Challenge Answers

We hope you’ve had fun exploring outer space with Commander Ben aboard the Constellation. If you're ready to see the answers to the questions, check them out below!

Challenge 1: The Moon Answers

What is the name of the first man to walk on the Moon? Neil Armstrong

What is the name of the last man to land on the moon? Gene Cernan
What is the name of the last manned spacecraft to land on the moon and the name of its spacecraft? Apollo 17 carried by Saturn V
What is the name given to the inhabitants of the moon in legends? In French and Spanish, Moon inhabitants are referred to as sélénites and selenitas. In English, Moon residents are often called aliens or lunarians.
What are the number of days for the Moon to orbit the earth? 27 days
What is the name of the space program that plans to return the astronauts to the moon? Artemis

 

Challenge 2: The International Space Station Answers

What was the name of the first and only Canadian to command the international space station? Chris Hadfield

What is the altitude of the ISS? 254 miles
What is its orbital speed? 4.76 miles/second
What is the voltage of the ISS circuits? 160 volts dc
What is the pressure on board? 14.7 psi
How many docking ports are on the ISS? 4

 

Challenge 3: Our Galaxy Answers

What is the name of our galaxy? Milky Way Galaxy

How many stars are there in our galaxy? 250 billion ± 150 billion
What is the diameter of our galaxy? 105,700 light years
What is the closest neighboring galaxy to ours? Traditionally, the Andromeda Galaxy, yet the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy is now considered closer.
Where does the name of our galaxy come from? Both ancient Greeks and Romans named our galaxy because it looked like a milky patch or road in the sky.
What constellation is our benchmark for observing the Milky Way? Sagittarius
 

Challenge 4: The Constellations Answers

The constellations of Cassiopeia and the Giraffe resemble a letter of the alphabet. Tell us which one. W (or M depending on your view)

How many known constellations are there in the world? 88
True or false? We always see the same constellations in the north and in the south, throughout the year. False. Constellations appear in different positions throughout the seasons, disappearing and reappearing, depending on where you live in the world.
What is the easiest constellation in the northern hemisphere to locate in winter? Orion the Hunter
What is the name of the North Star? Polaris

 

Bonus Challenge Answers

What is the name of the comet that can presently (July 2020) be observed with the naked eye? NEOWISE
What direction do you have to look to see it? Northwest
What constellation was it in at the end of July 2020? Coma Berenices
What major constellation is it close to? Virgo

What type of rocket did NASA launch on July 30, 2020?  Atlas V-541
What is its destination and goal? The rocket is headed for Mars to deliver it's rover. According to NASA, the rover is designed to study the rock record to reveal more about the geologic processes that created and modified the Martian crust and surface through time.
What is the name of rover? Perseverance

Where did the first Space Shuttle mission STS-1 land? Rogers Dry Lake, at Edwards Air Force Base. Our mine in Boron, California is only about 20 miles from Edwards Air Force Base! 
What was the name of the Shuttle and its number? Columbia OV-102
How was the shuttle brought back to the Kennedy Space Center? On top of a modified NASA 747
How many of those shuttle carriers did NASA have? 2

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