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Destination Tomorrow - Episode 9

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Subido el 28 de mayo de 2007 por EducaMadrid

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NASA Destination Tomorrow Video containing five segments as described below. NASA Destination Tomorrow Segment describing NASA's new Helios aircraft that is remotely piloted to fly at high altitudes. The segment explains how the Helios is a type of satellite to collect a variety of information in the atmosphere. NASA Destination Tomorrow Segment exploring the history of the Gemini project that was instrumental in getting man to the moon. NASA Destination Tomorrow Segment describing how NASA scientists are trying to reduce noise created by aircraft. The segment describes some of the equipment and technology in use in laboratories to reduce noise levels. NASA Destination Tomorrow Segment exploring how NASA scientists are using space technology to fight cancer by using a new device called a Smart Probe. NASA Destination Tomorrow Segment describing spacesuit design and how modern suits have adapted with time.

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My Outro For My 20th Birthday 00:00:00
Coming up on Destination Tomorrow, a revolutionary technology developed by NASA is being used 00:00:30
to detect cancer instantly, leading to a more accurate diagnosis of this disease. 00:00:43
Plus, in an effort to quiet our skies, NASA has a new program aimed at reducing noise 00:00:48
generated by aircraft. 00:00:53
And, a record-setting unmanned aircraft called the Helios is changing the way scientists 00:00:55
conduct Earth and atmospheric science missions. 00:01:00
All this and more next on Destination Tomorrow. 00:01:03
Hello everyone, I'm Steele McGonigal. 00:01:11
And I'm Kara O'Brien, and welcome to Destination Tomorrow. 00:01:13
This program will uncover how past, present, and future research is creating today's knowledge 00:01:16
to answer the questions and solve the challenges of tomorrow. 00:01:21
NASA's new Helios aircraft is a remotely piloted flying wing, which is designed to 00:01:24
operate at high altitudes for several months at a time. 00:01:28
Developed with ultralight composite materials and with a wingspan of 247 feet, the Helios 00:01:32
exceeds the overall length of a Boeing 747. 00:01:37
Often referred to as an atmospheric satellite, Helios' mission is to conduct a wide variety 00:01:41
of Earth and atmospheric science missions while flying on the edge of the atmosphere. 00:01:46
The Helios could also monitor weather, track hurricanes, and provide coverage of disaster 00:01:51
sites such as fires, flooding, and earthquakes in order to precisely direct emergency resources. 00:01:55
The Helios could also provide telecommunications and other services at a fraction of the cost 00:02:00
of satellites, while providing a reliable means of collecting vital information. 00:02:05
Greg Provan spoke with John Del Frate about the future of Helios and its unique design. 00:02:09
Since the early 60s, the world has relied on satellites for a variety of different applications, 00:02:18
including use in the telecommunications field and in weather observations. 00:02:22
Although satellites have revolutionized the way we live, they are not only very expensive 00:02:26
to build and fly into space, they sometimes don't make it into space at all. 00:02:30
To help find new and less expensive ways to fulfill the need for satellite usage, researchers 00:02:36
at NASA are developing an innovative type of low-cost aircraft. 00:02:40
It's called the Helios, and may be able to work much like a satellite, but at a fraction 00:02:44
of the cost. 00:02:48
This so-called atmospheric satellite will be able to fly at high altitudes for months 00:02:49
at a time, providing a low-cost solution to current satellites. 00:02:53
I spoke with John Del Frate to find out more. 00:02:57
NASA's developing an experimental airplane, and we're using some technology that's been 00:03:00
developed over the last 10, 20 years. 00:03:07
We want to use solar cell technology and some very lightweight aircraft structure technology. 00:03:10
By putting those two together, we think that we can build an airplane that can fly very 00:03:15
