Join the Adventure How Far Away Are the Planets?

Right now, the most advanced scientific space fleet ever assembled is out there in our
solar system hammering away at life's biggest - and toughest - questions: Where do we
come from? Where are we going? Are we alone?
"The natural excitement that scientists feel in their continued exploration of the solar
system reaches a crescendo over the next three years," explains Dr. Ellis Miner, a planetary
scientist. "Never before have so many different spacecraft been poised to probe so many
mysteries about so many different solar system bodies over such a short time span."
Clues to these mysteries are scattered among the planets, moons, comets, and asteroids
that make up our solar system. Evidence of the earliest days of the solar system may exist
in rocks on the cratered surfaces of Mercury, Mars, and Earth's moon. Chemical clues to our origins may linger in the icy Our solar system is huge. Distances between the planets span millions and even Think About It:
hearts of comets or in the hazy atmosphere of Saturn's giant moon, Titan. billions of kilometers. Instead of writing out all those zeroes all the time, scientists
Just as the robotic spacecraft of the 1960s pioneered a safe path for astronauts to walk on the Moon, today's developed a special way to measure distances between the planets – the Is this diagram of the solar
advanced robotic explorers are charting a course that will take humanity back to the Moon and beyond. astronomical unit (AU). One AU – 150 million kilometers (93 million miles) – system to scale?
It won't be easy. These exploring machines must endure extreme heat and cold and intense radiation during long represents the average distance from the Sun to the Earth. Mars is 1.5 AU from the
journeys across mind-boggling distances. Even at speeds up to 80,400 kph (50,000 mph), a one-way ride to Pluto Sun. Saturn is 9.5 AU from the Sun. And Pluto is 39.5 AU from the Sun. What changes would you make
takes about nine and a half years. If all goes well - and there are no guarantees in space travel - we will be among the Knowing this, can you figure out the distance from Earth to Mars, then to Saturn to it?
first generations to see Pluto up close. We will have to wait until NASA's New Horizons spacecraft arrives at Pluto in and to Pluto in AU, kilometers, and miles?
2016 for that particular view. Fortunately, there's plenty to do - and to see - in the meantime.

Careers@NASA Learning Through Exploration

Extreme Space Not everyone who works for NASA is an astronaut. Solar System Timeline Activity Searching for Habitable Worlds
Through Thick and Thin David and Ramona work for NASA's Deep Space In the first activity, Strange New Planet, students view Students are asked what makes a planet or moon a
If Earth had giant, beautiful rings like Saturn, Network, NASA's worldwide system of sensitive antennas unusual planets in the classroom using ordinary good place for life. Then the class discusses how the
they would stretch across the night sky in a that control and communicate with interplanetary cardboard tubes. Students properties of worlds in our
thin band almost a third of the way to the Moon. spacecraft. They're enjoying an exciting - and extremely gather new information as solar system relate to what
Even though Saturn's main rings are more than 273,600 busy - couple of years as the 2003-2006 space fleet
they plan and enact flybys, life needs. Students, working
km (170,000 miles across), most are less than 10 sends back information from across the solar system.
orbits, landings, and sample individually or in groups,
kilometers (6 miles) thick.
I'm David, and I'm a member of the returns. The second activity, review a set of habitability
Navigation and Mission Design section Exploring Solar System cards for solar system planets
Swell Comet
at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Missions, allows students to and moons. They rank each
When they are far from the Sun, most comets are
We analyze data used to fly spacecraft symbolically depict the body as likely, possible, or
insignificant specks less than 10 km (6 miles) across. But from Earth to planets, moons, and mission events of 2003-2006. After researching the unlikely habitats for life and explain the reasons for their
when a comet gets close to the Sun, the cloud of gases comets. My job is to help determine missions and placing images of planetary bodies on a large selections. Many of NASA's missions seek to answer the
surrounding it can swell to the size of Jupiter - more than where the Mars Global Surveyor and bulletin board question "Are we alone?" How do the student rankings
10 times the diameter of Earth. Comets also sprout Mars Odyssey spacecraft have been, their current (or wall), students place appropriate symbols by the compare with the planets and moons NASA has selected
beautiful tails that stretch for millions of kilometers away positions and speed, and where they will be in the future. planet where the events will take place (example: a ring = to look for signs of life?
from the Sun. This information is useful to scientists who want to know
orbiter).
where to point their spacecraft instruments (such as
cameras and other sensors). I have a Bachelor of Science Learning Goals:
Strange Days
degree in aeronautics/astronautics from the Students learn the characteristics of planets and
At high noon on Mercury, the sky is filled
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Learning Goals: moons that could make them habitable to life as we
with a Sun almost three times as large as
Students identify solar system objects and depict know it and evaluate our solar system for other possible
the pleasant yellow orb we see from Earth.
My name is Ramona, and I work as a scientific robotic exploration. Students will also create a habitable worlds.
Meanwhile, way out on Pluto high noon would look telecom analyst for several NASA display of solar system bodies and related missions.
more like a moonlit night here on Earth. Sunlight on Pluto missions. My job involves monitoring the National Science Education Standards:
is about 1,000 times dimmer than what we see on Earth. health and status of the spacecraft National Science Education Standards: Characteristics of Organisms
telecommunications subsystem and Earth in the Solar System Populations and Ecosystems
Hard Life ensuring that the spacecraft can
Objects in the Sky Matter, Energy, and Organization in Living Systems
Our solar system may seem like a pretty harsh place for communicate with the Deep Space
Network at all times, even in an emergency. The part of
Science Teaching Standards - Development of
humans to survive, but that doesn’t mean there is no life
my job I enjoy most is seeing data appearing on my Environments that Enable Science Learning
out there. Scientists here on Earth have found extreme
computer screen, knowing that it is being broadcast by a Get this lesson and others related to current missions at:
organisms that live in boiling water and in the frozen soil
spacecraft on its way to Mars, Jupiter, Saturn or even near http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/educ/extreme.cfm
of Antarctica. Could similar super tough organisms live on
the edge of the solar system. Some of that data is Get this lesson and others related to current missions at:
other worlds? processed to produce pictures of scientific importance. I
have bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical More Teacher Resources
Speed Brakes engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of
To survive a landing on Mars, a spacecraft must Technology. For more information, lesson plans and education products, visit:
shave three zeroes off its speed in only six NASA's Solar System Exploration educator resources: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/education
For more information on student programs and NASA's Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE): http://core.nasa.gov
minutes - from about 19,000 kph (12,000 mph) in
opportunities to work with NASA, visit: � NASA CORE toll-free order line: (866) 776-CORE
space to less than 19 kph (12 mph) at the surface.
http://www.nasa.gov/about/career/index.html
NASA's Education Program homepage: http://education.nasa.gov EP-2004-03-024-JPL