Charlotte


 * The temperature is much cooler on Mars, so we would have to prepare for the chilly weather. We would have to map out the warmest places, so we could stay warm in the winter.
 * At its closest, Mars is 35 million miles from Earth.
 * Mars has large sand/dust storms that block the sun, so it may be difficult to always use the solar panels for energy production.
 * It is important that you have enough thrust (fuel) to leave Earth’s gravitational pull.
 * We would need to plan our research very carefully. We would have to launch the rocket at the right time so that the two planets would be close together when the rocket was launched, and so that there was the least amount of fuel used.
 * The launch window occurs every two years.
 * The trip to Mars would take about seven or eight months.
 * Mars and Earth are the most similar planets. They are alike in their size, land surface, and their rotational axis.
 * Mars’ gravity is about 1/3 of Earth’s. We would need to know this for our rover. It would be useful if the rover stayed on the ground.
 * Mars does not have a magnetic field, but scientists can tell that it once did.
 * Mars' atmosphere is too thin for liquid to exist on it for too long. Liquid is mainly shown on Mars in either ice caps or thin clouds.
 * It is very difficult to land and sustain rovers, because of the large dust storms. That might block out communications, too.
 * Mars’ surface is rocky, with hundreds of thousands of craters, large mountains, and the largest canyon in the solar system. Considering this, you would have to choose a flat landing area.
 * You would need to make your rover sturdy to minimize need for repairs. The rover would definitely have to be ‘dust’ proof.
 * Rovers need high traction wheels in order to move across the rocky, sandy terrain.
 * Mars appears red-ish because it is so rocky and has so much iron. When the iron collides with the oxygen, rust is made. The rust turns the air pinkish- this is what causes the planet to seem red.
 * Mars has two moons- Phobos and Deimos.

// Ms. Mc: Good facts about Mars and its conditions. Good additions from our class discussion as well. 10/10 //

Before the modern rocket was invented, there were many different devices like a rocket. One of the many discoveries that were, in many ways, like a rocket was the Hero Engine. Founded by a Greek inventor named Hero of Alexandria, the Hero Engine was different in the way that it used steam as a propulsive gas. This machine was a sphere mounted on top of a water kettle. Below the kettle was a fire that turned the water into steam. The gas then traveled through pipes back to the sphere. Lastly, two l-shaped tubes on both sides of the sphere let the gas escape, which gave a thrust to the sphere that triggered a rotation.

Another early rocket was created by the Chinese. The Chinese used rockets in a way that involved arrows, bows, bamboo, and gunpowder. The Chinese would put the gunpowder (made from saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal dust) inside the bamboo. They would then launch them into fires and the ‘rockets’ would shoot into the air. These arrow rockets were semi-effective. Although these early rockets were innovative for their age, two people that definitely advanced the rocket were Robert H. Goddard and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky’s. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky contributed to modern rocketry by proposing the idea of space exploration by rocket. He also suggested the use of liquid propellants for his rocket; this would allow for a greater range. Robert H. Goddard, on the other hand, experimented with many different aspects in rocketry. He was also interested in achieving higher altitudes, and he too though that using liquid propellants could make the rocket go higher.

To make history for the Soviet Union, on October 4th of 1957 an Earth-orbiting satellite was launched. It was called the Sputnik. And a few months after that, the United States followed the Soviet Union with another satellite. This took place on January 31 of 1958. Following that, the United States organized its own space program created by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. This program became a noncombatant organization, with the motive of peaceful exploration of space. Now, many more people and machines have been propelled into space. People have landed on the moon and rovers have traveled to multiple planets.

To conclude, rockets have advanced and developed from arrows full of gunpowder to giant machines capable of traveling miles and miles. Because of this amazing invention, humans are able to do and see so much more.

// Ms. Mc: Great summary and drawings! Please include figure #s in your captions (-1/2) and refer to your drawings in the text (i.e., "as seen in Figure 1"). 9/5/10 //

media type="custom" key="14126938" Instructions to run simulation:
 * 1) Turn on sound.
 * 2) Press green flag to begin.
 * 3) Press red circle if you want to end the simulation.
 * 4) If the simulation does not appear, click on the "learn more about this project" link above.

Karoline L: The animation in this project was very smooth and very fun to watch. You must have spent a lot of time on this stimulation. You could make this project a little better by adding some information about landing. Overall, I think this project was very successful and I really enjoyed it!