high and then, more importantly, fly very long. 00:03:20
We want to be able to do the mission of a satellite in some ways, and in this case, 00:03:24
because we're doing it on an airplane, it would be like a poor man's satellite. 00:03:30
So why do you think this would be a better solution than using existing satellites? 00:03:34
Well, there's a few advantages that this kind of an airplane would give you over a regular 00:03:39
satellite. 00:03:43
For one, it's a lot less expensive. 00:03:44
The other aspect is the satellite gets launched, and the technology's ancient already. 00:03:46
An airplane like this could use technology that is current, the stuff that the scientists 00:03:52
have just developed. 00:03:57
Put it on the airplane, go up, fly it, test it, see how it does, bring it back down, change 00:03:58
it. 00:04:03
A satellite, once it's up there, it's pretty much up there. 00:04:04
So the hope is to have the Helios fly for months at a time. 00:04:07
How's it going to stay in the air that long? 00:04:10
We've already licked the problem of being able to fly under solar power. 00:04:11
But now the question is, you know, we've got solar power. 00:04:16
What happens when the sun goes down? 00:04:19
Well, we're developing a system that is like a rechargeable battery, for example. 00:04:21
During the day, whatever excess power is produced by the solar cells, we capture that and store 00:04:27
it on board. 00:04:32
And then at nighttime, when the sun goes down, we use that power to power the electrical 00:04:33
systems on the airplane. 00:04:38
Although the Helios prototype uses new space-age materials, the design is actually very simple. 00:04:39
Weighing in at just about 1,600 pounds, this ultra-lightweight, electrically powered, all-wing 00:04:45
aircraft is constructed mostly of composite materials. 00:04:49
It's assembled in six sections, each about 41 feet long, with an underwing pod attached 00:04:53
at each panel. 00:04:57
The pods carry the battery power system, flight control computers, data instrumentation, and 00:04:59
the landing gear. 00:05:03
The aircraft is powered by 14 electric motors, producing about 2 horsepower each, which drive 00:05:05
lightweight, high-altitude propellers. 00:05:10
This amount of power allows the aircraft to cruise between 19 and 27 miles per hour, with 00:05:12
takeoff and landing speeds roughly about the same as a bicycle. 00:05:17
The electric motors are solar powered, enabling the aircraft to produce enough energy during 00:05:20
the day to stay aloft. 00:05:24
When the sun goes down, the craft relies on proton exchange membrane fuel cell technology 00:05:25
to power the motors. 00:05:30
These unique fuel cells combine oxygen and hydrogen to produce electric power, heat, 00:05:31
and water. 00:05:36
As long as these gases are supplied, the unit continues to produce power, allowing the aircraft 00:05:37
to remain airborne for days at a time. 00:05:41
So what are some other potential uses for the Helios? 00:05:43
We believe the airplane could be used to do some science research. 00:05:46
Basically, the airplane can be loaded with sensors and instruments that study the Earth's 00:05:50
atmosphere, look down, study things on the ground. 00:05:57
Then you could be looking at volcanoes. 00:06:00
You could look at the humidity in the air, the temperature of the air, a whole lot of 00:06:02
things that could be studied. 00:06:06
So science is important to NASA, and this airplane could do some really good science 00:06:08
over the next 10 years or so. 00:06:13
And along those same lines, to be able to look down and look at the health of your forests, 00:06:16
you could be looking at the health of crops, the health of your coral reef, the health 00:06:23
of your river ways could be provided, I think, in a much more consistent fashion. 00:06:28
So, John, what are your hopes for the future of the Helios? 00:06:33
Well, we see Helios going all over the world, tens, hundreds, thousands of these airplanes. 00:06:35
In fact, some of the applications, I think, are still to be discovered. 00:06:41
There's all kinds of things that we envision as being exciting ways of improving people's 00:06:45
life here on Earth. 00:06:50
And it's exciting because I think that for a lot of people, even for aeronautical-type 00:06:51
