Satellite is going to help The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab and NASA scientists answer some of their queries. It has five instruments aboard which will carry out a number of experiments and data retrieval as it orbits the asteroid 433 Eros. The scientists will use this data to determine characteristics of one of our solar system neighbors. A laser altimeter, MOLA , is currently being used to map the topography of the surface of Mars aboard the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft . One will also be used to measure the height of vegetation canopy around the globe on the VCL spacecraft .
Space exploration is one of the most exciting adventures left to man.
Learn one method of exploring our solar system and whet your appetite for further adventures. Outcome 2 - Students will explain how a laser altimeter is used to map the surface features of a planetary body. Outcome 3 - Given a set of data, students will write a paragraph describing the topographical features along a given line of latitude or longitude. They must know how to set the scale for the Y-axis and label both axes correctly. Printout of Ping-Pong Altimeter Lab.