Term | Definition |
rocket | a device that expels gas in one direction to move in the opposite |
thrust | the reaction force that propels a rocket forward |
velocity | speed in a given direction |
orbital velocity | velocity a rocket must achieve to establish an orbit around earth |
escape velocity | the velocity the rocket must achieve to fly beyond earths gravitational pull |
satellite | an object that revolves around another object in space |
space shuttle | a spacecraft that can carry people to space return to earth, and be reused again for the same purpose |
space station | a large artificial satellite on which people can work and live on for a long time |
space probe | a spacecraft that carries scientific instruments that can collect data |
rovers | small robots that move around on the surface |
vacuum | a place that is empty of all matter |
microgravity | a feeling of weightlessness |
space spinoff | an item originally developed for use in space but also has uses on earth |
remote sensing | collection of info about earth and other objects in space without being in direct contact |
geosynchronous orbit | a satellite that orbits earth at the same rate thus staying over the same place on earth |
Apollo | The American effort to land astronauts on the moon |
John Glenn | First man to orbit Earth |
Alan Shepard | First AMerican in Space |
Laika | The first living creature in space-Soviet dog |
Sputnik | The soviet satellite that kicked off the Space Race |
Yuri Gargarin | the first human in space |
NASA | The USA space program-National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
Freedom | Launched the first American in space |
ISS | America and 15 other countries helped launched the space station where scientist from all over can live |
Mir | the soviet space station |
Cassini | space probe exploring Saturn's moons |
Galileo | provided detailed images and data about Jupiter and its mooon |
Discovery | a space shuttle |
Challenger | One of the 2 American shuttles that were destroyed during flights |
Lunar Prospector | a space probe that found evidence of water ice and other materials on the moon |
GPS | global positioning system |