Emma: I really liked your beginning and your rover. Your sounds were cool too. You could have made this project better by adding a little more on the descriptions of landing.

** __Rocket Photo and Description__ **


Inside the complicated transportation system we call a rocket, there are multiple mini-systems. Although they may not seem compatible, they all work together and rely on each other. Starting from the top, the nose cone- the cap of the body with a shape designed to guide the air around it- helps to hold all of the equipment inside. Also, without the top, there would be much more air resistance. Moving on, the body tube holds all of the items inside of it. Next, the recovery system is the device that lands the rocket safely and helps to maintain the rocket's good condition. This is one of the most important devices. Following, the recovery wadding protects the recovery system from burning. The recovery system would only burn if the motor overheats. Subsequently, the launch lug allows the rocket to take off from the launch pad straight. Also trying to keep the rocket straight is the fins. The fins keep the rocket from turning while it is traveling in space. Next is the motor mount, which holds the rocket in its rightful place. Lastly is the rocket motor, which is the thrust that pushes the rocket. To conclude, without the help of all of the different items used in a rocket, the trip would not be successful.

//Ms. Mc - Excellent diagram and descriptions! 10/10 //

__Atlas V 541__
Choosing a rocket to go to outer space is not as easy as it seems. Mission planners must consider the mass that each vehicle can lift into space, the height of the vehicle, and the type of launch vehicle. The current launch means of transportation was chosen because it has the right liftoff capability for the heavy weight requirements. Also, previous rockets that have been successful have been the same type. Lastly, this rocket is the correct height and has the right amount of mass. Fully fueled and loaded, this rocket is 1.17 million pounds. The height of this rocket is 191 feet.

There are five fundamental parts of the Atlas V-541 rocket. The first is the Common Core Booster. This provides the thrust for the Atlas V. As seen in figure four, next are the Solid Rocket Boosters. These provide the extra thrust at liftoff. Following is the Centaur. The Centaur is the upper stage, which comes out when the spacecraft fires twice. Next is the RD-180 main engine, which produces the thrust and burns liquid oxygen. Following is the Payload Faring, which shields the spacecraft during its voyage. The last important element of the Atlas V rocket is the nose cone, called a Payload. As seen on the picture below, the Payload protects the spacecraft during its voyage to Mars. //Ms. Mc - great overview and diagram of the launch vehicle. The payload is actually what the rocket is transporting (i.e., the Curiousity rover). You could use the term "nosecone" where you described the payload. Good work! 10/10 //

__Rocket Launch Lab Analysis and Write-Up__

 * INTRODUCTION **

The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether or not the mass of the rocket had an impact on the apogee- the highest point in the spacecraft’s flight. Eight completed model rockets were used to test this experiment, with varying masses.

There were three main forces that acted on the rocket while it was moving. The first was thrust, which is the force that propels the rocket. Thrust depended on both the force applied and the mass of the object. Thrust enters this experiment because if the mass is lower, the thrust will be able to exert more force to lift the rocket higher and faster. The second force that acted on the rocket was gravity, which is the attraction between any two masses in the universe. Gravity pulled the rocket down. The thrust overtook gravity, though, which was what propelled the rocket. The last key force was air resistance. Air resistance is the force that opposes the motion of an object. After the rocket started to descent, or come down, air resistance acted on the rocket’s parachute to land it safely. Also, inertia had a play in the rocket's apogee. If the rocket flew faster, which would happen if it was lighter, it would take longer for the rocket to stop moving. This is inertia; an object's tendency to keep doing what it is already doing.

Before the experiment was conducted, a hypothesis was made. It was thought that the apogee of the rocket would depend on the mas. This was believed for two reasons. The first regards the thrust of the rocket. The thrust, or the push the engine gave the rocket, provides more distance if there is less to push up. Elaborating on this, if the rocket had more mass, the mass would take away from the thrust. This would result in the rocket making its apogee earlier, at a lower height, because the thrust of the rocket no longer being able to push it upwards. Another explanation for this hypothesis has to do with coasting. Coasting is the moment when the rocket is moving due to inertia- the rockets tendency to continue doing what it is already doing. If the rocket was heavier, then it would overcome inertia quicker, resulting in the apogee of the rocket being at a lower height.

