Unit 5 Practice questions

Question 1

Which is the most commonly used form of propulsion at this time?

Answer 1

Chemical

Question 2

What would you consider not to be a serious concern/consideration for a crewed interstellar trip?

Answer 2

The lack of communication with Earth.

Question 3

The UN’s Outer Space Treaty requires signatories to protect against forward contamination. Which of the following places in the Solar System are we particularly concern about contaminating?

Answer 3

the large moons of Jupiter and Saturn

Question 4

The Van Allen Radiation Belts are located in

Answer 4

MEO

Question 5

NASA’s main objective for human spaceflight over the next decade is to:

Answer 5

send astronauts to the Moon

Question 6

For a liquid fuel propulsion system, what is typically needed?

Answer 6

Fuel and oxidizer tanks connecting to a combustion chamber.

Question 7

What is the approximate efficiency of ion propulsion?

Answer 7

90%

Question 8

Apollo astronauts left behind mirrors on the Moon’s surface. If you shone a bright-enough flashlight at one of these, about how long until you see a reflection after switching it on?

Answer 8

2 seconds

Question 9

Of the various methods for propelling a spacecraft reviewed in this course, which does not involve ejecting material at high velocity to generate thrust?

Answer 9

solar sailing

Question 10

Using current propulsion technology, it is estimated to take how long for a spacecraft such as Pioneer 10 to reach anther star?

Answer 10

Tens of thousands of years.

Question 11

What best describes our current understanding of our nearest star, the Sun?

Answer 11

It is a sphere of plasma powered by a nuclear fusion core, experiencing complex (and often unpredictable) interactions with the plasma.

Question 12

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station often indicate that they “enjoy being weightless”. In fact, it would be more accurate for them to state that they enjoy

Answer 12

being in free fall.

Question 13

What best describes the mission of the Parker Solar Probe?

Answer 13

To pass near to the solar corona and collect data on a variety of solar phenomena and energy transport mechanisms.

Question 14

Leaving Earth’s gravity well is a huge challenge. Which of the following current or proposed methods for generating delta-v is incompatible with launching objects from Earth’s surface?

Answer 14

ion propulsion

Question 15

You are asked to place a satellite in orbit about the Earth with a period of 11 hours. What will be the satellites average distance (in kilometres) from the centre of the Earth?

Answer 15

24678

Question 16

To achieve the goals of the Parker Solar Probe, what best describes the orbit(s) of the spacecraft throughout its mission?

Answer 16

Using Venus, the orbit of the spacecraft was modified on many occasions to bring it ever closer to the edge of the solar corona..

Question 17

Which of the following would increase the delta-v of a rocket?

Answer 17

decreasing the dry (empty) mass of the rocket while holding the same amount of propellant

Question 18

One of the most common isotopes used in RTGs to power spacecraft is

Answer 18

Plutonium 238.

Question 19

What is not an advantage of LEO?

Answer 19

Atmospheric drag

Question 20

What does not contribute to spacecraft sterilization?

Answer 20

Launch

Question 21

The standard to which spacecraft sterilization is held to when exploring a potentially “life sensitive” location is

Answer 21

1 chance in 10,000 to cause contamination of the local environment.

Question 22

Which of the following is not one of Newton’s famous laws?

Answer 22

energy is conserved

Question 23

You are asked to place a satellite in Earth orbit with an average distance of 29974 km from the centre of the Earth. What will be its orbital period in hours?

Answer 23

14.4

Question 24

The first scientists to suggest solar propulsion (“heavenly breeze”) could be viable was

Answer 24

Kepler

Question 25

The Kessler Syndrome essential suggests that

Answer 25

collisions between satellites in LEO will dramatically increase the possibility of more collisions from fragmented debris.

Question 26

Combustion is a(n)

Answer 26

Chemical process.

Question 27

Many challenges exist to building a lunar settlement. Which of the following is NOT believed to be one of these?

Answer 27

lunar soils cannot be used for growing food

Question 28

The first solar-powered spacecraft able to operate beyond the asteroid belt was named:

Answer 28

Juno

Question 29

Which statement concerning interstellar travel is correct?

Answer 29

With our current propulsion systems, given the distance between stars, travelling interstellar distances simply takes to much time and energy.

Question 30

Telecommunication satellites are most often located in which orbits?

Answer 30

GEO

Question 31

The first solar sail that was demonstrated in space was by which country’s space agency?

Answer 31

Japan

Question 32

You are asked to place a satellite in orbit about the Earth with a period of 11 hours. What will be the satellites average distance (in kilometres) from the centre of the Earth?

Answer 32

24678

Question 33

Perhaps the largest advantage matter–anti–matter propulsion offers is the

Answer 33

100% efficiency of converting matter into energy.

Question 34

Which of the following celestial bodies has the highest escape velocity?

Answer 34

Earth

Question 35

Crewed missions to objects in our solar system face many challenges. What is not a challenge?

Answer 35

Finding astronauts willing to brave the space environment challenges.