engineers just 10, 20, 30 years ago, I think they were kind of thinking, airplanes have 00:06:55
pretty much kind of reached the limits, you know, let's concentrate somewhere else. 00:07:00
But you know, some of the things that are going on at NASA tell us otherwise. 00:07:05
There's a lot of exciting stuff that's still left to be discovered, and this is just one 00:07:08
part of that. 00:07:13
NASA researchers believe that a Helios-type aircraft may one day fly in the thin Martian 00:07:14
atmosphere, which is similar to the upper reaches of the Earth's atmosphere. 00:07:19
Up next, a revolutionary new technology is helping improve the early detection of breast 00:07:23
cancer. 00:07:27
But first, did you know that the Helios broke the altitude record for non-rocket-powered 00:07:28
aircraft? 00:07:33
The original record of 85,068 feet was set in 1976 by the Mach 3-capable SR-71 Blackbird. 00:07:34
The Helios, flying at speeds around 20 miles an hour, climbed above 99 percent of the Earth's 00:07:42
atmosphere and set the new record of 96,863 feet in the summer of 2001. 00:07:47
All of us know or have known someone with cancer. 00:07:55
In fact, one in three Americans can expect to be diagnosed with some form of the disease 00:07:58
at one point in their life. 00:08:02
A key to treating and defeating this insidious disease is to find it quickly before it spreads. 00:08:04
Now, thanks to enterprising work done by researchers at NASA, doctors may soon have 00:08:10
a new device called the Smart Probe, which will be able to detect some forms of cancer 00:08:14
instantaneously, greatly improving the patient's chance for survival. 00:08:18
Tonya Saint-Romain finds out more. 00:08:23
Breast cancer is one of the most frightening and deadly forms of cancer, afflicting over 00:08:29
200,000 women every year. 00:08:34
Early detection of the disease has helped many women find and treat the cancer quickly, 00:08:37
but early detection technology is still not as good as it could be. 00:08:42
To help improve the early detection of breast cancer, researchers at NASA have developed 00:08:46
a revolutionary technology called the Smart Probe. 00:08:51
This probe will be able to detect the presence of cancer much more precisely than current 00:08:55
technology. 00:09:00
Intended for long-duration space missions, this device could soon be saving lives here 00:09:01
on Earth. 00:09:06
I spoke with Dr. Robert Ma at NASA Ames Research Center to find out more. 00:09:07
At this point, when a woman suspects a lump in her breast, she would go in to see a physician. 00:09:13
The physician would examine and then decide whether to have a mammogram made of the lump. 00:09:18
And from the mammogram, you could tell whether it may be malignant or not. 00:09:23
If it is suspected to be, they would then go in for a biopsy. 00:09:27
They normally go in using an ultrasound to guide a biopsy needle and go in there and 00:09:31
extract samples of the lump. 00:09:37
And that tissue sample gets analyzed by a pathologist. 00:09:40
And that could take days in some cases. 00:09:44
If it is malignant or cancerous, they have to go in there and take out as much as they 00:09:46
possibly can. 00:09:52
Every week in the United States, approximately 16,000 women needlessly undergo surgical breast 00:09:53
biopsies where no cancer is found at all, while another 4,600 breast cancers are missed 00:09:59
each week during physician review of mammograms and physical examinations. 00:10:05
This is primarily due to the fact that initial breast cancer screening procedures do not 00:10:10
provide specific information about known cancer indicators. 00:10:15
For example, a light spot on a mammogram X-ray can be many things other than cancer, leading 00:10:19
to a missed or inaccurate diagnosis. 00:10:25
The new NASA Smart Probe is designed to see a suspicious lump in a breast, determine by 00:10:28
its features if it is indeed cancerous, and ultimately predict how the disease may progress. 00:10:33
The process of diagnosis begins when a small needle, which is mounted on the probe, is 00:10:39
inserted into the lump. 00:10:44
The probe is able to detect if the lump is cancerous or benign instantaneously, providing 00:10:46
real-time, detailed interpretations at the needle's tip, supplying an accurate diagnosis 00:10:52
