Archives: Glossary Terms

A gigantic eruption of plasma from our Sun that streams charged particlesParts of an atom with electrical charge. Protons are much larger than electrons, reside in an atom’s nucleus, and carry a positivecharge. Electrons orbitThe oval-shaped path that a spacecraft follows. Orbits come in various shapes and sizes, but each one has a purpose: to let the spacecraft do its job. Higher orbits require more propellant to get a spacecraft there. More around the nucleus and carry a negative charge. More in one direction to huge distances in the solarWe use the […]

The forceAn object’s increasing speedHow fast an object's speed is changing when we apply a force to it. During acceleration, speed increases. During deceleration, speed decreases. More toward Earth’s center, caused by the force of gravityA projectile with a prescribed path that cannot be altered after it has burned its propellant and the laws of ballistics govern its course. When gravity is the only force on it, its path is elliptical. More (the forceAn object's increasing speed toward Earth's center, caused by the force of gravity (the force of attraction between two objects). More of attractionAn object's increasing speed toward Earth's center, caused by the force of gravity (the force of attraction between two objects). More between two objects). More on a spacecraft’s surface from the Sun’s electromagnetic radiationHigh-level, short-term radiationHigh-level, short-term radiation exposure, causing more damage to human tissue than the same level spread over a longer time. More exposureHigh-level, short-term radiation exposure, causing more damage to human tissue than the same level spread over a longer time. More, causing more damage to humanHigh-level, short-term radiation exposure, causing more damage to human tissue than the same level spread over a longer time. More tissue than the same level spread over a longer timeThe time between successive passages of the Sun overhead, which is from noon one day to noon the next day. Because Earth’s orbit around the Sun is slightly elliptical, this time varies slightly during a year. More. More. SolarWe use the angle of incidence, θ, to determine how much solar energy hits a solar panel. This angle lies between a line perpendicular to the cell and the Sun line. More pressureThe forceAn object's increasing speed toward Earth's center, caused by the force of gravity (the force of attraction between two objects). More on a […]

The steady streaming of charged particlesParts of an atom with electrical charge. Protons are much larger than electrons, reside in an atom’s nucleus, and carry a positivecharge. Electrons orbitThe oval-shaped path that a spacecraft follows. Orbits come in various shapes and sizes, but each one has a purpose: to let the spacecraft do its job. Higher orbits require more propellant to get a spacecraft there. More around the nucleus and carry a negative charge. More from the Sun. They travel at 300–700 kilometers/second (671,000–1,566,000 mph), in all directions.

Materials that are not naturally occurring, but rather the leftovers or broken pieces of other spacecraft that have accumulated in the space environment around Earth.