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Subido el 28 de mayo de 2007 por EducaMadrid

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NASA Connect Segment explaining how Reusable Launch Vehicles are designed and used by NASA for launch, space travel, and re-entry.

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What is a reusable launch vehicle or RLV? 00:00:00
Why do spacecraft need to be lightweight? 00:00:07
How is the RLV protected during re-entry? 00:00:09
Those are some good questions. 00:00:13
Now, let's get some answers from Kathy Kynard. 00:00:15
She's an engineer here at NASA Marshall. 00:00:17
Kathy, what are some of NASA's design challenges for the next generation of spacecraft? 00:00:20
Jennifer, we have a great bunch of talented folks from around the country 00:00:25
helping us choose the best design. 00:00:28
Some work for the government, some work for private companies, and others for universities. 00:00:30
SLI is designing the whole system for the next generation of reusable launch vehicles. 00:00:35
Okay, we keep saying next generation. 00:00:40
What was the first generation? 00:00:43
Good question. 00:00:44
The Space Shuttle is the world's first reusable launch vehicle. 00:00:45
The Space Shuttle orbiter is designed to be launched again and again, 00:00:49
and is our first generation of reusable launch vehicles, or RLV. 00:00:52
And that's why we talk about the next-gen RLV. 00:00:56
So, what are some of the things you're doing to get ready for the replacement of the Space Shuttle? 00:00:59
Well, the most important thing is safety. 00:01:03
The challenge is to make the vehicle as light as possible without reducing safety or strength. 00:01:05
Yeah, that's understandable. 00:01:10
So, I guess being lightweight isn't the only thing that matters. 00:01:12
That's right. A part of the system might actually be heavier 00:01:15
if, say, it made the whole system safer or less expensive to operate. 00:01:17
The weight increase might reduce costs and help make the crew travel safer. 00:01:21
We definitely want to keep space travel routine and safe for those next-generation space explorers. 00:01:25
There are many things for the SLI program to consider and test. 00:01:31
Different types of engines, fuels, and vehicle shapes, 00:01:35
and these are only some of the parts of the entire system. 00:01:38
We call the whole system the architecture, 00:01:42
and we mean everything from mission planning to launch on orbit support 00:01:44
to landing and getting the vehicle ready to fly again. 00:01:48
Kathy, that sounds pretty challenging. 00:01:51
Well, so have you come up with any designs yet? 00:01:53
First, we had to decide what we wanted to do in space before we started designing. 00:01:56
NASA sees the next-generation RLV as doing two main things, 00:02:00
getting to the International Space Station and taking satellites into orbit. 00:02:04
We select preliminary designs that best meet our needs. 00:02:09
One challenge vehicle designers face is what type of engine to use. 00:02:12
Some engines use kerosene and liquid oxygen. 00:02:16
Others may use liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. 00:02:19
Each option offers advantages. 00:02:22
Well, why so much interest in engines? 00:02:25
The type and performance of the main engines have a major influence on the whole spacecraft. 00:02:27
They influence safety, weight, maintenance, preparation time, and cost. 00:02:31
So what are some of the other things we can look for in the next-generation RLV? 00:02:37
Well, one of the things that you might see are the reusable boosters that fly back to the launch site. 00:02:41
A booster? What's that? 00:02:46
A booster is the primary or first stage of a multistage rocket. 00:02:48
Okay, that makes sense, but you said the boosters are going to fly back. 00:02:52
How do they do that? 00:02:55
Well, they have onboard computers for navigation, 00:02:57
and they also have onboard computers that work sort of like your nervous system, 00:02:59
alerting astronauts and people on the ground whenever there's any kind of problem. 00:03:02
Right, that's really important. 00:03:06
Besides the onboard computer systems, how else are you going to improve safety? 00:03:08
Well, when a spacecraft goes from space to our atmosphere, 00:03:12
friction with the air can heat up the outside of the vehicle to temperatures over 1,600 degrees centigrade. 00:03:16
That's hot enough to melt steel. 00:03:21
The part of the vehicle that protects the crew is called the thermal protection system, or TPS. 00:03:23
So what is the thermal protection system made of, and how does it work? 00:03:28
Currently, we are looking at a number of materials, 00:03:32
and thermal protection systems work in two basic ways. 00:03:35
The first way is absorption. 00:03:38
Like a potholder, you design the skin of the spacecraft 00:03:40
so that it can absorb the heat of reentry without damaging the vehicle. 00:03:42
The second way is radiation. 00:03:46
The outside of the vehicle is designed to radiate the heat from reentry 00:03:48
like a fireman's coat protects him from a fire. 00:03:51
Some designs will combine both of these approaches 00:03:54
to protect the astronauts and spacecraft from the heat of reentry. 00:03:56
The TPS has to be thin and light, but still strong enough to do the job over and over again. 00:04:00
Kathy, that sounds difficult. 00:04:05
Well, it is challenging, but remember, crew safety, it's our number one concern. 00:04:07
For the next generation spacecraft system, we'll have other changes, too. 00:04:11
What sort of changes? 00:04:15
Well, for instance, the space shuttle carries both cargo and astronauts. 00:04:16
For the next generation RLV, we want to divide those jobs. 00:04:21
We are looking at two vehicles, 00:04:24
a cargo ship with no crew on board and a smaller crew transport vehicle. 00:04:26
Protecting the crew is much easier when they are not part of a huge cargo vehicle. 00:04:30
The crew transport vehicle has a rocket engine to help it get away from the launch vehicle 00:04:35
in case of any problems. 00:04:39
The cargo vehicle doesn't need all the equipment required to protect people, 00:04:41
so it can carry more cargo. 00:04:45
It's really a win-win situation. 00:04:47
That's super, Kathy. 00:04:49
Thank you so much for all the information on the Space Launch Initiative. 00:04:50
Now, before we move on, it's time for a cue card review. 00:04:53
If you're watching the show on videotape, pause the tape now and discuss these questions. 00:04:57
What is a reusable launch vehicle, or RLV? 00:05:01
Why do spacecraft need to be lightweight? 00:05:05
How is the RLV protected during reentry? 00:05:07
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Idioma/s:
en
Materias:
Matemáticas
Niveles educativos:
▼ Mostrar / ocultar niveles
      • Nivel Intermedio
Autor/es:
NASA LaRC Office of Education
Subido por:
EducaMadrid
Licencia:
Reconocimiento - No comercial - Sin obra derivada
Visualizaciones:
205
Fecha:
28 de mayo de 2007 - 16:52
Visibilidad:
Público
Enlace Relacionado:
NASAs center for distance learning
Duración:
05′ 11″
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.
Resolución:
480x360 píxeles
Tamaño:
31.27 MBytes

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