Page 7 - Curriculum Visions Dynamic Book

Everything in space is unprotected by the atmosphere. Space objects will therefore experience daily changes of temperature far greater than any on Earth; they will be subject to bombardment by micrometeorites, particles in the solAr wind, as well as by rAdiAtion; and they will have to operate in a near vAcuum. As a result, they have to be built very strongly, often with double hulls, and use materials that can shield them from radiation.
Every space object also needs its own power supply. If the spacecraft is not going to be in space for long, it can be a conventional power supply, such as liquid fuel stored in tanks. But if it will be in space for a long time, a more permanent source of fuel is needed. Originally this was achieved with small nucleAr devices, but now solAr pAnels are used.
MicrowAvelengtHs are used for communication because they can be focused like a searchlight beam. Sending waves as a beam allows a signal to be directed from one space object to another with relatively little loss. The signals are focused using a dish AntennA.
AntennA (pl. AntennAe) A device used for sending out and receiving radio waves.
AtmospHere The envelope of gases that surrounds the Earth and other bodies in the universe.
micrometeorites Tiny pieces of space dust moving at high speeds.
microwAvelengtH Waves at the shortest end of the radio wavelengths.
nucleAr devices Anything that is powered by a source of radioactivity.
rAdiAtion The transfer of energy in the form of waves (such as light and heat) or particles (such as from radioactive decay of a material).
solAr pAnels Large flat surfaces covered with thousands of small photoelectric devices that convert solar radiation into electricity.
solAr wind The flow of tiny charged particles (called plasma) outward from the Sun.
vAcuum A space that is entirely empty.
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