Just ask my son. Ive just spent the last 49 minutes watching the following doco on a PC in the back room learning all about rocket science and the various technologies that were used to make the Space Shuttle not only lift off and orbit but deliver payloads and then return safely. I didnt hear much from Richard, as Tom was too busy explaining everything to me. Why there are two sources of fuel (solid and liquid), how do they disperse the energy created on blast off (water vapour), why dont the engines cook (liquid hydrogen fuel cools engines first before being used to fuel the take off), why is the nose a cone and not pointy (to deflect energy away from the wings, what are the tiles made of (silica and bubbles) and on and on.
I heard all about machines I didnt even know existed like vortex canons - cooooool stuff. Technology and sciences taken from the past used today to enable the seemingly impossible, again and again.
Anyway, enough. Im a proud Mum pleased as punch by my son's interest and knowledge in engineering and sciences. I wish all those people who treat him like his stupid because he has Aspergers could come up against his knowledge. He might not have alot of friends and he might be a bit left of centre but in some things he's very smart. I cant wait till next year when he studies (Huh - good luck history teacher) military warfare. This is his specialty. Love to be a fly on the wall in that class.
The Space Shuttle - Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections BBC2 Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qVz1DML83u0
Can i go to bed now Tom?
Thanks for visiting Living In The Land of Oz
Tell Tom that I've actually seen the space shuttle launch - twice! Once when we were living in Clearwater, Florida - there was a nighttime launch. Mind you, the shuttle actually launches from the other side of the state (about a 4-5 hour drive from where we lived). We could actually see the fireball/trail as the shuttle made its way to outerspace (awesome!). We also drove over to watch a launch - there is a park across the lake from where the shuttle launches in Cape Canaveral - we took the kids and they got to listen to mission command go through all of the check list and announce that the shuttle was ready for launch...we watched the shuttle launch and learned about the speed of light vs the speed of sound, since the shuttle was half way to space before we could actually hear the launch ripple across the lake (amazing!). We watched the rocket launchers disengage from the body of the shuttle...it was so so so neat!!!!
ReplyDeleteLucky you guys, Tom has several DVD's on rockets which is why he is so knowledgeable and of course nothing is watched once, more like 20 times at a go. That must have been really something to see and no doubt feel. I believe the vibrations can be felt in your bones from miles away. Nothing like being there. Cheers Mate.
DeleteHow wonderful that he is so enthusiastic about it. It is great to have people like Tom as they make wonderful things happen with their persistence and determined focus, although I am sure it can be trying at time to be on the end of the in depth explanation.
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