NRG
The Importance of My Job

Congratulations, you have been chosen as the NRG (Energy) officer for this important mission. As the NRG officer, you will be analyzing data pertaining to the power onboard the Marius. You will be conducting vital calculations to help the Navigation (NAV) team safely guide the Spacecraft and its crew on this mission. You will also be working with the HAZ team in case of an emergency that could result in a danger to the crew.

Your objectives for this mission are:

  • Calculate thrust plans for the Marius,
  • Make sure the Marius is receiving solar power, and
  • Help the NAV team guide the Marius back to the Jupiter Gateway

You will need to follow every step in these TASK CARDS, without skipping a single step. Contact the Flight Director via chat if you have any questions. Do not begin the first step until told to do so by the Mission Commander.

If you need assistance at any point during the mission, send a message to “Help Desk” in the call software CHAT. They are there to answer your questions and provide help for the duration of the mission.

PROPULSION RESEARCH

Follow these directions for researching NUCLEAR THERMAL ELECTRIC PROPULSION and THRUST.

1. You will be working with the NAV team to determine accurate thrust levels, duration levels, and rocket fuel for the Spacecraft. Read more about the nuclear thermal electric rocket below.

NUCLEAR THERMAL ELECTRIC PROPULSION

The Europa Explorer has a nuclear thermal electric rocket powered by heating up liquid hydrogen. The rocket helps speed up transportation time in space, reducing radiation exposure for the crew. The hydrogen propellant even provides an extra radiation shield for the crew.

2. In order to assist the NAV team, you need to understand how thrust affects the spacecraft. Read more about thrust below.

THRUST

Thrust is the force which moves a spacecraft.

Thrust is generated by the propulsion system of a spacecraft through the application of Newton’s third law of motion; for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When a rocket is fired, exhaust gases are pushed out the back of the spacecraft and it is thrust forward. To speed up, the engines are fired so that thrust is created in the direction of travel. To slow down, the spacecraft is turned around so the the thrust is opposite the direction of travel.

Thrust is measured in Newtons.

3. Answer the PROPULSION RESEARCH QUESTIONS below. Click “Submit” when you finish answering the questions.

    PROPULSION RESEARCH QUESTIONS

    OPEN RESEARCH QUESTION

    EUROPA ORBIT INSERTION

    Follow these directions to determine the appropriate plan to insert the spacecraft in Europa’s orbit.

    1. Read the information on Spacecraft travel by clicking on the box labeled EUROPA APPROACH.

      EUROPA APPROACH

      Once the Marius nears Europa the spacecraft will need to maneuver into an orbit around the moon. Currently, the Marius is traveling at 50,000 km/hr. We will need to allow the gravity of Europa to pull us into their orbit. For this to happen, the spacecraft needs to be moving at 3,500 km/hr allowing Europa’s gravity to dominate and for the Marius to enter Europa’s orbit. 

      2. Open the ORBIT INSERTION DATA LOG below and determine the direction and thrust needed to enter Europa’s orbit. 

       

      ORBIT INSERTION DATA LOG

      OPEN DATA LOG

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      EUROPA ORBIT INSERTION

      3. Once this is completed, locate the CHAT in your call software.

      4. Select “NAV” from the drop-down menu.

      5. Type the following message: 

      This is the NRG team. The plan we have chosen to insert the Spacecraft into Europa’s orbit is Plan ___.

      6. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER.

      7. Click “Submit” in the ORBIT INSERTION DATA LOG after sending the messages.

      PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

      1. Locate the CHAT in your call software.

      2. Select “Flight Director” from the drop-down menu.

      3. Type the following message: 

      This is the NRG team. I have completed my primary objective.

      4. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER.

      SOLAR ARRAY RESEARCH

      Follow these directions for researching the SOLAR ARRAY.

      1. You will be receiving ammeter readings for the solar panels onboard the Spacecraft. Read more about the solar array and the importance of ammeter readings below.

      SOLAR ARRAY

      The solar array contains solar cells that recharge the Spacecraft batteries when they are facing the Sun. Your team is responsible for determining the relationship between the solar array angle and the Sun in the event of an emergency. During an emergency, the solar array must be angled so that maximum energy can be received by the Spacecraft.

       

      2. Answer the SOLAR ARRAY RESEARCH QUESTIONS below. Click “Submit” when you finish answering the questions.

      SOLAR ARRAY RESEARCH QUESTIONS

      OPEN RESEARCH QUESTIONS

      SOLAR ARRAY

      Follow these directions for analyzing the SOLAR ARRAY.

