Grade_6_On-Level_Readers_CollectionLesson 26 - Working in Space

? by Claire Daniel Cover, NASA; p. 3, NASA-KSC; p. 4, NASA-HQ-GRIN; p. 5, NASA; pp. 6, 7, NASA; p. 8, NASA-KSC; pp. 10, 11, 12, NASA; p. 13, NASA LangLey Research Center; p. 14, NASA. Copyright by Harcourt, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be addressed to School Per- missions and Copyrights, Harcourt, Inc., 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida 32887-6777. Fax: 407-345-2418. HARCOURT and the Harcourt Logo are trademarks of Harcourt, Inc., registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions. Printed in United States of America ISBN 10: 0-15-351174-5 ISBN 13: 978-0-15-351174-5 Ordering Options ISBN 10: 0-15-350603-2 (Grade 6 On-Level Collection) ISBN 13: 978-0-15-350603-1 (Grade 6 On-Level Collection) ISBN 10: 0-15-358003-8 (package of 5) ISBN 13: 978-0-15-358003-1 (package of 5) If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge, Harcourt School Pub- lishers retains title to the materials and they may not be resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited and is illegal. Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, into electronic format. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 179 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR.indd 1RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR.indd 15/25/07 9:53:16 AM5/25/07 9:53:16 AM 3 On February 20, 1962, John Glenn sat inside the spacecraft Friendship 7. For four hours and fi fty-fi ve minutes, he fl ew in space, orbiting Earth three times. As he gazed down at the most prominent feature outside his windowthe mottled green and blue planet, Earth, belowhe may have known that he would make the history books. Glenn had become the fi rst human to work in space. Since that day, astronauts have continued to explore space, both on the ground and above. The United States space agency, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), was established for the purpose of space exploration in 1958. NASA is the home for astronauts the men and women who work in space. SPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_002PRXENL08ARD6O26_OLR.indd 39/23/06 12:55:00 PM 4 Jobs in Space Each space mission is staffed with people who each have a special set of talents. The team must include experts in mathematics and physics. Chemists and engineers are needed to help design spacecraft and to ensure the safety of astronauts. Scientists who know how to conduct experiments in space are also needed. Skilled pilots are needed to fl y the spacecraft. In addition, a space mission usually has four kinds of astronauts aboard: the commander, a pilot, the mission specialist, and payload specialists. Commander The commander is the leader in charge of the mission. A commander must be an experienced pilot and is responsible for the safety of the crew. Pilot An additional pilot fl ies the spacecraft with the commander and assists the commander in all duties. The pilot may also have other specialized duties during a mission. For example, the pilot might operate the RMS, the remote manipulator arm. This part of the spacecraft moves and lifts different equipment outside the spacecraft. The operator of the RMS uses a computer to move the RMS, also called a robot arm. The RMS is a robot arm that is operated from within the spacecraft by an astronaut. SPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_004PSPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_003PRXENL08ARD6O26_OLR.indd 410/17/06 10:18:19 AM 5 Mission Specialists Mission specialists have distinctive duties. They are in charge of completing experiments. They might test the growth of seeds in space or study the human bodys reaction to being in space. They operate equipment on the spacecraft, as well as the RMS. They may also take space walks outside the spacecraft. Payload Specialists Sometimes a mission may require people who are not NASA astronauts to perform special tasks. These people do not operate the spacecraft but serve as important members of the crew. For example, NASA might hire a doctor to monitor the reaction of a persons body during space travel. NASA might need a scientist to collect specifi c information or to perform experiments during a mission. SPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_004PSPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_003PRXENL08ARD6O26_OLR.indd 510/17/06 10:18:40 AM ? Getting to Work ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 8 Suiting Up Working outside in space is much more diffi cult than working on Earth. Temperatures can be extremely hot or extremely cold. Tiny meteoroids can “rain” outside the shuttle or space station. There is also the possibility of exposure to harmful radiation from the sun. Astronauts must wear space suits to protect their bodies when they work outside the spacecraft. Space suits must be made of strong materials that wont fall apart in harsh environments. A space suit is completely sealed. It provides astronauts with oxygen and protects them from extreme temperatures. It also protects them from the impact of small meteoroids. The suit has a helmet with a clear front so that the astronaut can see to work. Each suit has a built-in radio that the astronaut uses to talk to other astronauts. Sometimes an astronaut needs to move a short distance from the shuttle to another object, such as a satellite. For this, a backpack with small rockets inside it is used. The backpack is called a Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU). On the surface of the moon, an astronaut could use an MMU to cross a wide chasm. Inside the shuttle or space station, astronauts take off their space suits. They work in comfortable, everyday clothes. Astronauts dont need shoes in space, but they do wear socks to keep their feet from getting cold. Helmet / Extravehicular Visor Assembly Display and Control Module RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR.indd 815/11/06 2:57:58 PM SPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_014PSPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_007P 9 Helmet / Extravehicular Visor Assembly In-Suit Drink Bag Display and Control Module Gloves Lower Torso Assembly Arm Assembly / Hard Upper Torso Communications Carrier Assembly Battery Primary Life Support Subsystem Secondary Oxygen Pack Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR.indd 910/17/06 10:20:19 AM SPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_009PSPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_008P 10 Living in Space Eating Everything that the astronauts will eat and drink on a mission must be taken with them into space. Astronauts eat what most people eat, but food is prepared differently in space. Most of their food has had the water removed and comes sealed in packets that dont weigh much or take up much space. To make a meal, water is added to the contents of a packet which is then heated up. There may also be some fresh fruit and vegetables on the fi rst days after the launch. Food is very important to astronauts working in the ISS. Food is stored in a kitchen, or galley, where there is a stove and refrigerator. All meals contain extra vitamins and calcium to help keep astronauts healthy in space. RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR.indd 1010/17/06 10:20:42 AM SPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_009PSPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_008P 11 Astronauts have to dine carefully in space because food can easily fl oat away! Also, they have to be careful with water. A drop of liquid could fl oat away and jam up a very expensive piece of equipment. All water, crumbs, and even lint must be handled carefully at all times! Sleeping Sleeping in space is one of the easiest things to do because an astronaut can sleep anywhere. Because astronauts are in a state of weightlessness, they can comfortably sleep upside down or fl oat around the cabin. Some astronauts strap themselves into a sleeping bag attached to a wall or the ceiling, and others use a pillow they fasten to their heads. Most astronauts sleep for eight hours a night, but some fi nd that sleeping becomes harder the longer one is in space. RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR.indd 1110/17/06 10:20:55 AM SPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_011PSPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_010P 12 Exercising Astronauts must exercise each day. Weightlessness makes it harder for astronauts to keep in shape. Exercise keeps their muscles strong and bone tissue healthy. Bathing Keeping clean is a challenge in space. Since showers are messy, some astronauts take sponge baths or use wet wipes to keep clean. They brush their teeth just like you do, but they have to be careful with water and toothpaste. All garbage has to be stored and brought back to Earth. Free time There is little free time in space, but astronauts do sometimes relax. They might read a book or send an e-mail to a family member. They might also play an instrument or take photographs through the window. RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR.indd 1210/17/06 10:21:27 AM Becoming an Astronaut ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? SPEC# RXENL08ARD6O26_OLR_012P 14 Astronaut Training The astronauts train at the Johnson Space Center, a facility in Houston, Texas. Even though most already have advanced college degrees, astronauts take academic classes in mat