Shoot to the Moon - Mr. Bell's Blog
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Science, Technology, and the Environment
Shoot to the Moon
It’s the brightest and largest into fragments ranging from Soviets by landing the first
object in the night sky. It bathes huge boulders to powdery dust. human on the Moon.
us in moonlight. Over 27
The Moon's temperature ranges He succeeded. On July 20,
days, we watch it waxing and
from minus 248 degrees Celsius 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil
waning. We feel its gravitational
to plus 123 degrees Celsius. It has Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz”
pull in the rise and fall of the
about one percent of the mass Aldrin took "a giant leap for
Earth’s tides.
of the Earth. Its gravity is 0.166 mankind" onto the dusty
The Moon is the Earth’s only of Earth’s. So if you weigh 45 lunar surface.
natural satellite. About 384,000 kilograms on Earth you’d weigh
Over the next three years, five
kilometres away, it circles the 7.5 kilograms on the Moon.
other Apollo missions delivered
planet in an elliptical orbit. One
Ours is not the only moon in U.S. astronauts to the Moon.
trip around Earth takes 27.32
space. There are more than 150 They brought back 382 kilograms
Earth days. The Moon spins on
moons orbiting the planets in of rock and soil to study.
its axis at the same speed that
our solar system alone. But our
it goes around the Earth. That's The last human landing was
Moon is closest to us. And it’s
why we always see the same face in 1972. However, unmanned
the only place in space where
of the Moon. lunar expeditions resumed in
humans have set foot.
the 1990s. The U.S. National
Our moon was likely formed
Exploring the Moon Aeronautics and Space
when a Mars-sized body collided
The Soviet Union landed the Administration (NASA) sent
with Earth some 4.5 billion
first unmanned spaceship on robots to probe the Moon. So
years ago. Since then asteroids,
the Moon in 1959. That event did the European Space Agency,
meteoroids, and comets have
spurred the United States into Japan, China, and India.
cratered and pitted the Moon's
surface. They have ground it up action. U.S. President John F. Then in 2019, NASA announced
Kennedy wanted to beat the the Artemis Project. It's an
Definitions
elliptical: shaped like an ellipse (a shape similar to a circle Soviet union: officially the Union of Soviet Socialist
but longer than it is wide) Republics (USSR). It was made up of 15 Soviet Socialist
Satellite: an object that travels in a path around another in Republics including Russia before it broke apart in 1991.
space Wan: to become smaller and less bright
wax: to become larger and brighter
2020/2021: Issue 4 What in the world? Le vel 1 Page 35Science, Technology, and the Environment
Shoot to the Moon
ambitious new program to send
humans back to the Moon. Who Owns the Moon?
Who governs the moon? Who decides who can land on it, live on it,
The Artemis project and mine its resources? For years, nations have debated these questions.
NASA is leading the Artemis
In 1959, the United Nations set up the Committee on the Peaceful
Project, but it will work with Uses of Outer Space to govern the exploration and use of space for
other nations and companies. the benefit of all humanity. It negotiated international treaties and
Astronauts will travel aboard an principles that are the framework for current international space law.
ultramodern spacecraft called The 1967 Outer Space Treaty notes that human space exploration
Orion. A powerful new rocket should benefit all mankind, not just one country. However, only a
will lift Orion into lunar orbit. few countries ratified the 1979 Moon Agreement, designed to prevent
The astronauts will dock Orion commercial exploitation of space resources. They didn’t include the
at the Gateway, a spaceport U.S., China, and Russia.
orbiting the Moon. Now the U.S. has unilaterally drawn up the Artemis Accords. This is
Canada is one partner helping a set of guidelines for countries participating in its Artemis Project.
to build the Gateway. We Canada is one of eight countries that have signed these accords. But a
number of countries have refused to sign. Why? They believe the U.S. is
will contribute Canadarm3.
imposing rules to keep its leadership position on the Moon. They want
Canadarm3 is an improved a United Nations treaty instead.
version of the robotic arms we
once built for Space Shuttles and to two months. The base camp Not made of cheese
the International Space Station. will likely be on the Moon’s Our past visits to the Moon have
At the Gateway, crews will stay South Pole. It will have a cabin, a
helped us to understand more
in HALO, short for Habitation rover, and a mobile home. about our orbiting neighbour.
and Logistics Outpost. HALO A Moon base sounds like science However, there's more to learn.
will provide their life support fiction, but NASA is making it a And if we hope to travel to
needs. From the Gateway, the reality. Deliveries to the Moon distant planets one day, it's best
astronauts will transfer to a of science instruments and to start in our own backyard.
landing system to travel to the technology begin in 2021. And “We understand the Moon better
Moon’s surface. in the next few years, NASA will than many other places, yet we
The landing system will double test rockets and spaceships. still have important unanswered
as lodging for short stays on the The plan is first to land two questions,” says planetary
Moon’s surface. But eventually, astronauts. After that, NASA geologist Brett Denevi. J
NASA plans to build Artemis will send crews to the Moon
Base Camp. Four people about once a year. The long-term
could then live and conduct goal is to fly astronauts to Mars.
experiments on the Moon for up
Definitions
exploitation: the act of making some area of land or water unilaterally: (something) done by one country without
more profitable or productive or useful considering what other countries think or want
ratify: to make an agreement official by signing it or
formally accepting it
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Shoot to the Moon
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. How far away is the Moon? How long does it take to circle the Earth?
2. List at least three other interesting facts about the Moon.
3. Which country landed the first unmanned spaceship on the Moon? When did this happen?
4. Which country landed the first crewed spaceship on the Moon? When did this occur?
5. What is the Artemis Project and what is its aim?
6. Which agency is leading this project?
7. Explain what the Gateway is. What is its purpose?
8. Describe how astronauts will reach the Gateway.
9. Describe the Artemis Base Camp. What is its purpose?
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Shoot to the Moon
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER THOUGHT
1. The article states that when Commander Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the moon
during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, he said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind."