in seconds rather than days. 00:10:57
What's behind this technology is the software. 00:10:59
The software that we develop learns, like people do, it learns from experience. 00:11:01
So we stick the probe into different types of tissue. 00:11:06
We teach the software that those characteristics are certain types of tissue, normal tissue 00:11:10
or whether it's, say, normal muscle or normal fat tissue, cancers or different types of 00:11:16
cancer. 00:11:21
If it is cancerous, instead of having to remove tissue around the tumor with a very wide margin, 00:11:22
you could take less tissue out and you'd be more certain that you're not leaving behind 00:11:29
malignant tissue there. 00:11:33
So what you get here is confidence level as to what kind of tissue that the probe is seeing. 00:11:35
How did NASA get involved in breast cancer research? 00:11:40
It was clear that to put man on Mars and have him survive for three years, you need to provide 00:11:43
him with smart tools for many different tasks, and the medical emergency is one of those. 00:11:48
So that's where we started to work in that direction. 00:11:55
In preparation for a three-year-long mission to Mars, NASA planners have begun to develop 00:11:58
smart medical robotics. 00:12:03
These robots will be able to assist an astronaut physician in performing medical procedures 00:12:05
if a problem occurs during a mission. 00:12:10
With Mars being over 30 million miles away, this is particularly important because a transmission 00:12:13
to Earth would take 20 minutes, further endangering the stricken crew member when every second counts. 00:12:18
How else might this technology be used here on Earth? 00:12:25
This technology has great potential. 00:12:27
It could be used for spinal surgery, it could be used for prostate cancer detection, it 00:12:29
could be used for brain surgery and just surgery in general where you want to minimize injury 00:12:33
to critical targets. 00:12:39
Dr. Ma, what are your overall hopes for the smart probe? 00:12:41
I'm very excited about this technology because what we're developing in space can be applied 00:12:44
for Earth use. 00:12:47
I think a tool like this, the technology behind it, would revolutionize how medical practices 00:12:49
will be carried out, to be able to provide real-time diagnosis for virtually any kinds 00:12:56
of medical problems they may have. 00:13:02
So for me personally, it's very rewarding to see that the potential that it saves people's 00:13:04
lives or even minimize risks to hundreds and thousands of people. 00:13:09
That's really rewarding. 00:13:14
When discussing manned space missions, the two American programs that are the most talked 00:13:21
about are the Mercury and Apollo programs. 00:13:26
One program that does not get as much attention, but which was instrumental in getting man 00:13:29
to the moon, was Project Gemini. 00:13:34
The Gemini missions flew between the Mercury and Apollo programs and allowed astronauts 00:13:37
and planners to practice many of the procedures that would be important for future moon flights, 00:13:42
paving the way for man to walk on the moon. 00:13:47
Early in January of 1962, Project Gemini began. 00:13:51
Because of the large time frame between Project Mercury and the Apollo flights, it became 00:13:56
clear to NASA officials that more training in space flight was necessary to get men to 00:14:00
the moon and back safely. 00:14:04
Unlike the Mercury capsule, which could only hold one astronaut, the aptly named Gemini 00:14:07
capsule could hold two astronauts and could be maneuvered in space by the crew. 00:14:12
The ability to maneuver in space allowed astronauts to train for space rendezvous and docking. 00:14:17
Learning these procedures would be critical to successfully return from the lunar surface 00:14:23
and docking with the command module in lunar orbit. 00:14:27
Gemini also needed to provide useful information about how the human body and man-made equipment 00:14:31
would respond in the harsh environment of space. 00:14:36
Up to that time, no one knew exactly what would happen to astronauts after being exposed 00:14:39
to long-term microgravity. 00:14:45
The program would consist of 10 manned missions, all of which were to be completed in 12 months. 00:14:47
After two unmanned missions, the first manned mission, Gemini 3, was launched on March 23, 00:14:53
1965. 00:14:59
The flight was a complete success, proving how easily the astronauts could maneuver the 00:15:01
craft. 00:15:05
The flights that followed all saw success as well, including the first American spacewalk 00:15:07
on Gemini 4, the first docking with two vehicles in space by Gemini 8, and a long-duration 00:15:12
mission which lasted 14 days by Gemini 7. 00:15:19
With the final flight of Gemini 12, all of the major objectives were met as well as many 00:15:23
other mission objectives. 00:15:28
With all the critical theories tested and proven, it was time for Apollo to go for the 00:15:30
moon. 00:15:36
The 10 manned Gemini flights spanned 603 days and accumulated over 1,940 man-hours in space. 00:15:37
Of the 20 astronauts who trained for the Gemini flights, 15 of them went on to subsequently 00:15:44
fly on Apollo missions in the lunar program. 00:15:49
As the successes grew in Project Gemini, it became clear that man could, should and would 00:15:53
fly to the moon and back safely, making history in the process. 00:15:59
Because the crew consisted of two astronauts, the project was named Gemini for the third 00:16:05
constellation's twin stars, Castor and Pollux. 00:16:09
Coming up, we'll find out how NASA is helping to reduce aircraft noise. 00:16:13
But first, did you know that the Gemini 3 was the only Gemini spacecraft to have a nickname? 00:16:16
Because capsule commander Gus Grissom's previous spaceflight ended in the sinking of the Liberty 00:16:22
Bell 7 capsule in the Atlantic Ocean, Grissom decided to name his capsule the Molly Brown, 00:16:26
after the Broadway musical, The Unsinkable Molly Brown. 00:16:31
The United States aviation industry is a significant contributor to the nation's economy, boasting 00:16:36
annual sales in excess of $36 billion and providing nearly one million jobs. 00:16:41
However, with all of these benefits, one major drawback continues to be aircraft noise. 00:16:47
In an effort to help alleviate excessive noise, NASA has developed the Quiet Aircraft 00:16:53
Technology Program. 00:16:58
This program is finding new and innovative ways to reduce noise created by aircraft. 00:17:00
Jennifer Pulley finds out more. 00:17:05
Noise generated by aircraft is already a major issue in airport neighbor communities. 00:17:13
As airports expand to increase productivity and capacity, the noise issue will become 00:17:18
even more critical. 00:17:23
Noisy aircraft not only affect the people in communities surrounding the airport, but 00:17:25
also the crew and passengers inside the planes. 00:17:29
In an attempt to solve many of the noise issues associated with aircraft, NASA has embarked 00:17:33
on an intriguing new mission to quiet our skies, called the Quiet Aircraft Technology 00:17:37
Program, or QAT. 00:17:43
This program will develop technologies to reduce aircraft noise by 50% in five years 00:17:45
and begin working on the technologies to reduce aircraft noise by 75% in the next 20 years. 00:17:50
I spoke with Andy Powell at NASA Langley Research Center to find out more. 00:17:56
Well, on takeoff, most of the noise that you hear is due to the engine, both the fan in 00:18:00
the front of the engine and the jet exhaust noise out of the rear engine. 00:18:05
And what most people don't know is that on landing, a lot of the noise that you hear 00:18:08
is actually due to the airframe passing through the air itself. 00:18:11
This is because that on landing, the engine power is cut back, and a lot of parts of the 00:18:16
aircraft are extended into the airflow and create turbulence. 00:18:20
Now, the major sources of this airframe noise is the landing gear, the flaps on the trailing 00:18:23
edges, and slats on the leading edges of the wings. 00:18:29
In a recent government survey, noise was listed as the greatest environmental concern at airports. 00:18:33
It is estimated that in the last 20 years, approximately $4 billion has been spent on 00:18:38
or around airports to reduce noise pollution. 00:18:43
This includes adding sound insulation to homes and schools in close proximity to an airport. 00:18:47
Unfortunately, these techniques only help if you are inside an insulated building. 00:18:53
