Ministerul Educaiei i Cercetrii tiinifice

Colegiul Naional Pedagogic tefan Odobleja

Atestat de competen lingvistic pentru absolvenii claselor cu predare intensiv a unei

limbi strine limba englez

Profesor coordonator

Candidat

Vlceanu Lidia

Neagu Ctlin-Daniel

MAI 2015

CONTENTS

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
A BRIEF HISTORY........................................................................................................................3
THEIR WORK TODAY..................................................................................................................4
ORGANIZATION............................................................................................................................5
JOURNEY TO MARS.....................................................................................................................6
THE ISS...........................................................................................................................................7
FAMOUS ASTRONAUTS..............................................................................................................8
KEPLER SPACE TELESCOPE......................................................................................................9
PROJECT APOLLO......................................................................................................................10
SPACE AND DAY-TO-DAY LIFE................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
PHOTOS........................................................................................................................................15
SOURCES

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INTRODUCTION

NASA is our most important connection with anything beyond our planet. Their goal is to
answer some simple questions that the humankind has been trying to for decades: What's out
there in space? How do we get there? What will we find? What can we learn there, or learn just
by trying to get there, that will make life better here on Earth?
I must admit that I am fascinated by the Universe and the mysteries it contains, so it is only
natural that these questions should cross my mind, at one point or the other, and, like many
others, answering them is either impossible or imply pure speculations.
Therefore, anyone who is seeking the truth behind those speculations and come forward with
scientific explanations and evidence, should be highly regarded and worthy of admiration as this
matter is very complicated and requires a tremendous amount of time, money and carefulness.
Some people consider their efforts meaningless because ,finding answers for questions no one
asks, is a waste of time. But, what they dont know is that pursuing those answers will not only
benefit the world around us in a practical manner, but it will also present us with the opportunity
to satisfy our hunger for the worlds most important resource: knowledge.
To reach for new heights and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn will benefit all
humankind. This vision should encourage people to recognize and support the efforts of those
who try to make the world, our planet, a better place by unraveling the mysteries that arouse fear
in the hearts of humans, just by thinking about them and push them forward to break the barrier
born from fear and ignorance that kept the humanity from getting a step closer to truth and
ultimately, to break the last frontier.

A BRIEF HISTORY
President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
in 1958, partially in response to the Soviet Union's launch of the first artificial satellite the
previous year. NASA grew out of the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA),
which had been researching flight technology for more than 40 years.
President John F. Kennedy focused NASA and the nation on sending astronauts to the moon by
the end of the 1960s. Through the Mercury and Gemini projects, NASA developed the
technology and skills it needed for the journey. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz
Aldrin became the first of 12 men to walk on the moon, meeting Kennedy's challenge.
Meanwhile, NASA was continuing the aeronautics research pioneered by NACA. It also
conducted purely scientific research and worked on developing applications for space
technology, combining both pursuits in developing the first weather and communications
satellites.
After Apollo, NASA focused on creating a reusable ship to provide regular access to space: the
space shuttle. First launched in 1981, the space shuttle flew more than 130 successful missions
before being retired in 2011. In 2000, the United States and Russia established permanent human
presence in space aboard the International Space Station, a multinational project representing the
work of 15 nations.
NASA also has continued its scientific research. In 1997, Mars Pathfinder became the first in a
fleet of spacecraft that will explore Mars in the next decade, as we try to determine whether life
ever existed there. The Terra, Aqua and Aura Earth Observing System satellites are flagships of a
different fleet, this one in Earth orbit, designed to help us understand how our home world is
changing. NASA's aeronautics teams are focused on improving aviation, so it meets the
explosive growth in global demand for air services.
Throughout its history, NASA has conducted or funded research that has led to numerous
improvements to life here on Earth.

THEIR WORK TODAY

In the early 21st century, NASA is extending our senses to see the farthest reaches of the
universe, while pushing the boundaries of human spaceflight farther from Earth than ever before.

Humankind is poised to take its Next Giant Leap, far beyond the frontiers of exploration we've
reached to date. On Earth and in space, the agency is developing new capabilities to send future
human missions to an asteroid and Mars. Mars once had conditions suitable for life. Future
exploration on our Journey to Mars could uncover evidence of past life, answering one of the
fundamental mysteries of the cosmos: Does life exist beyond Earth?
An unprecedented array of science missions is seeking new knowledge and understanding of
Earth, the solar system and the universe.

We're studying Earth right now through current and future spacecraft helping answer critical
challenges facing our planet: climate change, sea level rise, freshwater resources and extreme
weather events.
A fleet of robotic explorers is on and around Mars, dramatically increasing our knowledge about
the Red Planet, paving the way for future human explorers.
Multiple NASA missions are studying our sun and the solar system, unraveling mysteries about
their origin and evolution. By understanding variations of the sun in real-time, we can better
characterize space weather, which can impact exploration and technology on Earth.

The New Horizons spacecraft nears Pluto for a July 2015 rendezvous, which will provide the
closest views we've ever had of the dwarf planet. The Juno spacecraft is poised to reach Jupiter
in 2016, and will peer beneath its dense gas to reveal the mysteries of its core.

NASA telescopes also are peering into the farthest reaches of the universe and back to its earliest
moments of existence, helping us understand the universe's origin, evolution, and destiny.
Entering its 25th year, the Hubble Space Telescope continues to explore as NASA develops its
successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, which will capture light from the universe's earliest
stars.

ORGANIZATION

NASA Headquarters, in Washington, provides overall guidance and direction to the agency,
under the leadership of the administrator. Ten field centers and a variety of installations conduct
the day-to-day work, in laboratories, on air fields, in wind tunnels and in control rooms.
NASA conducts its work in four principal organizations, called mission directorates:
Aeronautics: manages research focused on meeting global demand for air mobility in ways that
are more environmentally friendly and sustainable, while also embracing revolutionary
technology from outside aviation.
Human Exploration and Operations: focuses on International Space Station operations,
development of commercial spaceflight capabilities and human exploration beyond low-Earth
orbit.
Science: explores the Earth, solar system and universe beyond; charts the best route of
discovery; and reaps the benefits of Earth and space exploration for society.
Space Technology: rapidly develops, innovates, demonstrates, and infuses revolutionary, highpayoff technologies that enable NASA's future missions while providing economic benefit to
the nation.

JOURNEY TO MARS

NASA is developing the capabilities needed to send humans to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars in
the 2030s goals outlined in the bipartisan NASA Authorization Act of 2010 and in the U.S.
National Space Policy, also issued in 2010.
Mars is a rich destination for scientific discovery and robotic and human exploration as we
expand our presence into the solar system. Its formation and evolution are comparable to Earth,
helping us learn more about our own planets history and future. Mars had conditions suitable for
life in its past. Future exploration could uncover evidence of life, answering one of the
fundamental mysteries of the cosmos: Does life exist beyond Earth?
While robotic explorers have studied Mars for more than 40 years, NASAs path for the human
exploration of Mars begins in low-Earth orbit aboard the International Space Station. Astronauts
on the orbiting laboratory are helping us prove many of the technologies and communications
systems needed for human missions to deep space, including Mars. The space station also
advances our understanding of how the body changes in space and how to protect astronaut
health.
A fleet of robotic spacecraft and rovers already are on and around Mars, dramatically increasing
our knowledge about the Red Planet and paving the way for future human explorers. The Mars
Science Laboratory Curiosity rover measured radiation on the way to Mars and is sending back
radiation data from the surface. This data will help us plan how to protect the astronauts who will
explore Mars. Future missions like the Mars 2020 rover, seeking signs of past life, also will
demonstrate new technologies that could help astronauts survive on Mars.

Engineers and scientists around the country are working hard to develop the technologies
astronauts will use to one day live and work on Mars, and safely return home from the next giant
leap for humanity. NASA also is a leader in a Global Exploration Roadmap, working with
international partners and the U.S. commercial space industry on a coordinated expansion of
human presence into the solar system, with human missions to the surface of Mars as the driving
goal.

