SPACE SHUTTLE!
BY: DAKOTA YRLAS
TRANSPORTAION
The surface exploration version of the SEV has the cabin mounted on a chassis, with wheels that can pivot 360 degrees and drive about 10 kilometers per hour in any direction. It's about the size of a pickup truck (with 12 wheels) and can house two astronauts for up to 14 days with sleeping and sanitary facilities. Likewise, the in-space version of the SEV would have the same pressurized cabin on a flying platform; it too would allow two astronauts to stay on-site for 14 days.
The surface SEV is designed to require little or no maintenance, be able to travel thousands of miles climbing over rocks and up 40 degree slopes during its ten year life. The vehicle frame was developed in conjunction with an off-road race truck team and was field tested in the desert Southwest with 140 km of driving on rough lava.
ASTRONAUNT
An astronaut is an individual trained to pilot and/or travel in a spacecraft, work in space, and do activities related to human space exploration.
EQUIPMENT
Astronomers use various types of equipment based on the portion of the E-M Band to be observed. Telescopes and radio dishes are used from the surface of the Earth to study visible light, near infrared light, and Radio waves. Attached to these telescopes are various tools like special made CCD cameras, a wide variety of filters, photometers and spectrometers. These various instruments are designed to record what we normally cannot see with our eyes. From space astronomers use special telescopes to study X-ray and gamma ray emissions. In addition, space based telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescopes can peer deep into the Universe without atmospheric interference. Other specialized instruments are also finding their way into main stream astronomy, like neutrino detectors deep underground and gravity wave detectors. Telescopes and radio dishes are also pairing up to create interferometers to increase the resolution capabilities.