Researchers at NASA realized that in order to fix the noise problem, they must first 00:18:58
start at the source, the planes themselves. 00:19:02
By designing and testing low-noise-producing aircraft parts and structures, NASA researchers 00:19:05
are developing the technologies to reduce aircraft noise by half in five years, and 00:19:10
by as much as three-fourths by the year 2020. 00:19:16
Andy, what are some of the things you're working on here at NASA to make aircraft quieter? 00:19:18
First we do studies to look at the sources of noise to try to determine which are the 00:19:23
dominant sources so that we can know which sources can work on the hardest. 00:19:27
Then we do other studies to try to determine the physical phenomena that are creating the 00:19:31
noises and what we can do to reduce the levels. 00:19:35
And then we go out and test concepts, either in wind tunnels or in the laboratory, and 00:19:38
in some cases in actual flight tests, to validate those concepts. 00:19:42
Some of the things that we're doing is to look at advanced fairings to put around the 00:19:46
landing gear to smooth the flow around the landing gear so that you don't have as much 00:19:50
turbulence and therefore reduce the noise. 00:19:54
We're also looking at other fairings that we can put on the slats so that you don't 00:19:57
have side edges to create noise. 00:20:00
We're also modifying the fan blades so that they're actually quieter from the design of 00:20:03
the fan blades. 00:20:07
If you can smooth the airflow around these parts, then reducing that turbulence will 00:20:08
reduce the noise considerably. 00:20:12
Andy, what about the exhaust noise coming out of an aircraft? 00:20:14
Okay, well one of the things that we did was look at what we call Chevron nozzles. 00:20:17
These are actually scallops in the back of the exhaust pipes, essentially, of the aircraft. 00:20:21
And as hot exhaust gases come out of an aircraft engine, then they mix with the surrounding 00:20:27
air and this turbulence, when they're mixing, creates a lot of the noise that you hear. 00:20:32
Now by putting these Chevrons along the edges, we're changing the shape of the turbulence 00:20:36
so that you raise it to a higher frequency, which then is absorbed more by the atmosphere 00:20:42
than the low-frequency, normal jet noise. 00:20:48
The Chevron nozzles have actually been test flown full-scale on other major aircraft, 00:20:51
and we expect that these will actually be coming in on the production of aircraft engines 00:20:56
in the very near future. 00:21:00
You talked about engine and airframe noise. 00:21:02
Are there other ways to reduce noise without major design alterations to an airplane? 00:21:04
Yes, we're actually looking at new ways to fly the aircraft around the airport so that 00:21:09
they minimize the exposure of people to the aircraft noise. 00:21:13
For instance, around a lot of airports, they fly noise abatement procedures to get the 00:21:17
flights away from schools and houses. 00:21:21
But in some situations, if the wind is blowing, these flight paths may not be the optimum 00:21:23
flight path because of the effects that wind has on the sound propagation. 00:21:28
So we're doing studies on improving the prediction of sound propagation to include the effects 00:21:31
of wind, weather, and this way we hope that we will be able to reduce the noise and have 00:21:36
the planes fly optimal paths. 00:21:40
And finally, what are your overall hopes for the QAT program? 00:21:42
One of the three elements in NASA's vision is to improve life here on planet Earth. 00:21:46
We think through this Quad Aircraft Technology Program, we're making a major contribution 00:21:52
to improving the life of people and the environment around airports, both in the nation and throughout 00:21:56
the world. 00:22:02
Ultimately, NASA would like to reduce airport noise so that no one outside the airport boundary 00:22:03
is adversely affected. 00:22:09
There is no doubt that spacesuit design has come a long way. 00:22:10
Early U.S. spacesuits were adapted from pressure suits designed for pilots of high-altitude 00:22:13
military and experimental aircraft. 00:22:17
Today, modern suits are a reliable and mobile unit that astronauts depend on during spaceflight. 00:22:19
