The Challenge of Communication in Space
Sep 26, 2017
By Beth Wilson, Educator and Host of STEM in 30
Imagine that you could not talk to your friends or family for six months. Now, imagine that you are also floating 250 miles above Earth. What are some challenges you might face getting or receiving a message?
Communication is vitally important to astronauts while they are in space. Not only does it allow them to talk to their friends and family back home, it also allows them to communicate with the team of experts on the ground that helps them carry out their mission safely.
Communication in low Earth orbit, where the International Space Station (ISS) orbits, is almost instant. When traveling further into space, communication becomes a bit tricky. The further out you travel in space, the more issues you have with communication. For example, it could take 20 minutes to send or receive a message between Earth and Mars. This time lapse is one of the many challenges engineers face when designing human missions to go to Mars.
You can experience what communication with the ISS is like on September 27 when the STEM in 30 team, along with students from the Washington, DC, metro area, will have a downlink with the International Space Station. We will be talking with NASA astronaut Randy “Komrade” Bresnik live from space at 12:15 pm EST. Join us online or on NASA TV.
In this episode of ISS Science Astronaut Randy Bresnik explains the main ways astronauts communicate with people on Earth. Also learn about how satellites work in a hands-on classroom activity.
Subject: Physical Science | Grade Level: 7-8 |Time: 45 Minutes
Lesson Plan: Using Waves to Communicate
Don't miss our other videos. Be sure to check out ISS Science, and follow along with the hashtag #ISSScience.
Related Topics
You may also like
We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations. With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the world’s most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration.