PHYS 220A 30 November 2015 Endeavour Space Shuttle The visit to Endeavour Space Shuttle in Los Angeles provided me with a deeper insight of how physics principles are applied in real life. Not only did I learn of how the rockets get propelled into space, but also gained a better understanding of how the satellites are injected into orbit after the rocket gets into space. As I strolled into the facility, I was excited since I finally had the chance to get the answers to the several questions that crammed in my mind regarding rockets and satellites. Before the visit, questions such as how does the spacecraft travel with accuracy and know where it’s going? Once it reaches the orbit, what keeps it in motion? Besides, can any place be chosen for the launch of the rockets? Even more importantly, I was fascinated to learn the various structural parts of the rockets and the fuel used in its operation. The process of rocket propulsion was illustrated to me just like I had learned in my theoretical physics. Essentially, a rocket is propelled forward due to a rearward ejection of burned fuel that was initially in the rocket. Consequently, the forward thrust gained by the rocket is as a result of the back force of the ejected burning fuel. In the end, the rocket propulsion principle confirmed Newton’s third law of motion which states that action and reaction are opposite yet equal forces. Unlike the jet engine that depends on drawing in air to burn the fuel, the rockets utilize the fuel on board which is a mixture of liquid oxygen and hydrogen to cause combustion ensuring that they can operate in space where a vacuum exists. I was also intrigued to learn that the rocket didn’t work on the principle of pushing against the ground, or air but depended solely on the thrust force provided by the burning fuel. I also realized that for a large weight of rockets is dominated by fuel. As such, for massive uplift force to be achieved by the rocket, the fuel has to be burned at a rapid rate. This would ultimately ensure that the rate of change of momentum is huge and therefore causing the propulsion force to be sufficient to cause uplift. Certainly, this principle was in line with Newton’s second law of motion which suggests that the magnitude of force on a moving body is directly proportion to the rate of change of its momentum {F = (v-u)dm/t}. The second fact that I learned at the science facility is that the earth is shielded from radioactive particles from the sun by an electromagnetic field around it. As such, when the rockets pass through the layer of the earth’s electromagnetic field, it may get charged and risk burning when leaving or entering the earth’s atmosphere from space. Therefore, the rocket’s nose is designed to be curved instead of being sharp pointed in order avoid the concentration of charges that may in the end build an electrical potential difference capable of destroying the rocket. Certainly, this principle reiterated the electrostatic cha.

1. PHYS 220A
30 November 2015
Endeavour Space Shuttle
The visit to Endeavour Space Shuttle in Los Angeles provided
me with a deeper insight of how physics principles are applied
in real life. Not only did I learn of how the rockets get
propelled into space, but also gained a better understanding of
how the satellites are injected into orbit after the rocket gets
into space. As I strolled into the facility, I was excited since I
finally had the chance to get the answers to the several
questions that crammed in my mind regarding rockets and
satellites. Before the visit, questions such as how does the
spacecraft travel with accuracy and know where it’s going?
Once it reaches the orbit, what keeps it in motion? Besides, can
any place be chosen for the launch of the rockets? Even more
importantly, I was fascinated to learn the various structural
parts of the rockets and the fuel used in its operation.
The process of rocket propulsion was illustrated to me just like
I had learned in my theoretical physics. Essentially, a rocket is
propelled forward due to a rearward ejection of burned fuel that
was initially in the rocket. Consequently, the forward thrust
gained by the rocket is as a result of the back force of the
ejected burning fuel. In the end, the rocket propulsion principle
confirmed Newton’s third law of motion which states that action
and reaction are opposite yet equal forces. Unlike the jet engine
that depends on drawing in air to burn the fuel, the rockets
utilize the fuel on board which is a mixture of liquid oxygen
and hydrogen to cause combustion ensuring that they can
operate in space where a vacuum exists. I was also intrigued to
learn that the rocket didn’t work on the principle of pushing
against the ground, or air but depended solely on the thrust
force provided by the burning fuel. I also realized that for a
large weight of rockets is dominated by fuel. As such, for