Our own Johnny Alonzo found out more about spacesuits and how they work. 00:22:25
Space is an incredibly brutal environment. 00:22:34
Not only is there no atmospheric pressure or oxygen to sustain life, but human explorers 00:22:36
must also deal with intense radiation and extreme temperatures in order to perform even 00:22:41
the most basic tasks. 00:22:45
Inside a spacecraft, the atmosphere can be controlled so that special clothing isn't 00:22:47
needed. 00:22:50
But when outside, humans need the protection of a spacesuit. 00:22:51
In 1961, astronaut Alan Shepard wore one of the first suits designed for spaceflight aboard 00:22:55
the Freedom 7 spacecraft. 00:22:59
This suit was actually a modified version of a Navy high-altitude jet aircraft pressure 00:23:02
suit. 00:23:06
Spacesuits have come a long way since then. 00:23:07
The current Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or EMU, is the result of many years of research 00:23:10
and development, and is also a powerful tool for operations outside the International Space 00:23:14
Station and the shuttle. 00:23:19
I spoke with engineer Phil West to find out how it works. 00:23:21
Most people have this preconceived idea that a spacesuit is pretty simple. 00:23:25
Heavy cloth and things, but it's really a mini-spacecraft that lets you step out into 00:23:29
this very harsh environment. 00:23:32
What are the consequences of not wearing a spacesuit? 00:23:34
Well, it's a bad day if you don't wear your spacesuit. 00:23:36
First of all, there's a vacuum in space, right? 00:23:38
So just like when you open a soda bottle, it's going to fizz, right? 00:23:40
Your body will do the same thing. 00:23:44
And literally what's happening is your body fluids, your blood, and everything are going 00:23:45
to boil. 00:23:48
And it's not because of temperature, it's because of pressure. 00:23:49
Remove the pressure and that stuff wants to come out. 00:23:51
So then you've got temperature extremes, and I don't mean temperature of space. 00:23:53
You need molecules to have temperature. 00:23:56
But your temperature, the spacecraft's temperature, can get very cold or very hot depending on 00:23:58
whether you're in the sun or in the shade or the things around you. 00:24:02
And then there's little particles of natural or human-made stuff that fly around space 00:24:05
at high speeds and could literally hit you. 00:24:08
Or micrometeoroids, natural stuff that comes in from elsewhere. 00:24:11
What are modern spacesuits made out of? 00:24:14
Think of the spacesuit as a balloon shaped like your body. 00:24:16
And we've got to have a layer to make that balloon. 00:24:19
So we use this urethane-coated nylon. 00:24:21
That's like camping tent material, but it's got a coating on it to seal it up. 00:24:23
And that's the basic layer that holds all the gas in. 00:24:26
We put that and we make it the shape of your body. 00:24:28
We call it the bladder. 00:24:30
Now, what would happen to a balloon if you inflated it too much? 00:24:31
It'll pop. 00:24:34
Right, pop, which is bad. 00:24:35
So in a spacesuit world, anyway. 00:24:37
So we've got to constrain it. 00:24:38
We've got to make sure it's the right shape. 00:24:39
So we use this polyester layer to give it structure and strength and make sure it's the 00:24:40
right shape of your body, the right size, arm length, et cetera. 00:24:44
So that's the first two key layers of the spacesuit. 00:24:47
Then remember temperature extremes we talked about? 00:24:50
Yes. 00:24:51
Okay, we have five layers of aluminized mylar. 00:24:52
So now think of the spacesuit as a thermos bottle. 00:24:54
You know how a thermos bottle works? 00:24:56
It's got a vacuum between an insulator and a glass jar with a silvery coating on it. 00:24:58
So that's for thermal protection. 00:25:03
And then a real tough layer of Nomex with Teflon coating on it. 00:25:05
I feel that's kind of slick, right? 00:25:09
It's got Kevlar woven into it, a very strong fiber. 00:25:10
And that's so you don't get tears and you protect all these other layers very well, 00:25:14
right? 00:25:17
You don't want to get a hole in here because you don't want to get a hole back here in 00:25:18
your bladder. 00:25:19
No, you don't, right. 00:25:20
Phil, how do these spacesuits operate? 00:25:21
