Study guides · Stuff Every Space Scout Should Know
Practice facts for the Space Exploration merit badge. Not an official Scouting America credential. Grab a snack: this guide is the friendly version, with the answers explained and a groan-worthy joke waiting at the end of most cards.
Knowing Space Scout saves you money, time and the occasional embarrassment.
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Short answer: Mercury and Venus
Mercury and Venus orbit inside Earth's orbit, so we see them go through phases similar to the Moon's.
Groan of the day: Venus has phases that are out of this world!
Sources: Scouting America: Astronomy
Short answer: They orbit outside Earth and appear mostly full
Planets beyond Earth's orbit are seen mostly fully lit, so they do not show the same phase cycle as the Moon.
Groan of the day: Outer planets are full of themselves, literally!
Sources: Scouting America: Astronomy
Short answer: An apparent backward drift across the sky
Retrograde motion is the apparent backward motion of a planet against the stars, caused by Earth and the planet moving at different speeds.
Groan of the day: Planets sometimes take a step back to moonwalk!
Sources: Scouting America: Astronomy
Short answer: Changing angles of sunlight as it orbits Earth
As the Moon orbits Earth, we see different amounts of its sunlit side, creating the phases we observe.
Groan of the day: The Moon is just going through a phase!
Sources: Scouting America: Astronomy
Short answer: Earth's shadow falls on the Moon
During a lunar eclipse, Earth passes between the Sun and Moon, and Earth's shadow covers the Moon.
Groan of the day: A lunar eclipse is a shadowy show!
Sources: Scouting America: Astronomy
Short answer: The Moon blocks the Sun from Earth's view
In a solar eclipse, the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, blocking sunlight from reaching part of Earth.
Groan of the day: The Moon plays hide and seek with the Sun!
Sources: Scouting America: Astronomy
Short answer: Cooler, darker patches on the Sun's surface
Sunspots are cooler, darker regions on the Sun's surface linked to magnetic activity and the sunspot cycle.
Groan of the day: Sunspots are the Sun's freckles!
Sources: Scouting America: Astronomy
Short answer: Hydrogen and helium
The Sun is a star composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, which fuel its nuclear fusion.
Groan of the day: The Sun is a gas, and that is no hot air!
Sources: Scouting America: Astronomy
Short answer: Its radiation and activity can influence both
Solar radiation and activity can affect Earth's weather and can disturb radio communications and satellites.
Groan of the day: The Sun is a real influencer on Earth!
Sources: Scouting America: Astronomy
Short answer: They observe wavelengths blocked by the atmosphere
Space telescopes can detect light such as infrared or ultraviolet that Earth's atmosphere blocks or blurs.
Groan of the day: Space telescopes are above it all!
Sources: Astronomy
Short answer: Cool objects and dust-hidden stars
Infrared light reveals cool objects and can pass through dust, showing young stars and galaxy cores.
Groan of the day: Infrared sees through dust like a cosmic window cleaner!
Sources: Astronomy
Short answer: To accelerate hot gas to high speed
The nozzle lets hot gas expand and speed up, and the escaping gas pushes the rocket the other way.
Groan of the day: The nozzle really knows how to go with the flow.
Sources: Rocket engine
Short answer: It carries its own oxidizer
Space has no air to supply oxygen, so rockets bring oxidizer along to burn their fuel.
Groan of the day: No air? No problem, it brought its own supply.
Sources: Rocket engine
Short answer: Newton's third law
The third law says every action has an equal and opposite reaction, so gas pushed back pushes the rocket forward.
Groan of the day: For every push there is a push-back, that is the law of the land.
Sources: Newton's laws of motion
Short answer: It keeps moving in a straight line
Without a net force, motion stays constant in speed and direction. This is called inertia.
Groan of the day: Inertia is a real stay-put kind of attitude.
Sources: Newton's laws of motion
Short answer: Mass times acceleration
The net force on a body equals its mass times its acceleration, so more force means more acceleration.
Groan of the day: Force and acceleration are a real power couple.
Sources: Newton's laws of motion
Short answer: Sputnik 1
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 in 1957, and its radio beeps were heard around the world.
Groan of the day: Sputnik really made a beep impression on the world.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin flew aboard Vostok 1 in 1961, completing one orbit around Earth.
Groan of the day: Gagarin was truly out of this world.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Apollo 11
Apollo 11 landed on the Moon on 20 July 1969, the first crewed lunar landing.
Groan of the day: Apollo 11 really landed the big one.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: The first space station
The Soviet Union launched Salyut 1 in 1971, the first space station of any kind.
Groan of the day: Salyut 1 was a real home away from home.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: A crewed orbital laboratory
The ISS is a crewed station in low Earth orbit, built through international cooperation.
Groan of the day: The ISS is a real team effort in orbit.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2
The Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2 was the first space telescope, launched in 1968.
Groan of the day: That telescope had an eye for the sky.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: It set a milestone for space telescopes
Hubble's 1990 launch was a milestone, and it has made many discoveries from above the atmosphere.
Groan of the day: Hubble really brought the universe into focus.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: It falls around Earth continuously
A satellite stays in orbit by falling toward Earth while moving sideways fast enough to keep missing it.
Groan of the day: Orbit is just falling with style.
