Ian+B

= Entry 1 =

On the mission to mars we will need quite a few things to make it successful one of those would be a navigation system. The navigation system will need to use either analog or digital signals. Analog signals use differences in electrical current to record data and the recording is smoother than digital signals. However digital signals use numbers to record data and they jump from number to number making it a jerking motion instead of a smooth motion. If we use digital signals then we will have to use semiconductors, semiconductors are extremely useful. A semiconductor is like a switch making it easy to transport lots of data without having to much at a time. Integrated circuits store digital signals using transistors and diodes to direct current. The diode is sort of like a one way road, it directs electrical current in one direction only. Transistors are used to amplify signals, and also can act like switches.

====** These electrical devices are critical to being able to complete our mission. The robots that we will put on to mars need integrated circuits, transistors, diodes, and semiconductors to operate. The rocket will need a guidance system to even fly within the gravitational field of mars. We will also need cameras and microphones to record the data that the robot finds. These devices are critical and the mission to mars would be a failure from the start. **====



**Entry 2** Rocketry has come along way, from gas powered spinning machines to intercontinental ballistic missiles. The first rocket was invented by a man by the name of Hero of Alexandra. His rocket included a sphere that would spin by releasing hot gas at angles. The next step towards modern rocketry was achieved by the Chinese on accident. The Chinese discovered that if they put a capsule of gunpowder on a arrow they would shoot off at high velocity and explode. A Italian man by the name of Jean Froissart found that when a rocket was launched from a tube it was a lot more accurate than firing it from stands. Jean later used his idea to create the first rocket launchers. A Russian school teacher by the name of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky theorized that liquid fuel rockets could power the rocket into space. The Germans also we taking leaps towards modern rocketry, a man by the name of Robert H. Goddard created the first liquid fuel rocket. The Germans also created the first rockets that behaved like intercontinental ballistic missiles. A few years later the Russians launched a satellite named Sputnik, and later launched a dog into space for seven days. With these advances in technology we will eventually have space colonies, rocket cars, and possibly a trans planetary bus. We might even discover life on a different planet, or in a different solar system. For now we remain with a satellite that reached mercury, 7-8 moon missions, and a whole lot of model rockets.

= Rocket Stages Animation =

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=Parts of a Rocket=

=Does mass effecting the height of a rocket= The purpose of this experiment was to measure the height of rockets with different masses. My hypothosis was that the rockets with there would be a perfect mass that would achive the maximum height. To do that we had two people stand 100 meters away from the launch pad. Those people used angle guns to measure the angle of the rocket. The angle of the rocket was put in a trigonometry equation and solved to get the height. The distance away from the launch pad was measured using a trundle wheel. The rockets used A 8-3 rocket motors and were fired using an electric ignition. The rockets that had the most mass averaged at around 98 m high. The rockets with the least mass averaged at about 95 m. The rockets with the mass in-between the large and the small mass averaged out at 80. My hypothesis was discovered to be true, because the greater and lesser masses averaged out at a lesser height than the rocket with a mass in-between. Our rocket weighed 43.5 grams and flew 119 meters. It was painted with an orange nose cone, followed by a solid black body tube, and had orange fins with FTW(For the win) pained on it. The FTW most likely explains why it flew so high (not really). The rockets surface was smoothly painted which made it aerodynamic.



=The importance of astronomy in the search for life on mars= I think that astronomy is a key part of the search for life on mars. Without studying astronomy you would not be able to navigate throughout space. We would need to study astronomy in order to successfully land the spaceship on mars, to carry out the mission. Once we landed on mars, to get back to earth we would have to use the stars and planets to launch back at the opportune time. We could need to know astronomy to know the perfect time to launch in order to land on any planet including mars. In conclusion we would need to study astronomy to navigate through space and also to know when to launch in order to land on the planet. Click Here!
 * To learn more about astronomy click the link below.**

= = =History Of Robots= The first robot was created by Hero of Alexandria. Hero was a greek mathematition in the 4th century. He invented may things including the first rocket along with many other revolutionary inventions. Along the years more robots were made to get rid of human labor. Grain collecting robots were made along with other variations to get rid of other forms of labor. These machines eventually turned into tractors cars and factories. Robots have advanced greatly over the past millennium, from simple rotating robots to robotic factories.

In present day the average person runs into a robot every day. Robots are used regularly in everyday life. You may not realize but you run into about 25 robots or more in the average day. When you go to work and you open your computer you have already used two robots, the car and the computer. It would be hard to not run into a rob these days. In Japan robots have personalities and can learn. In conclusion robots are very common these days and are advancing into the same level of intellect as the robot in sci fi movies.

=Programming robots= The motor is a very useful part of a machine. The motor allows the machine to move. Without the motor robots could not move, pick up stuff, or interact with their environment to their potential. In the mission to mars the robot will use a motor to pick up and carry specimens. It will also use motors to drive around and climb over obstacles. The motor in a robot is like its heart, without it it cannot move or interact with the environment. The motor is the second most vital part of our robot, except for the solar panels

Sensors also play a big part in the survival of the robot, along with its ability to accurately collect information. Sensors are the robots sense of touch, its ears, and its eyes. The touch sensor would alow the robot to know if the robot bumped into something. It has two different types of vision, ultrasonic and color. The ultrasonic allows it to detect the distance of an object. With the right technology the ultrasonic vision and create a 3d replica of the terrain around the robot. The color sensor allows the robot to detect the color of an object, along with the ultrasonic vision the robot could collect enough information to make a 3d colored environment. The sensors are the robots senses, without them it could not navigate through an environment. =Life= There are 8 characteristics of life. Only if a thing has all eight features it can be considered alive. Made of cells, each living thing consists of many cells. These cells link together to create a living thing. Need materials, every living thing needs materials. They must use these materials to feed themselves in order to survive. Homeostatic, every living thing remains somewhat the same on the inside and different and allows change on the outside. Respond to stimuli, every living thing reacts to something. The most common thing for a living thing to react to is a hot and cold difference. Reproduce, every living thing needs to make a copy of itself one way or another. If living things didn't reproduce then their species wouldn't survive. Grow, every living thing grows. If they didn't grow than they probably wouldn't have the muscle or brains to do anything. Adapted, every living thing needs to be able to adapt to something. If a living thing wasn't able to adapt it would die out after a climate change. Respiration, every animal takes in materials so they need to get rid of some. If living things didn't get rid of materials through respiration then they would get bigger and eventually explode or implode from their own weight.

One the search for life on mars our goal is to find life on mars. We can accomplish are goal in a few different ways. We could use a satellite with a special camera to look for living things that emit a small amount of electricity. We could look for life using a robot that is programmed to recognize the 8 characteristics of life. We could develop a suit that can stand the climate on mars. We could send a robot to take detailed pictures of the envelopment where life could exist. We could have Chuck Norris ride a missile to mars and then look for life using a tuna fish. We could All of these would work, the only problem is that getting to mars is really expensive.