2. massive uplift force to be achieved by the rocket, the fuel has to
be burned at a rapid rate. This would ultimately ensure that the
rate of change of momentum is huge and therefore causing the
propulsion force to be sufficient to cause uplift. Certainly, this
principle was in line with Newton’s second law of motion which
suggests that the magnitude of force on a moving body is
directly proportion to the rate of change of its momentum {F =
(v-u)dm/t}.
The second fact that I learned at the science facility is that the
earth is shielded from radioactive particles from the sun by an
electromagnetic field around it. As such, when the rockets pass
through the layer of the earth’s electromagnetic field, it may get
charged and risk burning when leaving or entering the earth’s
atmosphere from space. Therefore, the rocket’s nose is designed
to be curved instead of being sharp pointed in order avoid the
concentration of charges that may in the end build an electrical
potential difference capable of destroying the rocket. Certainly,
this principle reiterated the electrostatic charging process by
induction that causes a body to attain an opposite charge to the
one charging it, creating a difference in potential that massive
force of attraction to develop.
Additionally, I was amazed to learn that the astronauts have to
content with low gravity such as that of the moon that is 17%
that of the earth. The simulations at the facility proved that
walking in other planets with less gravitational force can be
quite a challenge since one finds himself running even when
applying less effort in movement. I managed to grasp the
concept that the weight of a body is inversely proportional to
the square of its distance from the center of the earth.
Consequently, when the astronauts are in space or other planets
they seem to be floating due to their less weight which
decreases as they move away from the center of the earth.
Therefore, for the spaceship crew to maintain order in the
rocket’s cabin, robots are used to move items and prevent them
from floating in a disorderly manner. In the end, I appreciated
the concept learnt in class that the acceleration due to gravity

3. experienced by a body is independent of the mass of a body but
depends on the mass of the earth Me, radius of the body from
the earth’s center Re, and a Kepler’s constant of
proportionality, G so that g = (GMe/Re2).
Moreover, I was informed that the launching sites of rockets are
strategically chosen so that they are of the shortest distance to
the orbit that a satellite is to be launched. This was crucial to
ensure that the corrections done for the travelling rocket and
satellites are minimal. Once the spacecraft was in space, it
entered the orbit and ceased using its fuel and instead enjoyed
the earth’s force of gravity and continually fell around the earth
rather than towards the earth. Ultimately, it was kept in a
uniform circular motion at a constant speed. I was delighted to
notice that the scientists at the facility use the centripetal force
equation to equate to the weight of the satellite when considered
from the earth. In the end, they were able to find the circular
velocity that would enable them reach at a designated point and
hence launch their satellite after a predetermined period of time.
The circular orbiting velocity of the spacecraft was noted to be
dependent on the mass of the earth and radius of the orbit just
like was learnt in class that v = (GMe/r). In fact, the scientists
explained that a small space shuttle that resembles a plane craft
in size can orbit in space for up to one month before the
collisions with particles finally slows it down and make it fall
from the orbit. Besides, I realized that the astronauts are usually
in a state of apparent weightlessness because they possess the
same velocity and acceleration as the space shuttle and there is
no gravitational force to push them against the walls or floor of
the shuttle.
By the end of my visit, I was convinced that indeed the physics
principles learnt in class are practical and interesting to
implement. Certainly, by using gravitational principles between
planets, combined with equations regarding circular motion, the
scientist are able to predict the final destination of the rocket
and its duration to reach the target. However, I guess I still have
a lot to learn regarding the finer engineering principles that

4. make the rockets operate the way they do. From the visit to
Endeavour Space Shuttle, I know that it is not ‘rocket science’
to learn how rockets actually get launched into space.
IMPLEMENTING
SIX SIGMA
Smarter
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s� Using
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FORREST W. BREYFOGLE III
Founder and President
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