EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE
WRITING ASSIGNMENT #9 - THE EARTH-LIKE PLANETS
This week's assignment is a little different than those we have had in the past. Rather than downloading data sets from Internet sites, I want you to spend some time reading the content of the sites for Internet Exercise #9 to learn as much as you can about our space programs. This may involve visiting other sites which contain pertinent information about these programs. After you feel that you have some familiarity with these programs and their history, I want you to compile some answers to the questions below. As you begin answering these questions, try to think of "Earthly" applications for some of the technology being employed to study the other planets. Finally, I want you to compose a short essay (try not to exceed 3 pages) expressing your view of the space programs of the past 40 years. You are welcome to have either positive or negative viewpoints - there is no correct answer (well, maybe politically correct answers) to the questions - this is more of a philosophical assignment. I'm just interested to learn more about your thoughts and passions (or lack thereof) about these things.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT FOR THIS WEEK:
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:
MAGELLAN MISSION TO VENUS
What were the major challenges to viewing the Venusian surface?
What instruments were used to monitor and map the Venusian surface?
How much of the Venusian surface was mapped over the lifetime of this program?
How does this compare to mapping of Earth's surface?
What is SAR and how does it work?
MARS MISSIONS
What were the primary goals of the Viking missions to Mars? What instruments were used? How did they work?
What were the primary goals of the Pathfinder mission to Mars? What instruments were used? How did they work?
What is the primary goal of the Mars Global Surveyor? What instruments will be used? How do they work?
What are the long-term goals of these missions to Mars? Why is humankind so interested in this place?
LUNAR PROSPECTOR MISSION
What are the instruments being deployed on the Lunar Prospector? How do they work? What do they do?
Does the name of this mission reflect a change in human philosophy about planetary exploration? For what is the Lunar Prospector prospecting? Why is this important?
PLANETARY EXPLORATION IN GENERAL
Are you able to detect any common thread among the planetary exploration programs?
Is there a common goal of these programs?
What do you think are important attributes of these programs? Are these important programs or a drain on federal fiscal resources?
Do you sense that these programs have had any impact on our societies? What do you think these impacts are? Are they pervasive? Are they important? Should mankind continue to venture into space or should be stay home and solve our problems here?
What is the vision of SEDS? What do they mean by "Development of Space"?
Does "Exploration and Development" of space mean exploitation?
Where do we go from here? Do we really want to go there? Should we go there?
What is going on in Space? Space is a vast frontier, and scientists/engineers from all over the world have undertaken a grand exploration of this frontier. But why? Compare the activities of these people and governments to those of the last two centuries of human history. Do you perceive an undertone of "manifest destiny" in all of this?