SpaceBasedTechnologies.pdf
- 2. Contents • Definition of space • Space technology and its uses • Present space technology • Future space technology
- 3. What is Space? • Space is a zone that occurs about 100 kilometers (60 miles) above the planet, where there is no appreciable air to breathe or to scatter light.
- 4. Space Technology and its uses • Space technology is technology that is related to entering, and retrieving objects or life forms from space • Every day technologies such as weather forecasting, remote sensing, GPS systems, satellite television, and some long distance communications systems critically rely on space infrastructure.
- 5. Present space technology Hubble Space Telescope: Launched into orbit in 1990, the Hubble truly is one of the greatest space instruments in the history of humanity. Powered by sunlight, equipped with multiple instruments and cameras for capturing images of deep space, NASA estimates that over 10,000 scientific papers have been written based on data gathered by Hubble.
- 6. Curiosity rover: The Curiosity rover is the most powerful robot ever to set wheel upon the Martian regolith. The Curiosity rover landed on Mars in 2012, aided in its descent by a breakthrough landing technology dubbed a sky crane. Curiosity, also called the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), has one mission: to study the habitability of Mars. . Present space technology
- 7. Kepler Spacecraft This low-cost orbital telescope was launched in 2009 with the sole purpose of locating exoplanets in the Milky Way galaxy. Since that time, it has discovered, according to NASA, "2,740 potential planets orbiting 2,036 stars." Present space technology
- 8. Antimatter-powered rockets An antimatter rocket is a proposed class of rockets that use antimatter as their power source. Antimatter is far better in comparison to conventional fuel rockets because they are lightweight and have a faster impulse rate. But only tiny quantities of antimatter are made and trapped each year in particle collision experiments. To make antimatter rockets practical, a much bigger source of antimatter would be needed. Future space technology
- 9. Laser and microwave-powered rockets An alternative propulsion method could be to beam laser or microwave energy at the rocket from stations on Earth. These would heat propellants on board to greater temperatures than is possible with conventional rockets, boosting efficiency. Future space technology
- 10. Sun-powered rockets The sun gives off energy for free, and a new way to harness this energy in space could propel spacecraft of the future. According to this concept, called solar thermal propulsion, mirrors or lenses would focus sunlight to heat methane or other propellants. The hot gas would then propel the vehicle forward. Future space technology