![]() In Signal Solution, students can compare the efficiency of optical communication with radio communication, using pi to crunch the numbers. Near-infrared light, with its higher frequency than radio waves, allows for more data to be transmitted per second. One such technology in development is Deep Space Optical Communications, which will use near-infrared light instead of radio waves to transmit data. As more and more data flows between Earth and these distant spacecraft, NASA needs new technologies to improve how quickly data can be received. NASA uses radio signals to communicate with spacecraft across the solar system and in interstellar space. In Twirly Whirly, students use pi to compare the spin rate of Ingenuity’s blades to those of a typical helicopter on Earth. To achieve the first powered flight on another planet, Ingenuity must spin its blades at a rapid rate to generate lift in Mars’ thin atmosphere. Named Ingenuity, the helicopter is a technology demonstration, meaning it's a test to see if a similar device could be used for a future Mars mission. Joining the Perseverance rover on Mars is the first helicopter designed to fly on another planet. In the Sample Science problem, students use pi to determine how much of the spacecraft's sample-collection device needs to make contact with the surface of Bennu to meet mission requirements for success. Launched in 2016, OSIRIS-REx began orbiting Bennu in 2018 and successfully performed its maneuver to retrieve a sample on October 20, 2020. (It will arrive back at Earth in 2023.) The mission is designed to help scientists understand how planets form and add to what we know about near-Earth asteroids, like the one visited by OSIRIS-REx, asteroid Bennu. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has flown to an asteroid and collected a sample of surface material to bring back to Earth. › Educators, get the lesson here! Sample Science Be sure to check back on March 15 for the answers to this year’s challenge. Learn more about the science and engineering behind the problems below or click the link below to jump right into the challenge. ![]() This year, the NASA Pi Day Challenge offers up four brain-ticklers that will require students to use pi to collect samples from an asteroid, fly a helicopter on Mars for the first time, find efficient ways to talk with distant spacecraft, and study the forces behind Earth's beautiful auroras. The Science Behind the 2021 NASA Pi Day Challenge And you're in luck, because that's precisely what the NASA Pi Day Challenge is all about. House of Representatives passed a resolution officially designating March 14 as Pi Day and encouraging teachers and students to celebrate the day with activities that teach students about pi. In the United States, one format to write March 14 is 3.14, which is why we celebrate on that date. At NASA, we use pi to find the best place to touch down on Mars, study the health of Earth's coral reefs, measure the size of a ring of planetary debris light years away, and lots more. So it's useful for everyone from farmers storing crops in silos to manufacturers of water storage tanks to people who want to find the best value when ordering a pizza. ![]() ![]() Pi is used for calculating the area and circumference of circular objects and the volume of shapes like spheres and cylinders. In fact, a circle does have points, and knowing what pi is and how to use it is far from pointless. Some people may think that a circle has no points. Pi has been calculated to 50 trillion digits, but NASA uses far fewer for space exploration. However, pi is an irrational number, meaning its decimal representation goes on forever and never repeats. Keep reading to find out how students – and you – can put their math mettle to the test and solve real problems faced by NASA scientists and engineers as they explore the cosmos! How It Worksĭividing any circle’s circumference by its diameter gives us pi, which is often rounded to 3.14. There’s no better way to observe this day than by getting students exploring space right along with NASA by doing the math in our Pi Day Challenge. Pi Day comes around only once a year, giving us a reason to chow down on our favorite sweet and savory pies while we appreciate the mathematical marvel that helps NASA explore Earth, the solar system, and beyond. Image credit: NASA | › Full image and caption In the NewsĪs March 14 approaches, it’s time to get ready to celebrate Pi Day! It’s the annual holiday that pays tribute to the mathematical constant pi – the number that results from dividing any circle's circumference by its diameter. This aurora photo was taken on June 26, 2017. ![]() Expedition 52 Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA shared photos and time-lapse video of a glowing green aurora seen from his vantage point 250 miles up, aboard the International Space Station. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |