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Multidisciplinary
Design, Analysis, and
Optimization Branch
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EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES: THE NASA AEROQUIZ
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Week of 5/5/97:
Q:
The peak "gee" forces that astronauts (so far) have had to endure occurs
during atmospheric re-entry, not during launch. Although peak re-entry gee
forces can vary greatly (depending on factors such as the direction at which
the spacecraft
enters the atmosphere), astronauts in spacecraft coming down from a low Earth
orbit typically experience about three gees worth of peak
deceleration. Apollo astronauts coming home from the moon, however,
experienced about six gees on re-entry. Why is there a difference?
A:
The "Trans-Earth Injection" speeds of the returning Apollos were much
higher than low-Earth orbital speeds. And since no rocket burns were made to
slow the Apollos down before hitting the atmosphere, those astronauts had to
endure much higher gee forces.
Congratulations to Bill Strack.
Week of 5/12/97:
Q:
Aircraft and Submarines!
- Wings are to lift as ballast tanks are to... ?
- Torpedo attacks are to periscopes as bombing is to... ?
- Sonar is to bubbling acoustic countermeasures as radar is to... ?
- A jet engine's combustor is to air as a submarine's nuclear reactor is to... ?
No correct answers! The questions stands one more week!
Week of 5/19/97:
Q:
Aircraft and Submarines!
- Wings are to lift as ballast tanks are to... ?
- Torpedo attacks are to periscopes as bombing is to... ?
- Sonar is to bubbling acoustic countermeasures as radar is to... ?
- A jet engine's combustor is to air as a submarine's nuclear reactor is to... ?
A:
- Buoyancy.
- Bombardier's scopes.
- Chaff countermeasures.
- Frequently, liquid sodium.
Congratulations to Dan Shedd.
Week of 5/26/97:
Q:
What were the first words spoken from the surface of the moon?
Yes, this is a trick question, and there are three answers we can think of.
A:
Before Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon and said, "That's one
small step...," he also said upon landing, "Houston, Tranquility
Base here, the Eagle has landed." And even before that, when
the Lunar Module's landing pad sensors detected the surface beneath
them, Buzz Aldrin said, "Contact light."
Congratulations to Susan Johnson.
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