Sources: Newton's laws of motion
Short answer: Gravity
Gravity provides the centripetal force that keeps the Moon moving in its orbit around Earth.
Groan of the day: Gravity really holds the Moon in its orbit.
Sources: Newton's laws of motion
Short answer: It brings the rocket down safely
A recovery system like a parachute slows the rocket's return so it can be recovered safely.
Groan of the day: The recovery system really has the rocket's back.
Sources: Scouting America: Space Exploration
Short answer: It holds the engine in place
The engine mount secures the rocket engine inside the body tube.
Groan of the day: The engine mount is a real seat belt for the engine.
Sources: Scouting America: Space Exploration
Short answer: To force propellant into the chamber
Turbopumps push propellant into the combustion chamber at high pressure so it can burn efficiently.
Groan of the day: Turbopumps really pump up the pressure.
Sources: Rocket engine
Short answer: Rocket engine efficiency
Specific impulse measures how much impulse an engine gets per unit of propellant, so higher is more efficient.
Groan of the day: Specific impulse is the efficiency report card.
Sources: Rocket engine
Short answer: Accelerating exhaust to supersonic speed
The de Laval nozzle narrows at the throat and widens, speeding exhaust gas to supersonic speed.
Groan of the day: The de Laval nozzle really knows how to expand its horizons.
Sources: Rocket engine
Short answer: Change the direction of thrust
Thrust vectoring aims the engine's thrust so the rocket can steer during flight.
Groan of the day: Thrust vectoring keeps the rocket pointed the right way.
Sources: Rocket engine
Short answer: The first liquid-fueled rocket launch
Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket in 1926 and pioneered many engine features.
Groan of the day: Goddard really got the liquid fuel flowing.
Sources: Rocket engine
Short answer: A German V-2 rocket test
A German V-2 test launch in 1944 reached above the Karman line, becoming the first human-made object in space.
Groan of the day: That V-2 really went over the top.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Luna 2
Luna 2 reached the Moon in 1959, the first artificial object to reach another celestial body.
Groan of the day: Luna 2 made a real impact on the Moon.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: First soft landing on the Moon
Luna 9 made the first soft landing on another celestial body, the Moon, in 1966.
Groan of the day: Luna 9 really stuck the landing.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: First flyby of Venus to return data
Mariner 2 flew past Venus and returned data, the first successful interplanetary flyby.
Groan of the day: Mariner 2 really made a flying visit to Venus.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: First successful landing on Venus
Venera 7 was the first successful lander to reach the surface of Venus and return data.
Groan of the day: Venera 7 really landed the hot job.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Entered interstellar space
Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to leave the Solar System into interstellar space.
Groan of the day: Voyager 1 really went the extra light-year.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Flew past Pluto
New Horizons made its closest approach to Pluto on 14 July 2015, giving us our first close look.
Groan of the day: New Horizons really put Pluto on the map.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Returned samples from an asteroid
Hayabusa collected samples from asteroid Itokawa and returned them to Earth in 2010.
Groan of the day: Hayabusa really brought home the asteroid bacon.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Land humans on the Moon again
Artemis aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon, especially near the lunar south pole.
Groan of the day: Artemis is shooting for the Moon, literally.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: New products and technologies
Space programs have produced spin-off technologies and products that benefit life on Earth.
Groan of the day: Space spin-offs really bring benefits back down to Earth.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: To share costs and knowledge
International cooperation lets countries share costs, expertise, and results, as with the ISS.
Groan of the day: Cooperation in space is a real joint venture.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Radiation exposure
Radiation is an invisible hazard in space, and shielding, alerts, and dosimetry help protect crews.
Groan of the day: Radiation is a hazard you cannot see coming.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Exercise on treadmills
On-board treadmills help prevent muscle loss and reduce the risk of premature osteoporosis in weightlessness.
Groan of the day: Treadmills in space really keep astronauts on their toes.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: A rocket launch
A spaceflight begins with a rocket launch that provides thrust to overcome gravity.
Groan of the day: Every spaceflight starts with a real blast.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Television and internet signals
Communication satellites support services like satellite television, internet, and radio.
Groan of the day: Communication satellites really get the message across.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: Life in the universe
Astrobiology studies the origin, distribution, and evolution of life in the universe.
Groan of the day: Astrobiology is life science with a cosmic twist.
Sources: Space exploration
Short answer: To keep people and property safe
Safety guidelines help prevent accidents, so launches should be supervised by a qualified person.
Groan of the day: Safety first keeps the launch from going up in smoke.
Sources: Scouting America: Space Exploration
Short answer: Accomplishing a specific objective
A second launch lets you try to meet a specific goal, like testing a change.
Groan of the day: A second launch gives you a second shot at success.
Sources: Scouting America: Space Exploration
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Think of your answer first, then peek.
Mercury and Venus. Mercury and Venus orbit inside Earth's orbit, so we see them go through phases similar to the Moon's.
Cool objects and dust-hidden stars. Infrared light reveals cool objects and can pass through dust, showing young stars and galaxy cores.
A crewed orbital laboratory. The ISS is a crewed station in low Earth orbit, built through international cooperation.
Change the direction of thrust. Thrust vectoring aims the engine's thrust so the rocket can steer during flight.
Land humans on the Moon again. Artemis aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon, especially near the lunar south pole.
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