Space Science and Technology

EARTH ORBITING SATELLITE THEORY

Introduction The objective of this article is to provide an introduction to the theory of satellite orbital motion. Although the discussion focuses on Earth-orbiting satellites, the theory is equally valid for computations around other primary bodies including the Moon, the Sun, and the planets. The majority of the discussion focuses on the problem of two […]

EARTH-ORBITING SATELLITES, DATA RECEIVING AND HANDLING FACILITIES

Ground support of spacecraft is often referred to as “TT&C,” for tracking, telemetry and command. Tracking generally refers to measuring the position of a spacecraft, telemetry to information carried on the radio-frequency (RF) downlink signal, and command to information transmitted from the ground to a spacecraft. Increasingly, these terms are somewhat narrow to describe the […]

EASTERN LAUNCH FACILITIES, KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

Introduction The Eastern Test Range (ETR) is the familiar designation of a group of bases, facilities, and installations that support space vehicle launches from Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) and the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and ballistic missile test launches from or near the Cape Canaveral Air Station. It is operated by the United States […]

ELECTROMAGNETIC PROPULSION

Introduction Sporadic attempts have been made for more than 150 years to use electrical energy to launch projectiles at high velocities. Throughout the world during the 1984. (The NASA nomenclature system for designating missions was changed starting with this mission, which was called STS 41-B, rather than STS-10.) Mission 41-D, the twelfth mission, marked the […]

EXPLORATION OF MARS BY THE USSR

Introduction Mars research began long before the Space Age. Ground-based astronomical observations using photometry (I.K. Koval’, N.P. Barbashev, et al.), polarimetry (A.V. Morozhenko et al.), and infrared spectrometry (V.I. Moroz) were performed in the Soviet Union throughout the 1950s and 1960s. G.A. Tikhov attempted to find evidence of life on Mars using spectroscopic techniques. Theoretical […]

EVOLUTION OF U.S. EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLES

Beginnings Robert H. Goddard was a Professor of Physics at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, a post he held for 26 years from 1919 until his death in 1945. During these years, Goddard performed a classic series of experiments in which he, almost single-handedly, worked out the basic elements of liquid-fueled rocket technology. Goddard was […]

EXPLORATION OF THE MOON BY SOVIET SPACECRAFT

Launches of Soviet spacecraft to the Moon started on 2 January 1959, only 15 months after the launch of the first Sputnik. The full list of missions to the Moon is given in Table 1. It includes all officially declared Soviet lunar missions. According to some sources there were also several failed Soviet attempts to […]

EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE, SEARCHING FOR

Introduction Since at least the beginning of recorded history, humans have looked up at the sky and wondered whether or not we are alone. Traditionally, we have consulted philosophers and religious figures for guidance in answering this question. In every age and in every culture, these leaders have responded according to the particular belief system […]

FIRST FLIGHT OF MAN IN SPACE

The twentieth century was one of rampant technological development, of unprecedented flourishing of science, a century in which grandiose, fantastic ideas became reality, and when the dreams of many generations of people who lived and now live on Earth came true. There were a great many ideas, discoveries, projects, and accomplishments in the century just […]

GLOBAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEM

The Global Navigation Satellite System (Glonass) was designed to provide global real-time determination of the position and velocity of an unlimited number of moving objects at any point on the Earth’s surface, in the air, and in space. This system was developed in response to an order from the USSR (Russian Federation) Ministry of Defense. […]

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