Astrogazers Talk – An Introduction To Space Travel

On Tuesday 28 November, Astrogazers attended a talk on ‘An Introduction To Space Travel’ with Mr Kazi. We have been doing whatever we can to learn about the conditions of outer space in preparation for our satellite launch as part of Mission Pegasus so this was a valuable learning experience for all of us!

The talk began with comparing some real life problem solving situations with problems you would work out in a maths question and discussing how they differ from each other: Real-life problems we face are often complex, ambiguous and involve various factors, whereas problems on paper are usually more structured and straightforward, with specific ways of solving them. We concluded that we needed skills beyond solving equations, like critical thinking and adaptability, to navigate through our mission’s complexities.

Next, we went on to discuss the Two Body Problem and the Three Body Problem, talking about how the movement of two masses as a result of gravity acts in a specific pattern, in comparison to how the movement of three masses is much more unpredictable, due to chaotic behaviour.

Satellites experience gravitational forces, solar radiation pressure and atmospheric drag, influencing orbits and requiring precise adjustments for optimal functionality. This is something we have had to take into consideration when preparing to launch our own satellite and have been studying cosmic rays and solar radiation in particular.

Therefore, the next topic Mr Kazi covered was the effect of solar radiation on an object in space. Solar radiation can degrade satellite materials, increase temperatures and affect electronics, leading to potential malfunctions and reduced operational lifespan. This is why we must build and code our satellite in such a way that avoids these problems to the best of our ability.

Finally, to end the discussion, we talked about vector and scalar quantities, tying in to some of the topics Y9 have been studying this term very well – it was amazing to see how what we were being taught could be applied into real world situations!

Thank you to Mr Kazi for hosting this event. Everyone at Astrogazers is super grateful for everything you taught us and we can’t wait for another interesting discussion!

Anaiya S
Crew Operations & Resources Engineer