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Why should we care about space science? - with Anu Ojha

The Royal Institution・2 minutes read

Space exploration poses challenges but offers breathtaking views, showcasing Earth's beauty and human development through photography. The James Webb Space Telescope has transformed our understanding of the universe with groundbreaking images, highlighting the vastness of space and the potential for future discoveries.

Insights

  • Space exploration offers breathtaking views and pushes science and engineering to the limits, showcasing both the challenges and rewards of venturing beyond Earth.
  • The James Webb Space Telescope, positioned at the Earth-Sun Lagrange 2 point, has revolutionized our understanding of the universe, providing detailed views of celestial phenomena and galaxies.
  • Human space flight requires intricate solutions to maintain life in challenging environments, emphasizing the critical role of pressure suits and life support systems for astronauts' safety and survival.

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Recent questions

  • What are some challenges of space exploration?

    Space exploration faces challenges like gravity, radiation, temperature, and pressure. The environment poses difficulties but offers breathtaking views.

  • How do rocket engines work?

    Rocket engines use high-energy chemical reactions for thrust. Real engines like F-1 on Saturn V rockets require massive fuel amounts.

  • What is the James Webb Space Telescope?

    The James Webb Telescope is the largest ever built. It transforms our understanding of the universe with detailed images.

  • What is the significance of the International Space Station?

    The ISS conducts scientific research in microgravity. Over 3,000 investigations from 120 countries have been conducted on the station.

  • Why is pressure important in space travel?

    Pressure suits are crucial for survival in space. Accidents like Soyuz 11 highlight the importance of maintaining pressure during space flight.

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Summary

00:00

"Exploring Space: Challenges and Triumphs"

  • The speaker expresses gratitude for the audience attending a lecture on the significance of space exploration.
  • The lecture aims to explore why space is prioritized despite challenges on Earth.
  • Space is closer than perceived, with the boundary being 100 kilometers above Earth.
  • The space environment poses challenges like gravity, radiation, temperature, and atmospheric pressure.
  • Space exploration pushes science and engineering to its limits but offers breathtaking views.
  • Photography from the International Space Station showcases Earth's beauty and human development.
  • Rocket propulsion involves high-energy chemical reactions to generate thrust.
  • A demonstration using ethanol illustrates how rockets work through exothermic reactions.
  • Real rocket engines, like the F-1 engines on Saturn V rockets, use massive amounts of fuel.
  • The Starship launch exemplifies the scale and challenges of modern rocket technology, aiming to put a small fraction of its liftoff weight into Earth orbit.

15:08

"James Webb Telescope: Universe's Vast Secrets Revealed"

  • The James Webb Space Telescope, launched on Christmas Day 2021, is the largest space telescope ever built, with a sun shield the size of a tennis court and a mirror assembly dwarfing the Hubble Space Telescope.
  • Located 1.4 million kilometers away at the Earth-Sun Lagrange 2 point, the James Webb Telescope has already transformed our understanding of the universe.
  • Images returned by the telescope show the past and future of our solar system, including the birth of new stars, the end of a star's life forming a planetary nebula, and detailed views of galaxies like Stefan's Quintet.
  • A patch of sky observed by the James Webb Telescope for 12 hours revealed thousands of galaxies, demonstrating the vastness of the universe.
  • The Moon's distance from Earth, roughly 10 circumferences of the Earth, is demonstrated with a piece of string, highlighting the vastness of space.
  • Project Apollo, spanning from 1968 to 1972, allowed 24 human beings to explore the Moon, leaving lasting footprints and tire tracks due to the lack of erosion on the Moon.
  • The US shifted focus from Moon exploration to reducing the cost of accessing space with the development of the reusable Space Shuttle, while the Soviet Union excelled in building space stations like Mir.
  • The collaboration between the US and Soviet Union led to the International Space Station, a 500-ton structure the size of a football field, continuously occupied since 2000 for conducting scientific research in microgravity.
  • More than 3,000 investigations from over 120 countries have been conducted on the ISS, with astronauts and cosmonauts performing experiments and keeping the station operational.
  • Human space flight, exemplified by astronauts like Tim Peake and Helen Sharman, is both inspirational and challenging, requiring solutions for maintaining life in environments with potential atmospheric pressure loss.