THE ISS

The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station, or a habitable artificial satellite, in low
Earth orbit. It is a modular structure whose first component was launched in 1998. Now the
largest artificial body in orbit, it can often be seen with the naked eye from Earth. The ISS
consists of pressurised modules, external trusses, solar arrays and other components. ISS
components have been launched by American Space Shuttles as well as
Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets.
The ISS serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which crew
members conduct experiments in biology, human
biology, physics, astronomy, meteorology and other fields The station is suited for the testing of
spacecraft systems and equipment required for missions to the Moon and Mars] The
ISS maintains an orbit with an altitude of between 330 and 435 km by means of reboost
manoeuvres using the engines of the Zvezda module or visiting spacecraft. It completes
15.54 orbits per day.
The ISS provides a location in the relative safety of Low Earth Orbit to test spacecraft systems
that will be required for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. This provides experience
in operations, maintenance as well as repair and replacement activities on-orbit, which will be
essential skills in operating spacecraft farther from Earth, mission risks can be reduced and the
capabilities of interplanetary spacecraft advanced
A typical day for the crew begins with a wake-up at 06:00, followed by post-sleep activities and
a morning inspection of the station. The crew then eats breakfast and takes part in a daily
planning conference with Mission Control before starting work at around 08:10. The first
scheduled exercise of the day follows, after which the crew continues work until 13:05.
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Following a one-hour lunch break, the afternoon consists of more exercise and work before the
crew carries out its pre-sleep activities beginning at 19:30, including dinner and a crew
conference. The scheduled sleep period begins at 21:30. In general, the crew works ten hours per
day on a weekday, and five hours on Saturdays, with the rest of the time their own for relaxation
or work catch-up.

FAMOUS ASTRONAUTS

There have been many astronauts who have made tremendous contributions to our knowledge of
space. Here are some of the most famous astronauts along with some of their accomplishments.

Alan B Shepard Jr. was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. He was born November 18,
1923 and graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree.
While in the Navy, Shepard became a pilot. Eventually, he joined NASA. One of the seven
Mercury astronauts, Shepard became the first American in space. On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard
took his first trip into space. He was beat into space by the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin by
only a few weeks. Shepard went on to lead other missions into space including the Apollo
XIV mission to the Moon.

Neil Armstrong is one of the most famous astronauts ever. He was born August 5, 1930 and
graduated from He flew in the Apollo 11 to the Moon with Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.
He was the first person to land and walk on the Moon. A test pilot, Armstrong has flown over
200 different types of aircraft in his long career. As he stepped on the Moon, Armstrong uttered
the famous words, Thats one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

John Glenn Jr. was a fighter pilot and a test pilot. He was one of the first seven Mercury
astronauts chosen by Americas Space Program. John Glenn was the first American to orbit the
Earth in a mission in February 1962. He earned the Space Congressional Medal of Honor for his
contributions to spaceflight. After an extensive career as an astronaut, Glenn became a U.S.
Senator who was reelected several times.

KEPLER SPACE TELESCOPE

Kepler is a space observatory launched by NASA to discover Earth-like planets orbiting other
stars. The spacecraft, named after the Renaissance astronomer Johannes Kepler, was launched on
March 7, 2009.

Designed to survey a portion of our region of the Milky Way to discover dozens of Earthsize extra-solar planets in or near the habitable zone and estimate how many of the billions of
stars in our galaxy have such planets, Kepler' s sole instrument is a photometer that continually
monitors the brightness of over 145,000 main sequence stars in a fixed field of view..These data
are transmitted to Earth, then analyzed to detect periodic dimming caused by extrasolar planets
that cross in front of their host star.
How many stars like our sun host planets like our Earth? NASAs Kepler Space Telescope
continuously monitored more than 150,000 stars beyond our solar system, and to date has offered
scientists an assortment of more than 4,000 candidate planets for further study -- the 1,000th of
which was recently verified.
Using Kepler data, scientists reached this millenary milestone after validating that eight more
candidates spotted by the planet-hunting telescope are, in fact, planets. The Kepler team also has
added another 554 candidates to the roll of potential planets, six of which are near-Earth-size and
orbit in the habitable zone of stars similar to our sun.

"Each result from the planet-hunting Kepler mission's treasure trove of data takes us another step
closer to answering the question of whether we are alone in the Universe," said John Grunsfeld,
associate administrator of NASAs Science Mission Directorate at the agencys headquarters in
Washington. The Kepler team and its science community continue to produce impressive results
with the data from this venerable explorer."