Well, you've got a control pack on the front and a life support system on the back, all 00:25:22
right? 00:25:25
And that life support system is more than just oxygen. 00:25:26
It's got batteries for power, a radio for communications, a computer, and a bunch of 00:25:28
plumbing and things to keep you alive. 00:25:33
And that's all controlled up in the front here with this control pack. 00:25:35
And so we've got some places for the astronaut control like their communications equipment. 00:25:38
You can open that valve if you're soothed or pressurized. 00:25:42
There's a little dial there to change your communications mode and a little display to 00:25:44
tell you, hey, you know, Johnny, you've only got 3% battery power left. 00:25:48
Pack up your toys and bring it on in. 00:25:51
And then controls in the front here for volume and your position, whether you're inside or 00:25:54
outside the spacecraft is up here on the front. 00:25:58
And what's this dial? 00:26:01
Well, that's for temperature. 00:26:02
Remember, we're inside a thermos bottle, okay? 00:26:03
And you're a heat engine. 00:26:04
You're actually producing heat. 00:26:06
You're not just like hot chocolate. 00:26:07
Hot chocolate in a thermos bottle stays warm, but it doesn't get any hotter. 00:26:08
You would get hotter, right? 00:26:12
You'd overheat. 00:26:13
Literally, your own body heat would be your downfall because your body heat is going to 00:26:14
have nowhere to go. 00:26:17
It's going to be trapped in there with you. 00:26:18
That's what happens in a space suit. 00:26:20
So literally, what we'll do is pump cold water all over your body through long underwear 00:26:21
like this. 00:26:26
Check that out. 00:26:27
All right? 00:26:28
And so that is plumbed. 00:26:29
This connects inside the suit. 00:26:30
And then this dial controls the temperature of the water that flows over your body through 00:26:31
all these tubes. 00:26:35
There's enough tube in there to stretch the length of a football field. 00:26:36
Really? 00:26:37
And you can actually see the water. 00:26:38
See the air bubbles in there? 00:26:39
There's a few air bubbles. 00:26:40
Sure, sure. 00:26:41
It's all charged right now. 00:26:42
So Phil, off the record. 00:26:43
How do you relieve yourself from one of these? 00:26:46
Good question. 00:26:48
You know, well, you've got a drink bag, so you're going to want to drink some water. 00:26:49
And eventually, that's got a place to go. 00:26:53
Well, it's pretty technical. 00:26:55
It's a diaper. 00:26:57
Lovely. 00:26:58
The whole idea was, let's save money. 00:26:59
Let's use adult off-the-shelf diapers. 00:27:00
We sew extra material into them. 00:27:02
They work great. 00:27:04
If you can get past the idea that your mom told you not to go in your pants. 00:27:06
Hey, Phil, thanks a lot. 00:27:09
Yeah. 00:27:10
For giving us all the info about our spacesuits. 00:27:11
Sure. 00:27:12
Listen, I was wondering, can I get like a souvenir off this? 00:27:13
Oh, man. 00:27:16
I wish I could, but there's no way. 00:27:17
It's so cool. 00:27:18
It's pretty nice stuff. 00:27:19
We really can't wait. 00:27:20
Well, you know what? 00:27:21
Actually, this is used. 00:27:22
We don't need the diaper anymore. 00:27:23
You can have that. 00:27:24
That's all for this edition of Destination Tomorrow. 00:27:27
Thanks for joining us. 00:27:29
I'm Steel McGonigal. 00:27:30
And I'm Kara O'Brien. 00:27:31
For all of us here at NASA, we'll see you next time. 00:27:32
We'll see you next time. 00:27:36
Bye-bye. 00:27:37
Bye. 00:27:38
Music 00:28:06
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Autor/es:
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Subido por:
EducaMadrid
Licencia:
Reconocimiento - No comercial - Sin obra derivada
Visualizaciones:
401
Fecha:
28 de mayo de 2007 - 17:04
Visibilidad:
Público
Enlace Relacionado:
NASAs center for distance learning
Duración:
28′ 33″
Relación de aspecto:
4:3 Hasta 2009 fue el estándar utilizado en la televisión PAL; muchas pantallas de ordenador y televisores usan este estándar, erróneamente llamado cuadrado, cuando en la realidad es rectangular o wide.
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480x360 píxeles
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166.17 MBytes

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