Posts Tagged ‘space science’
Getting Kids Interested in Science – 40 Years of Bringing Science to Life in The Classroom
In 1961, John F. Kennedy famously beckoned the American people to journey into space and reach the moon by decade’s end. Both challenged and encouraged by our young president’s infectious and visionary attitude – the country heeded his call.
The Black Space Experience
The roots of the black space experience date back some 8,500 years when the first lunar calendar was crafted from a bone. Like ancient peoples elsewhere in the world, Africans (sub-Saharan black peoples) “shared the same inspiration and awe of the stars” and “struggled to make sense of it [through] creativity and intelligence” [1] patiently taking “countless generations to watch, justify and map the heavens”[2] and define their relationship with them. According to Dr. Thebe Medupe, a prominent astronomer at the University of Cape Town and the South African Astronomical Observatory, “[Africans] shaped constellations out of stellar patterns and came up with stories about them, …constructed calendars to organize their lives and even erected stone alignments… to follow the sun’s ‘path’ throughout the year.”[3] It was for this reason that Bernard Harris, Jr., the first black astronaut to walk in space stated, “When we look at history itself, you realize that astronomy – the study of the stars – that whole origin… [was] being done by people from Africa. And now I get to fly amongst those same stars” when emphasizing the importance of knowing and understanding history – “If you don’t know where you are and where you came from, you’ll never know where you are going.”[4]
Space Technology in Modern World
Space science is the study of everything above and beyond the surface of the Earth, from Earth’s atmosphere to the very edges of the universe. Space Technology refers to the technology in satellites and ground systems used by space scientists to study the universe (looking up) and the earth (looking down), or to deliver services to users on the ground. The vast majority of satellites are launched into space to provide services to people on Earth.
Space Science
At present, Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS have become important and effective tools in diversified studies like Geosciences, Forestry and Ecology, Soil and Agriculture, Water Resources, Urban and Regional Planning etc. During early half of the twentieth century, aerial photos were used in the application of Military Surveys and Topographical Mapping. This Aerial Photography provided high spatial resolution data in three dimensions, and used for the purpose of surveying and cadastral mapping like route alignment survey or Engineering Surveys (Dam/Bridge construction) and also for urban & regional planning. However, modern remote sensing technique is providing updated and developed satellite images which are suitable for medium scale mapping to monitor, investigate, and manage the natural resources. Due to continuous research programs in space science, the remote sensing technology has become more advanced besides its various applications.