PROJECT APOLLO

The Apollo program, also known as Project Apollo, was the third United States human
spaceflight program carried out by NASA, which accomplished landing the first twelve humans
on the Moon from 1969 to 1972. First conceived during the Presidency of Dwight D.
Eisenhower as a three-man spacecraft to follow the one-man Project Mercury which put the first
Americans in space, Apollo was later dedicated to President John F. Kennedy's national goal of
"landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" by the end of the 1960s,
which he proposed in a May 25, 1961 address to Congress. Project Mercury was followed by the
two-man Project Gemini (196266). The first manned flight of Apollo was in 1968.
Kennedy's goal was accomplished on the Apollo 11 mission when astronauts Neil
Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed their Lunar Module(LM) on July 20, 1969, and walked on
the lunar surface, while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit in the Command/Service
Module(CSM), and all three landed safely on Earth on July 24. Five subsequent Apollo missions
also landed astronauts on the Moon, the last in December 1972. In these six spaceflights, 12 men
walked on the Moon.

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Apollo set several major human spaceflight milestones. It stands alone in sending manned
missions beyond low Earth orbit; Apollo 8 was the first manned spacecraft to orbit another
celestial body, while the final Apollo 17 mission marked the sixth Moon landing and the ninth
manned mission beyond low Earth orbit. The program returned 842 pounds (382 kg) of lunar
rocks and soil to Earth, greatly contributing to the understanding of the Moon's composition and
geological history. The program laid the foundation for NASA's current human spaceflight
capability, and funded construction of its Johnson Space Center and Kennedy Space Center.
Apollo also spurred advances in many areas of technology incidental to rocketry and manned
spaceflight, including avionics, telecommunications, and computers.

VOYAGER PROGRAM

The Voyager program is a continuing American scientific program that employs

two robotic probes, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, to study the outer solar system. They were
launched in 1977 to take advantage of a favorable alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and
Neptune, and are now exploring the outer boundary of the heliosphere (the region dominated by
the sun). Although their original mission was to study only the planetary systems of Jupiter and
Saturn, Voyager 2 continued on to Uranus and Neptune, and both Voyagers are now tasked with
exploring interstellar space. Their mission has been extended three times, and both probes
continue to collect and relay useful scientific data.
Data and photographs collected by the Voyagers cameras, magnetometers, and other instruments
revealed previously unknown details about each of the giant planets and their moons. Close-up
images from the spacecraft charted Jupiters complex cloud forms, winds, and storm systems and
discovered volcanic activity on its moon Io. Saturns rings were found to have enigmatic braids,
kinks, and spokes and to be accompanied by a large number of ringlets. At Uranus Voyager
2 discovered a substantial magnetic field around the planet and 10 additional moons. Its flyby of
Neptune uncovered three complete rings and six unknown moons as well as a
planetary magnetic field and complex, widely distributed auroras.

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The Voyager primary mission was completed in 1989, with the close flyby of Neptune
by Voyager 2. The Voyager Interstellar Mission (VIM) is a mission extension, which began when
the two spacecraft had already been in flight for over 12 years.
Both spacecraft also have adequate electrical power and attitude control propellant to continue
operating until around 2025, after which there may not be available electrical power to support
science instrument operation. At that time, science data return and spacecraft operations will
cease.
Voyager 1 and 2 both carry with them a 12 inch golden phonograph record that contains pictures
and sounds of Earth along with symbolic directions on the cover for playing the record and data
detailing the location of our planet. The record is intended as a combination of a time
capsule and an interstellar message to any civilization, alien or far-future human that may
recover either of the Voyager craft. The contents of this record were selected by a committee that
included Timothy Ferris (scince journalist) and was chaired by Carl Sagan (astrophysicist).

SPACE AND DAY-TO-DAY LIFE

"NASA develops technologies to push the boundaries of what's possible in space, but those same
technologies also make life better here on Earth," said Daniel Lockney, NASA's Technology
Transfer program executive. Here are some examples of how space exploration can benefit our
day-to-day life:

Long-distance Telecommunications
Used for everything from communications and spying to research and development, with around
200 NASA satellites orbiting the Earth every day, this technology has made it possible for us to
stay in touch with people on the other side of the globe instantaneously.