As you see it, what is the significance of that statement today, more than 50 years after it was first said?
2. Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, and Jeff Bezos, owner of Blue Origin, have signed contracts
with NASA to fly astronauts to the moon with their companies' spacecrafts. Mr. Bezos has stated, "We’re
not going back to the moon to visit. We’re going back to the moon to stay.” Mr. Musk has stated, "I think
we’ve got potential for an incredibly exciting future in space, with a base on the moon and ultimately
sending people and having a self-sustaining city on Mars."
What are your thoughts about having self-sustaining settlements on the Moon and Mars? Are they
realistic? Are they desirable? What might some considerations and challenges be?
3. In Greek mythology, Artemis was the twin sister of the god Apollo. As you see it, what is the
significance of the choice of name for NASA's new project to put astronauts on the Moon?
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QUESTIONS FOR ONLINE EXPLOR ATION
Note: The links below are listed at www.lesplan.com/en/links for easy access.
1. Visit the following link to see a NASA animation of how the Artemis Project will happen:
https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=qMMguZLZxhk
What additional information about the Artemis Project did you learn from this animation?
2. Visit the following website to learn more about the moon's phases and lunar eclipses, and how they
may impact space exploration:
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/moons/earths-moon/lunar-phases-and-eclipses/
How might the Artemis Project use this information before, during, and after its mission? Explain.
3. Recently NASA has confirmed that there is water on the sunlit surface of the moon. Visit this link to
learn more:
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-sofia-discovers-water-on-sunlit-surface-of-moon/
As you see it, what might be the significance of this discovery?
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Shoot to the Moon
INFOGR APHIC
Artemis: Mission to the Moon and beyond
The Artemis programme will see NASA join forces with commercial spaceflight companies and
international partners to try to land the first woman and next man on the lunar surface by
2024 tentative steps in a long-term goal of sending astronauts to Mars
GATEWAY SPACEPORT Lunar orbital platform
Power and propulsion: Logistics and Airlock: Enables Orion: Crew and
Attitude and orbit control, utilisation: Cargo spacewalks and service module
and communications deliveries of food and offers potential can transport four
First stage to launch: 2022 equipment. Can double to accommodate humans further into
as additional habitation additional dockings deep space than
Completion
ever before
of station: Robotic First manned
2028 arm: Can Number flight: 2022
berth and of launches
inspect of NASA and
vehicles private rockets
or install to complete
payloads Gateway:
37
July 20, 1969:
Astronaut Apollo 11 lands
to scale man on Moon
Habitation modules: SLS launcher:
Pressurised volumes Configured for
featuring life support, Orion capsule
fire detection and
suppression, water
storage and
distribution
Esprit: Utilisation: Sample return
Airlock with Pressurised vehicle: Robotic
additional fuel volume with lander capable
110.6m
98.2m
storage and additional of delivering
advanced lunar habitation payloads from
telecommunications capability Moon to Gateway
POSITION OF PLATFORM EXPLORATION HUB
Moon orbits Earth every 27 From Gateway, vehicles
EARTH days and is on average can embark to multiple
In Greek 384,400km destinations, such as
mythology, MOON away Moon, Mars and beyond
Artemis was 1,500km
daughter of Lander
Zeus, goddess crew: 2
of Moon and, Near- Distance
aptly, twin rectilinear from Moon
sister of halo orbit:
Apollo Gateway takes
six days to orbit
70,000km
Moon staying out
of its shadow and keeping
crew in constant communication
with Earth. Ideal staging point for Manned
lunar surface and deep space locations Moon landing: 2024
Sources: NASA, Space.com, Ars Technica, Phys.org Note: For illustrative purposes, Earth-Moon sizes and distances are not to scale © GRAPHIC NEWS
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Shoot to the Moon
ANALYZING AN INFOGR APHIC
What is the purpose of
this infographic? Who is the intended
audience?
What information is new
or interesting? What features are used to clarify
the message?
What information is How does the
significant or information presented
important? enhance your
understanding?
What questions do you still have about the topic presented?
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Shoot to the Moon
PUT TING IT ALL TOGETHER
A. Write the letter that corresponds to the best answer on the line beside each question:
______ 1. Which of the following statements about the Moon is TRUE?
a) its gravity affects the Earth's tides b) it takes 365 days to orbit the Earth
c) it is 1.4 million kilometers away d) it formed when a star collided with Mars
______ 2. Which of the following have NOT sent a robotic mission to the Moon?
a) United States b) Mexico
c) China d) European Space Agency
______ 3. Which program plans to send astronauts to the Moon for the first time since 1972?
a) the Outer Space Treaty b) HALO
c) the Artemis Project d) Orion
B. Mark the statements T (True) or F (False). If a statement is True, write one important fact to
support it on the line below. If a statement is False, write the words that make it true on the line below.
______ 4. True or False? The United States was the first country to land a spaceship on the Moon.
______ 5. True or False? Canada is part of the next manned mission to the Moon.
______ 6. True or False? The Gateway spaceport will orbit the Earth.
C. Fill in the blanks to complete each sentence.
7. The Moon is in an elliptical _______________________ around the Earth.
8. Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin visited the Moon as part of the
_______________________ 11 mission.
9. The next astronauts to visit the Moon will leave Earth on the _______________________ spacecraft.
D. Respond to the following question in paragraph form. (Use a separate sheet of paper if necessary.)
10. As you see it, is the plan to further explore the Moon and beyond a good use of countries' time and
resources? Give reasons to support your response.
2020/2021: Issue 4 What in the world? Le vel 1 Page 42You can also read
