Space Exploration

What this unit covers

The page follows space exploration from early ideas to recent missions. The notes titled Science 9 Unit E Space Exploration Section 1.0 start with early views about the cosmos and terms such as solstice. The notes Exploring Space describe the first missions to the Moon, Venus and Mars, and the rock and soil the first Apollo mission brought back.

Where to start

Begin with the notes, then move to the flashcards.

1. Read Science 9 Unit E Space Exploration Section 1.0 for the basic vocabulary.
2. Work through the Science 9 Unit E Flash Cards, which cover terms such as geocentric, heliocentric, light year and black hole.
3. Use Space Flight Flashcards to learn the order of key launches, from Sputnik 1 to Voyager 1 and 2.
4. Open BCScience9 Ch. 12 (Space Exploration) for questions on the Moon's surface features.

Quizzes and mind maps together

The Apollo Missions quiz checks how many Apollo flights there were and how many were manned. Journey to the Moon Quiz asks about Apollo 11, its astronauts and the parts of its spacecraft. Try a quiz first, note what you missed, then open a mind map on the same topic.

The mind maps are the largest group. Several look at Apollo 17, others at Mars, including Mars Pathfinder, Manned Mission to Mars and Emirates Mars Mission. The Jupiter (Outer Planet) map covers the atmosphere, bands and storms. Others cover the Hubble Telescope, Kepler, Cassini-Huygens, Space Junk and the International Space Station (ISS).

Where it fits

This unit sits in the strand Exploration and Life Beyond Earth, within Astronomy. The map Methods used to search for life beyond the earth links directly to that strand's theme.

Choose one mission, study it from notes to quiz, then make your own map or flashcards to fill any gaps.