Invisible braces
Kids with braces have to endure taunts about being a geek and nerd. That is why this NASA
Discovery come in so handy to those who dont want to go through the ordeal of having a mouth
full of visible metal. Invisible Braces translucent polycrystalline alumina was created by NASA
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Advanced Ceramics Research in collaboration with a company called Ceradyne to protect the
infrared antenna of heat-seeking missile trackers.

Scratch-resistant lenses
NASA needed a special coating to protect space equipment from dirt found in the space
environment so they came up with their special plastics coating. Now, were enjoying sunglasses
that are resistant to scratches. Whats better, plastic is cheaper than glass and is better at
absorbing ultraviolet radiation.

Smoke detector
NASA invented the first adjustable smoke detector to let astronauts know if there was fire or if
noxious gases were loose in Skylab, the first US space station. Now, were enjoying safety from
fire in our homes thanks to this technology.

Cordless Tools
When man was about to land on the Moon, NASA needed equipment astronauts could use to get
rock and soil samples. The tool needed to be lightweight and powerful enough to drill into the
moons surface. NASA, together with Black and Decker, figured out that attaching a cord to a
drill would be difficult for the astronauts so they invented a battery-operated motor drill. Now,
cordless tools abound because of this invention.

Improved radial tires

NASA, along with Goodyear and Rubber company, developed a fibrous material five times
more durable than steel. It was used in parachute shrouds to soft-land the Viking Lander
spacecraft on Mars. Goodyear then used the discovery and produced a new radial tire with
10,000 mile tread life expectancy

LEDs
High-intensity LED (Light-emitting Diodes) units were developed for the NASA space shuttles.
LED works when an electric current is applied in the forward direction of a device and a light is
emitted by a semiconductor diode. LEDs are making great advances in power-efficiency and will
soon play a vital role in general lighting..
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Firefighting equipment
NASA and the National Bureau of Fire Standards built a lightweight breathing system of mask,
frame, harness and air bottle using an aluminum composite material developed by NASA for use
on rocket casings. The breathing apparatus is now widely used for protection from smoke
inhalation injury. In addition to that, the inductorless electronic circuit technology developed by
NASA is now used by firefighters as short-range two-way radios.

Video enhancing and analysis system

Video Image Stabilization and Registration (VISAR) technology was created by NASA to assist
FBI agents investigating video footage. This tool offers frame-by-frame analysis, full-resolution
video, conversion of analog video to digital formats and enhanced quality of filmed subjects
without distorting underlying footage.

CONCLUSION
NASA has done astonishing work so far in developing new technologies and discovering some
of the Universes secrets which humanity, at some point, thought to be an impossible task. They
will remain the world's leader in space exploration and scientific discovery for years to come as
their staff is working hard to develop new ideas and projects that will bring critical advances in
aerospace, technology development and aeronautics that will continue to influence our lives.
They are setting new standards for others agencies around the globe to follow, ensuring ,in this
way, a continuous progress in all their fields of work that leads to new ideas and discoveries that
will help humanity on its road of understanding, even a little, the universe.
Furthermore, their work inspires and helps scientists to develop new theories about how the
Universe was created, where we come from and other important questions that have been
avoided or not known at all, theories which will lay the foundation of new fields of work, new
challenges and new problems. All of this is a part of our evolution as a species, this road being
required to finding our role in the Universe.
Therefore, NASA can be considered an ambassador which forms the connection between
humanity and the rest of the Universe and makes sure that this connection is permanently
improved and that we will, someday, uncover the truth thats hidden among the stars.

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NASA is an engine of innovation and inspiration as well as the world's premier space
exploration agency, and we are well served by politicians working to keep it that way, instead of
turning it into a mere jobs program, or worse, cutting its budget. -Bill Nye

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SOURCES

http://www.nasa.gov
http://spinoff.nasa.gov
http://list25.com/25-coolest-nasa-discoveries-that-changed-your-life
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA#Scientific_research
http://www.universetoday.com/45089/famous-astronauts/
http://www.nasa.gov/press/2015/january/nasa-s-kepler-marks-1000th-exoplanet-discoveryuncovers-more-small-worlds-in/#.VOiMc_mUf5I
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_program
http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasas-journey-to-mars/#.VO9cBvmUeWF

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