Across
- 5. A rocket engine that contains solid propellant packed into a cylindrical container.
- 7. The main structure of an unmanned spacecraft.
- 9. The atmospheric region ranging from the troposphere to about 30 miles (50 km) above the earth’s surface.
- 10. A type of propulsion that uses the electrical charge of atoms to move vehicles.
- 12. A system that uses gyroscopes to determine the attitude of a spacecraft.
- 13. The extreme outer region of the atmosphere, before outer space. This region is located from the thermosphere to over 500 miles from the earth’s surface.
- 14. The course or route of a spacecraft.
- 16. (MMU) A specialized space vehicle developed early in the shuttle program to allow astronauts to maneuver outside the vehicle.
- 20. The point in the path of an elliptical orbit closest to the earth.
- 23. The condition occurring when gravitational forces are equal to a centrifugal force.
- 26. (EVA) A spacewalk.
- 27. A space vehicle not operated by human beings.
- 28. The atmospheric region extending from the mesosphere to about 300 miles above the earth’s surface.
- 29. A technique that places several propulsion systems on top of each other. As the first stage burns out, it is released from the vehicle. This exposes the second stage of propulsion systems. Stages are burned and released until the vehicle reaches its final orbit altitude.
- 30. The atmospheric region ranging from the stratosphere to about 50 miles (80km) above the earth’s surface.
Down
- 1. (LEO) An orbit between 180 and 250 miles above the earth.
- 2. A chemical substance that mixes with fuel to allow combustion.
- 3. The newest space station. It is a joint effort of 16 countries, with the United States in charge of the operations.
- 4. A geostationary orbit. It is often used for communication satellites, which are stationed in one spot and rotate along with the earth.
- 6. A mixture of fuel and an oxidizer.
- 8. To stay in a path circling an object in space.
- 11. A vehicle sent to space with a crew in it.
- 15. (SSME) An engine that can be stopped and started as needed. It is located at the rear of the orbiter.
- 17. The point in the path of an elliptical orbit farthest from the earth.
- 18. The closest atmospheric region to the earth. It begins at the earth’s surface and stretches about 10 miles (16 km) above the earth’s surface.
- 19. (SRB) A shuttle propulsion component that is recovered and reused. It supplies the majority of the power at takeoff.
- 21. (DSN) A system with three radio antennas located on three continents. Two of the antennas determine the distance of the spacecraft from themselves. The antennas then determine the distance of a known object in space. All these distances are computed, and the location of the spacecraft in space is determined.
- 22. The U.S. agency set up for research and development of space exploration.
- 24. A rocket engine that uses two separate liquids, which are ignited in a combustion chamber.
- 25. A space station the United States launched into orbit on May 14, 1973.