28:41

"Understanding Atmospheric Pressure and Space Exploration"

  • Atmospheric pressure is caused by the weight of the atmosphere above us, with a column of atmosphere at sea level exerting a weight of 10 tonnes per square meter.
  • As you ascend above the Earth's surface, atmospheric pressure decreases exponentially due to less atmosphere above.
  • Lower pressure at higher altitudes leads to gases trying to escape from the body, causing swelling of tissues and potential outgassing from the lungs.
  • Boiling point of water decreases with reduced atmospheric pressure, with water boiling at 37 degrees Celsius at 63,000 feet altitude.
  • Exposure to low pressure environments at high altitudes requires a full pressure suit for survival.
  • Human tissue can withstand pressure changes, but pressure chamber accidents have shown severe consequences like explosive outgassing, lung damage, and loss of consciousness.
  • Crew of Soyuz 11 in 1971 tragically died due to a loss of pressure during reentry, highlighting the importance of pressure suits in space flight.
  • Pressure suits for space travel must be airtight, allow movement, regulate temperature, provide oxygen, and remove carbon dioxide buildup.
  • Robotic spacecraft exploration has revolutionized our understanding of planets and moons in the solar system, revealing worlds of fire, ice, and potential life.
  • Satellite applications, including weather forecasting and infrared imaging, provide crucial data for understanding and monitoring various phenomena on Earth.

41:51

"Space Technology: Monitoring Earth's Climate Changes"

  • Transitioning to a camera app to view thermal infrared world with a temperature scale on the right.
  • Not seeing heat but detecting thermal infrared radiation, analyzing intensity by different wavelengths for temperature measurement.
  • Demonstrating a dynamic system with cold and hot water in an ocean simulator using a thermal camera.
  • Discussing the space-based version of thermal infrared cameras called scanning radiometers.
  • Presenting 11 years of data from British-built instruments observing Earth's oceans, showcasing temperature changes.
  • Highlighting the impact of ocean currents on global weather systems.
  • Showing data from space on nitrogen dioxide levels over New York, emphasizing the importance of monitoring climate change variables from space platforms.
  • Detailing the critical role of Earth observation satellites in understanding climate and environmental issues.
  • Exploring the significant impact of space capabilities on daily life, including telecommunications, navigation, and economic revenue.
  • Emphasizing the essential nature of space infrastructure for societal and economic functions, underscoring the necessity of space technologies for various sectors.

56:06

China's Advancements in Space Exploration and Mars

  • The new China space station is currently the most technologically advanced structure for humans in Earth orbit.
  • Wang Yaping, China's second female astronaut, was the first woman to conduct a spacewalk.
  • China's space program has made significant advancements in the last decade, evident in the technological differences between two generations of their space station.
  • China's first mission to Mars, the Tianwen-1 lander and Zhurong rover, successfully landed and took a selfie in Utopia Planatia.
  • Space exploration is becoming more dynamic, international, inclusive, and competitive, presenting both challenges and opportunities.
  • Mars, with its unique features like Olympus Mons and Korolev crater, shows evidence of a warmer, wetter past with a denser atmosphere.
  • Mars' atmosphere, although similar to Earth's desert, has the same pressure as the altitude Felix Baumgartner jumped from.
  • Evidence suggests Mars was once warmer and wetter, with an ocean covering its northern hemisphere, but lost its atmosphere due to a weakened magnetic field.
  • Martian meteorites like Nakhla have features that some believe could indicate ancient life, but further analysis is needed.
  • The Perseverance rover on Mars is collecting samples for a future mission to bring back to Earth, potentially shedding light on whether life ever existed on Mars.

01:10:05

Preserving Future with Space Capabilities and Engagement

  • Safeguarding the special place for future generations is crucial
  • Space capabilities are now a necessity, not just a luxury
  • The speaker exceeded the time limit by six or seven minutes
  • The lecture aimed to be interesting and thought-provoking
  • The speaker is open to answering questions from the audience
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