Planetary Science

Planetary Science

Question 1: When did Pioneer 0 launch a mission to the moon as the first attempt?

Pioneer O was launched on August 17^th, 1958 at 12:18:00 UT by the U.S Air Force.

Question 2: Why was Pioneer 0 mission not successful?
Pioneer O mission failed due to destruction by an explosion of Thor booster first stage over the Atlantic Ocean. This happened due to failure of turbopump bearing which caused liquid oxygen pump to stop.

Question 3:  Luna 1 was the first mission to actually escape Earth’s gravity and was considered partially successful for that reason. It was only partially successful because it failed to hit its target, what was that target?

Luna 1 target was to impact the moon.

Question 4:  Later in the year of the first mission that escaped Earth’s gravity another man- made object, Luna 2, accomplished a remarkable step in space exploration. What was the date of this first human-made object impacting the moon?

The first human-made object to impact the moon (Luna 1), was on 4^th January, 1959.

Question 5:  What was the first mission that took close-up pictures of Mars?

Mariner 4

Question 6: What was the date of the first manned lunar landing?

The first manned Lunar landing was on 20^th July, 1969.

Question 7: What was the date of the last manned lunar landing?

The last manned lunar landing was on 11^th December, 1972.

Question 8: Early astronauts were not generally scientists. Only one of the people who walked on the moon was a scientist. What was their name and in what science were they trained?

Neil Armstrong-n aeronautical engineer

Pete Conrad-an aeronautical engineer, aviator, naval officer and test pilot.

Buzz Aldrin-an engineer and a fighter pilot.

Edgar Mitchell- an aviator, test pilot, Ufologist, and aeronautical engineer.

Alan Bean- a naval officer, aeronautical engineer, aviator, and a test pilot.

David Scott-a test pilot.

Alan Shepard-a naval aviator and a test pilot.

John Young-an aviator, aeronautical engineer, and a test pilot.

James Irwin-an aeronautical engineer and a pilot.

Charles Duke-was a test pilot

Eugene Cernan-naval aviator, aeronautical engineer, electrical engineer and a fighter pilot.

Sally Ride-was a physicist.

Yuri Gagarin- was a Soviet Air Forces pilot and a cosmonaut.

John Glenn-an aviator, astronaut, engineer, and a politician.

Gus Grissom-was an astronaut.

Question 9: In what year did NASA launch the first probe to explore the outer solar system

and what was its name?

The first probe to be launched by NASA was Sputnik 1 on 4^th October, 1957.

Question 10: What are the names of the two missions that were launched in 1977 to explore the outer Solar System and to take advantage of a rare planetary alignment?

They were Voyager 1 and 2.

Question 11:  Only one of the missions targeted all 4 outer planets. Which one?

Voyager 2

Question 12: What is the name of the spacecraft that has gone further than any other and is currently exploring a transitional zone between our solar system and interstellar space?

Voyager 1

Question 13: Provide the link for a past (complete) mission. https://www.google.com/search?q=luna+16&oq=Luna+16&aqs=chrome.0.0l6.937j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Mission: The main mission for lunar 16 was to collect all the necessary information concerning the moon and its surroundings, which is to useful for future planning.

 Interest: what makes the mission interesting to you?

Lunar 16 mission is of much interest since, it helps to generate new knowledge about life on the moon. It is of much interest because it shows how moon is different from other bodies. The mission is of much interest because it creates opportunities for more research.

Question 14: Provide the link for an ongoing mission.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Parker+Solar+Probe&oq=Parker+Solar+Probe&aqs=chrome..69i57.309j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Mission: To understand the heating process of solar corona and to trace the energy flow. To explore what increases solar wind.

Interest:  The mission is of much interest since it creates new knowledge concerning how the sun heats the earth. It also provides useful information on how energy flows. It is of interest because, it opens chances for more research on how solar wind is useful.

Question 15: Calculate the volume for each sample material in Table 1 with the provided sphere radius, then you will be able to match the material and volume in Sakai.

3. Calculating volume for Basalt. Given radius=3.548 cm, mass=561.16 g and π=3.1459

Volume= (4/3) x π x radius3

V=1.3333 x 3.1459 x44.66=187.32 cm3

3. Calculating volume for Given radius as 3.722cm and mass=712.8 g.

Volume= (4/3) x π x radius3.