The results of this experiment showed that the hypothesis was correct. It was thought that the heavier the rocket, the lower the apogee. Some observations taken during the trial process were: the wind might have impacted the numbers. Also, even if the mass of the rocket was exact, the apogee of the rocket might not have been this same. This could be due to numerous factors, such as the angle guns measurements, the fin placement, and the location of the angle guns.
 * RESULTS & DISCUSSION **

In this investigation, the eight rockets tested had an average mass of 44.4125 grams, with the range being from 42.9 grams to 46.2 grams. The apogee data in this trial ranged from 78.1 meters to 38.4 meters. As seen in Graph 1: The Apogee of Eight Rockets with Various Masses, the results of this experiment showed that this trial had an inverse relationship. This means that there was an overall downwards trend. This can be seen in the data, because generally, as the mass went up the apogee went down. There are two outliers, though. The first is the rocket with an apogee of 38.4 meters. This rocket had a mass of 44.8 grams. The reason this rocket’s apogee was so low was because of the fin placement. The creators of this rocket put the fins on incorrectly, leading to the rocket having a lower apogee. The other outlier was the rocket with an apogee of 78.1 grams. This rocket also had a mass of 44.8 grams, so it was strange that two rockets with the same mass had completely different apogees. This was guessed to have happened for two reasons. The first is that the angle guns could have messed up. The second reason is that the mass might have been recorded incorrectly.

To conclude, the outcomes of this test showed that the hypothesis was indeed correct. There are many errors that might have entered the experiment, though. They are: the angle gun measurers, the fin placement, the wind, and the small number of eight rockets. If there had been more rockets, at least one hundred, then the results would have been more accurate.

[[image:cascience7-2012/cnw_rocketredesign_ii.JPG width="157" height="211" align="right" caption="Figure Five: Rocket Fin Re-Design"]]
The renovated rocket was designed to have five fins evenly placed. To lighten the weight, the fins were sanded down, resulting in smaller fins with a smaller mass. The fins, when sanded, were also shaped. As seen in figure five, they were made so that the edges were round. This helped the rocket become more aerodynamic. These improvements were to help the rocket reach a higher apogee. The five rounded fins were guessed to help the rocket reach a higher apogee because they would give the rocket more stability. These improvements would also help the rocket become more aerodynamic.

The masses of the rockets were very similar, with the first being 44.8 while the second was 45.0 grams. This small mass difference was due to the size of the fins. During the fin re-design, the fins were shaped and made smaller. The apogees of the rockets were very different, though. The first trial produced a rocket apogee of 78.1 meters, which the second test produced only an apogee of 52.0 meters. This large difference was concluded to have happened for two reasons. The first was the number of fins. Five fins, instead of three, could have made a huge difference. The second reason for the large difference of apogees was the flight path stability. The second launch rocket curved, which was something probably due to the placement of the fins, while the first rocket traveled straight up. //Ms. Mc - good initial thoughts, diagram, and conclusion. My guess as to why the 2nd rocket didn't fly as high as you lost the lift of the larger fins of the original design. You also were to discuss the importance of the CP and CG to stability. (-1/2) 4.5/5//

__History of Robotics__
Before the modern robot was invented, there were many different devices like a robot. One of the many discoveries that were, in many ways, like a robot was the airplane. Archytas of Tarentum built a mechanical bird propelled by steam. This bird, called "the Pigeon" served not only as an early flight study, but also as an early robot. This action caused him to be known as a brilliant Greek mathematician and scientist. Another early robot was also created by a Greek inventor. Named Ctesibus of Alexandria, he designed water clocks with movable figures. Until <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">this time, the Greeks had been using hour glasses to keep time, but Ctesibus' invention changed everything. As seen in figure six, it measured time as a result of the force of water falling through it, and it kept time at a constant rate. To conclude, Ctesibus designed water clocks to keep time, and they were used by all the Greeks.

Although these early robots were innovative for their time, two people that definitely advanced the robot were Issac Asimov and John McCarthy. In 1940, Issac Asimov produced, after writing many short stories about robots, the Three Laws of Robotics. These were perhaps his more important contribution to the history of the robot. They were: 1. A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. He later on added a 'zeroth law' to his list of rules, which was: 4. A robot may not injure humanity, or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm. John McCarthy, on the other hand, started the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Stanford University. He later on created the first mobile robot. Shakey, as it was named, could react and understand its own actions. To make history for the International Space Station in 1997, a node was placed in outer space. Later on, during the same year, a rover (Sojourner, as seen in figure seven) made its way to Mars. It was followed by many more rovers including Spirit and Opportunity.

