizational culture and decision-making processes were flawed. B) Test data revealed a potentially catastrophic flaw in the design of the boosters and neither NASA nor SRB manufacturer Morton Thiokol addressed the issue. C) NASA managers disregarded engineers' warnings about the dangers of launching in cold temperatures and did not report these technical concerns to their superiors. D) All the above

D) All the above

12.17. In Wikipedia, look up "Space debris" and answer this question: How many pieces of debris of any size are estimated to be in orbit around the Earth? A) Between 100,000 and 200,000 B) Between 1 and 2 million C) Between 10 and 20 million D) More than 100 million

D) More than 100 million

12.9. In Wikipedia, look up "Space Shuttle Columbia disaster" and answer this question: What killed the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts? A) The vehicle exploded early in its flight. B) Actually, the astronauts survived an oxygen tank explosion. C) A cabin fire during a launch rehearsal test. D) The vehicle disintegrated during reentry.

D) The vehicle disintegrated during reentry.

12.4. In Wikipedia, look up "Apollo 13" and answer this question: After the oxygen tank explosion damaged the service module, how did the astronauts survive the return back to Earth? A) They lived in the command module. B) They landed on the Moon with the lunar module and waited for rescue. C) The fixed the service module using parts from the lunar module. D) They used the lunar module as a lifeboat.

D) They used the lunar module as a lifeboat.