V=1.3333 x3.1459 x51.56=216.26 cm3

7. Volume for Iron meteorite. Given radius as 7.0cm and mass=11206.69 g.

Volume= (4/3) x π x radius3

V=1.3333 x3.1459 x343=1438.69 cm3

4. Volume for Water (liquid) Given radius as 4.357cm and mass= 346.36g.

Volume= (4/3) x π x radius3

V=1.3333 x3.1459 x82.71=346.92 cm3

1. Volume for Water ice (solid) Given radius as 551cm and mass as 14.32g

Volume= (4/3) x π x radius3

V=1.3333 x3.1459 x3.73=15.65 cm3

2. Volume for plagioclase feldspar (anorthite) with radius as 2.1564 cm and mass 115.92

V= 1.3333 x 3.1459x 10.03=42.07 cm3

1. Volume for Olivine (forsterite) with radius as 0.5 cm and mass as 1.69 g

V= 1.3333 x3.1459 x0.125= 0.52 cm3

3. Volume for Gold given radius as 3.628cm and mass as 38640g.

V=1.3333 x3.1459 x47.75=200cm3

Question 16: Calculate the density of Basalt. Volume is 187.32cm3 and mass is 561.16g

Since density is given by 𝝆=mass(g)/volume(cm3)

𝝆=561.16g)/187.32cm3= 3.0g/cm3

Question 17: Calculate the density of Peridotite.

V=216.26 cm3 and Mass = 712.8g. So, 𝝆=712.8g/216.26cm3= 3.3g/cm3

Question 18: Calculate density of Iron meteorite. Given mass=11206.69 g and vol= 1438.69 cm3

𝝆=11206.69g/1438.69cm3= 7.79g/cm3

Question 19: Calculate density of Volume for Water (liquid) given mass=346.36g and v=346.92 cm3

𝝆=346.36g/346.92cm3= 1.0g/cm3

Question 20: Calculate the density of water ice (solid) with mass as 14.32g and vol= 15.65cm3

𝝆=14.32g/15.65cm3= 0.92g/cm3

Question 21: Calculate the density of plagioclase feldspar. Mass is 115.92g and vol =42.07cm3.

𝝆=115.92g/42.07cm3= 2.76g/cm3

Question 22: Calculate the density of Olivine (forsterite). Given mass= 1.69g and vol = 0.52cm3

𝝆=1.69g/0.52cm3= 3.25g/cm3

Question 23: Calculate the density of Gold given mass as 38640g and vol= 200cm3.

𝝆=38640g/200cm3= 193.2g/cm3

Question 24: Calculate the Earth’s volume.

V = 4/3 x π x r3

V=1.3333×3.141592×2.586×1011

V=1.083×1012 km3

Question 25: Calculate the average density of the Earth.

ρ = m/V

ρ = m/V

ρ = 5.98 x 1027 g /1.083×1012 km3

ρ = 5.52×1015 g/ km3+

Since, 1km3 =1×1015 cm3           This means, 5.52×1015 g/ km3 x 1×1015 cm3

Density of earth is= 5.52×1030 g/ cm3

Question 26: The average density of the rocks making up Earth’s crust is 2.7 – 3.0 g/cm3. Is this range greater than, less than, or equal to (includes) the average density of Earth?

This range is less than earth’s average density.

Question 27: What might this (re: question 26) indicate about the interior composition and density of the Earth?

This indicates that earth has highest density due to the heavy materials it supports.

Question 28: What materials are the following layers made of?

2. Crust (2.7-3.0g/cm3). Has Basalt (3.0g/cm3) and plagioclase feldspar (2.76g/cm3) materials.
3. Mantle (3.4-5.6g/cm3). Has peridotite (3.3g/cm3) and Olivine (3.25g/cm3) materials
4. Core (9.9-13.1g/cm3). Has Iron meteorite (7.79g/cm3).

Question 29: What is the density of the moon in g/cm3

Moon’s density= 60/100 x 5.52x1030g/ cm3

=   3.312x1030g/ cm3

Question 30: What materials is the moon composed of?

Has peridotite (3.3g/cm3) and Olivine (3.25g/cm3) materials.

Question 31: Mercury has a similar density as earth yet it is small. What does this indicate about the interior of the mercury?

Mercury contains 70 percentage metallic and 30 percentage of silicate materials.

Question 32: why is metallic core of a rocky body such as earth primarily composed of iron and not gold?

This is because, iron is the most commonly found metallic element within the earth.

Question 33: Classify all the listed worlds using; all rock, primarily rock, and primarily icy categories.

All rock (anything with density greater than (3.1g/cm3) are; Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and IO.

Primarily rock (anything with (2-3.1 g/cm3) These are Ceres, Triton and Europa.

Primarily icy (anything with 1-2g/cm3). Titan, Pluto, Ganymede and Callisto.

Question 34: Where in the solar system are the bodies with significant ice located?

It is located between the Jupiter orbit and the asteroid belt.

Question 35: Which rocky body is seemingly out of place in the solar system? (Why do you think that might be?)

It is Sedna body. This is because, it takes long time to orbit around the sun than any other body in the solar system.