      1. Locate the CHAT in your call software.

      2. Select “COM” from the drop-down menu.

      3. Type the following message:

      This is the NRG team. Please check the ammeter reading at 0 degrees.

      4. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the COM officer can read it and deliver it to the Mission Commander.

      5. Once the Mission Commander has given you the ammeter reading at 0 degrees, type in the data in the SOLAR ARRAY TESTING DATA LOG below. Make sure to click “Submit” after answering the questions.

      SOLAR ARRAY TESTING DATA LOG

      OPEN DATA LOG

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      6. Once this is completed, move on to 30 degrees. Locate the CHAT in your call software.

      7. Select “COM” from the drop-down menu.

      8. Type the following message:

      This is the NRG team. Please check the ammeter reading at 30 degrees.

      9. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the COM officer can read it and deliver it to the Mission Commander.

      10. Once the Mission Commander has given you the ammeter reading at 30 degrees, type in the data in the SOLAR ARRAY TESTING DATA LOG below. Make sure to click “Submit” after answering the questions.

      SOLAR ARRAY TESTING DATA LOG

      OPEN DATA LOG

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      11. Once this is completed, move on to 60 degrees. Locate the CHAT in your call software.

      12. Select “COM” from the drop-down menu.

      13. Type the following message:

      This is the NRG team. Please check the ammeter reading at 60 degrees.

      14. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the COM officer can read it and deliver it to the Mission Commander.

      15. Once the Mission Commander has given you the ammeter reading at 60 degrees, type in the data in the SOLAR ARRAY TESTING DATA LOG below. Make sure to click “Submit” after answering the questions.

      SOLAR ARRAY TESTING DATA LOG

      OPEN DATA LOG

      Notepad

      SOLAR ARRAY ANALYSIS

      1. Based on the data collected by the Mission Commander from the solar array, you will need to make a decision on the best orientation of the solar panels. 

      2. Answer the question in the SOLAR ARRAY ANALYSIS DATA LOG below.

      SOLAR ARRAY ANALYSIS DATA LOG

      OPEN DATA LOG

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      SPACECRAFT RETURN TO JUPITER GATEWAY

      Follow these directions to help the NAV team guide the Spacecraft back to the Jupiter Gateway.

      1. The Spacecraft is now traveling at 7,293 km/hr. The Spacecraft needs to travel at 50,000 km/hr to return to the Jupiter Gateway and be outside the radiation belts.

      2. Open the EUROPA RETURN TO GATEWAY DATA LOG and determine the direction and thrust needed to return to the Jupiter Gateway.

       

      EUROPA RETURN TO GATEWAY DATA LOG

      OPEN DATA LOG

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      SPACECRAFT RETURN TO JUPITER GATEWAY

      3. Once this is completed, locate the CHAT in your call software.

      4. Select “NAV” from the drop-down menu.

      5. Type the following message: 

      This is the NRG team. The plan we have chosen to return the Spacecraft to the Jupiter Gateway is Plan ___.

      6. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER.

      7. Click “Submit” in the EUROPA RETURN TO GATEWAY DATA LOG after sending the messages.

      8. Once this is completed, locate the CHAT in your call software.

      9. Select “Flight Director” from the drop-down menu.

      10. Type the following message:

      This is the NRG team. I have completed all my tasks.

      11. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER.

      12. Wait quietly for any further instructions.

      EMERGENCY 

      Follow these instructions to begin:

      1. If the Mission Commander announces that power on board the Marius is limited, you will refer back to your SOLAR ARRAY TESTING DATA LOG and SOLAR ARRAY ANALYSIS DATA LOG to determine the angle that will allow for the most power on the Marius.

      2. Locate the MICROPHONE button on your call software.

      3. The MICROPHONE button will have two states: on and off. To test that it works, say the entirety of the following message to Mission Commander:

      This is NRG to Spacecraft, Do you read me, over?

      4. Wait for a response from the Mission Commander. If there is no response, press or click the MICROPHONE button to ensure you are not muted, and then repeat the message. If you get a response from the Mission Commander, that means the communication system is working, and you may continue to the next step.

      5. Read to the Mission Commander these instructions to solve the emergency. Be sure to fill in the blanks in the message, giving the Mission Commander the best solar array angle (in degrees) to maximize power availability onboard the Spacecraft.

      This is NRG. The solar array needs to be immediately realigned to ___ degrees.

      6. When the Mission Commander has realigned the solar array according to your directions, return to your task cards to complete your objectives.