Today, many robots exist in the world even though they are not thought of as robots. As an example, cars are robots, computers are robots, and even coffee machines! To conclude, robotics, the branch of science that deals with the design and construction of robots, has advanced and developed from simple machines to giant and amazing mechanisms capable of doing great things. And because of this wonderful invention, doing things has become much easier.

//Ms. Mc - great overview and figures! I particularly like how you included the Mars rovers. 10/10//

__On the Edge Challenge__
The purpose of this challenge was to simulate a rover stopping, preventing it from falling off a cliff or mountain. In this challenge, the rover started moving to a loud sound, drove until it encountered the black tape, then stopped.

media type="file" key="afk_ontheedgerobot.AVI" width="210" height="210" align="left"

//Video 1: On the Edge Challenge//




 * 1) Block number one tells the robot to activate port two and start its set of directions when it hears a sound over 60 (volume).
 * 2) Block number two tells the robot to activate servomotors C and B, so that the robot moves straight forward at 50% power for an unlimited amount of time.
 * 3) Block number three tells the robot to activate port three, the light sensor, and continue moving forward until it detects a light less than thirty-eight.
 * 4) Block number four tells the robot to activate servomotors C and B and brake.
 * 5) Block number five tells the robot to play a sound file. It tells the robot to play the sound file at 100% volume. The sound the block tells the robot to say is, 'watch out.'

//Ms. Mc - Excellent job, Charlotte! 20/20//

__Life on Mars?__
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Since the beginning of time, especially since 1960, space exploration has been a main focus for each of the 196 countries, especially the search for life on Mars. Because Mars is the only planet- other than Earth- to have a possibility of life, it has <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">been the landing destination for many spacecrafts carrying rovers. Recent searches have shown us that life might have existed on Mars. The primary rover that discovered this was Phoenix, a rover that discovered ice under the surface of Mars. People haven’t always thought that life was a possibility on Mars, though. The results have varied a lot throughout the years. It was first thought that life could not exist on Mars, from the results of Mariner 9 and the Viking. More recent studies, however, showed an optimistic side of the case, saying that life could exist because of four factors that scientists had previously overlooked- the recognition that life could survive in a temperature range larger than previously thought, the comparison to the beginning of life on Earth, the evidence of early life on Mars, and the fact that Mars and Earth have exchanged materials. Later on, a group of scientists announced that they had found evidence of life in a Martian meteorite, although this was later thought to be a fluke. (Not a fluke but rather, it may have been created by non-biological means) <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">. Now, scientists are still unsure of what might be on Mars.

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">To begin, a microorganism, also called a microbe, is an organism made up of either a single cell or a cluster of cells. They <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">were first discovered by Anton van Leeuwenhoek in 1675. Because microorganisms are very diverse, varying from fungi to protozoa, the classification could not be determined without the characteristics of the microorganisms. To determine the classification of a microbe- alive, dead, dormant, or nonliving- the eight characteristics would be essential. The microbe, to be alive, would have to have all eight traits; it would have to be made of cells (which all microorganisms are), it would need to be homeostatic (the ability to keep something the same), it would need materials (for energy), it would need to respond to stimuli, it would need to reproduce, it would need to grow, adapt, and finally respire (release energy). The subsequent step- after figuring out which of the characteristics the microbe has- would be to determine the classification. If the microorganism had all of the eight traits, it would be alive. If it had most, but some were at rest or on a different pattern, then the microbe would be dormant. If the microorganism used to have them all, but no longer had those traits, then it would be living. Finally, if the microorganism didn’t have any of them and never had any of them, then it would be classified non-living.

//Ms. Mc - great overview of the findings of the spacecraft explorations and how you would classify a specimen from Mars! 10/10// <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: 0px; line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 0in; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: 846px; width: 1px;">==__ 4/9/2012 __==

__On the Edge Challenge__
Karoline L- The animation in this project was very smooth and very fun to watch. You must have spent a lot of time on this stimulation. You could make this project a little better by adding some information about landing. Overall, I think this project was very successful and I really enjoyed it!