Andres

NASA Langley Research Center

May 11, 2023

I learned that NASA has a flight simulator that allows them to test how the pilot

and vehicle will behave in complex situations. In 1951 NASA’s enormous hanger was

created to house research aircrafts and in 1963 the Rendezvous Docking Simulator was

installed to train Gemini and Apollo astronauts in docking procedures before attempting

to land on the moon. I saw a hypersonic sphere that is designed to test hypersonic

vehicles which is 5 times the speed of sound. I learned that scramjets are an alternative

to rockets but scramjets eliminate the need for heavy oxidizer tanks and instead use the

oxygen in the air. NASA have to make their vehicles and satellites durable enough to

withstand grueling launches and landings. In building 1293 there is a flat floor that is

good for testing objects that will be in zero gravity because the floor is like a hockey

table and when they attach air bearing pucks it floats around like it would in zero gravity

so from there the scientist can find any flaws and fix them.

I really found this interesting because there was a lot more that goes into this.

Instead of just launching rocket ships and sending satellites up to space, they have to

make sure the vehicle and durable enough to withstand the trip and land from here to

wherever. Something that I found important was that they’re using LIDAR which is like

sonar but instead uses lasers and it gives them new insight into earth's changing

climate and atmosphere. An interesting thing I found out was that scramjets use the
oxygen in the air instead of oxidizer tanks. The fact that they can sort of recreate zero

gravity on the floor of a building to see how well the device works and where they need

to fix it so it doesn’t fail in space is amazing and really interesting. I really enjoyed

watching these videos because they were quick but they explained everything very well

and were understandable.

NASA wants to develop a sustainable human presence on the moon with the

mission lasting weeks instead of a few days. This is to understand how to prepare for a

multiyear round trip to Mars. NASA wants to learn how to use the resources present on

the surface of the moon so they don’t have to make multiple trips to the moon to

resupply them. Nasa wants to pilot new technologies on the moon the will continue to

evolve on Mars. First they will test new spacesuits for spacewalks which has been

entrusted to the company Axiom Space for the first mission which will land on the moon,

at the earliest 2025. They will also need vehicles that are both pressurized and

unpressurized. Finally, NASA is working on a portable nuclear fission system to have

sustainable access to an energy source. The Artemis program will have a space station

in orbit around the moon called Gateway, which will serve as a relay before the trip to

Mars. All the equipment needed will be sent to the Gateway in multiple launches before

being joined by crew to set off on the long trip. Another reason Americans want to settle

on the moon is to do so before the Chinese do, who are planning to send taikonauts by

2030. At the moment China is the United States main competition since the Russians

space program withered.