1. Monday October 29, 2012 (The Race to the Moon: Sputnik and Explorer, Projects Mercury and Gemini)

2. The Launch Pad Monday, 10/29/12 How many manned lunar landings occurred during the Apollo program? 6 In what three years did manned lunar landings take place? 1969, 1971, 1972 How many men have walked on the Moon? 12 Who was the first man to go into space? Yuri Gagarin

3. Announcements Happy Fall Happy

4. Assignment Currently Open Summative or Formative? Date IssuedDate DueFinal Day Quiz 6S110/5 11/2 Quiz 7S210/12 11/2 Quiz 8S310/19 11/2 Quiz 9S410/26 11/9

5. Recent Events in Science New Model Reconciles the Moon's Earth-Like Composition With the Giant Impact Theory of Formation http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012 /10/121017141759.htm Read All About It! According to the “collision” scenario, the Moon formed from debris ejected into an Earth-orbiting disk by the collision of a smaller proto-planet with the early Earth. Earlier models found that most of the disk material would have originated from the Mars-sized impacting body, whose composition likely would have differed substantially from that of Earth. The newest models involve a much larger impactor than were previously considered. In the new simulations, both the impactor and the target (Earth) are of comparable mass, with each containing about 4 to 5 times the mass of Mars.

6. Recent Events in Science New Model Reconciles the Moon's Earth-Like Composition With the Giant Impact Theory of Formation http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012 /10/121017141759.htm Read All About It! The near symmetry of the collision causes the disk's composition to be extremely similar to that of the final planet's mantle over a relatively broad range of impact angles and speeds, consistent with the Earth-Moon compositional similarities. The new impacts produce an Earth that is rotating 2 to 2.5 times faster than implied by the current angular momentum of the Earth-Moon system, which is contained in both Earth's rotation and the Moon's orbit. However, new findings suggest that a resonant interaction between the early Moon and the Sun (known as the evection resonance) could have decreased the angular momentum of the Earth-Moon system by this amount soon after the Moon-forming impact.

7. The Race to the Moon Highlands

8. The Race to the Moon After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union became engaged in what was referred to as the “Cold War.” They were bitter rivals and both were out to convince the world that their style of life (politics) was superior to the other’s. Both realized early-on that advanced technology was the key to proving their superiority.

9. The Race to the Moon Highlands In October of 1957, the US was dealt a harsh blow when the Soviets launched the first artificial satellite into Earth orbit, named Sputnik I. Americans became very nervous knowing that there was a Russian spacecraft flying over their heads once every 90 minutes.

10. The Race to the Moon Highlands The US suffered several major failures in the attempt to match the Soviet’s feat. On January 31, 1958, the US finally launched their first satellite, called Explorer I. The space race had begun, but the Soviets held a decided lead. It was now up to a new US president to urge the country on in this extremely important show of ability.

11. The Race to the Moon Highlands President John F. Kennedy had no great interest in space achievements for their own sake. He did, however, realize their political importance in showing the world that the American system of Democracy was preferable to the Soviet system of Socialism (Communism.)

12. The Race to the Moon Highlands The space agency NASA had been created, and so Kennedy urged the country to proceed with the goal of putting a human being into space. Another serious setback to the US space program soon occurred – the Soviets put the first man into space just as America was preparing to accomplish this important feat.

13. The Race to the Moon Highlands The US, finding itself in the position of trailing the Russians in the Space Race, finally launched Alan Shepard on a 15- minute sub-orbital fight on May 5, 1961. The stage was now set for President Kennedy to make his move.

14. The Race to the Moon Highlands On May 25, 1961, President Kennedy made his now famous speech that committed the nation to the Moon landing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_JlSdRCg7g&featur e=related

15. The Race to the Moon The United States moved forward with Kennedy’s bold proposal, conducting Project Mercury. This initial program was designed to test man’s ability to survive in space.

16. The Race to the Moon On February 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn, making the third Mercury flight, became the first American to orbit the Earth. His spacecraft was named Friendship 7. A total of six successful Mercury flights took place, paving the way for America’s second manned spacecraft program, Project Gemini, which would carry a two-man crew.

17. The Race to the Moon Gemini had three major goals: to test the ability of a man to go outside of his spacecraft and float freely in space, to see if man could function in space over long durations, and, to test the procedures for bringing two spacecraft together in space, called rendezvous and docking.

18. The Race to the Moon All of Gemini’s goals had to be met before a man could go to the Moon. On June 3, 1965, during the Gemini IV mission, Ed White became the first American astronaut to leave the relative safety of his spacecraft and perform what is called an EVA, extra-vehicular activity (commonly called a space- walk.)

19. The Race to the Moon From December 4-18, 1965, astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell spent 14 days in their Gemini VII spacecraft. It was equivalent to spending two weeks in the front seat of a Volkswagen. The long-duration flight proved that men could function in space long enough to make a flight to the Moon and back. Gemini Vi spent a couple of days in orbit with Gemini VII.

20. The Race to the Moon On March 16, 1966, Neil Armstrong and David Scott performed the first docking of two spacecraft when Gemini VIII briefly mated with an unmanned Agena target vehicle. With 10 total flights, all of Gemini’s goals had been met. The way was clear for the final program, Project Apollo, which would attempt to land a man on the Moon.