• Question: Do you think children building lego model spacecrafts would make them more interested in the solar system and satellites?

    Asked by Akela to Helen on 12 Mar 2018.
    • Photo: Helen O'Brien

      Helen O'Brien answered on 12 Mar 2018:


      HI Akela,
      Space Satellite have to employ lot so clever structures to be able to make scientific measurements in space, but also to be compact enough to launch. Solar Panels, antennae for communications back to Earth, and booms to separate sensitive instrument from the interference of the main satellite body are all deployable structures used on the Solar Orbiter spacecraft I work on. I think seeing a lego model of these parts, will bring the intricacy and ingenuity of spacecraft design to life. Engineering is all about working out how to solve these problems (how to fit so much equipment into a small space for launch), and that is what makes it fun.
      Thanks for the question,
      Helen

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