Exploration through Navigation
Charting a Course to the Moon
Preliminary Design by:

Ms. Muniz Fifth Grade
Savannah Heights Intermediate
Somerset, TX

Navigation plan: Earth to Moon

Team name: Galactics

Spacecraft name: NSNC (navigation systems navigated by computers)

Launch time and date: 12:00 pm May 5th

Duration of journey: about 5 days

Expected impact date: May 10

Description of route and orbital paths:  We’re using two different orbital paths: The lower orbital path around the Earth and the transfer path to get into the moon’s orbit. First, we will catch onto the Earth’s lower orbit and the force of this orbit will guide us to the end of this orbit but we might have to orbit the Earth once or twice before firing the thrusters. Once we get out of the Earth’s orbit, we will use the transfer orbit to get into the moon’s orbit. Once we travel one day, we will find a star that we see and mark our destination from where we left from Earth to figure out where we are exactly in space. After we find out where we are, we will continue our journey and catch onto the moon’s low orbit. We will land on the moon’s North Pole crater at a determined angle.

Navigation Instruments:  We will be using the following instruments:

• Computers
• Radar
• Site stars
• Satellites

Methods of Guidance, Navigation, Control, and Tracking: We are only using one method to know where we are in space. We will be using the sight star method that Apollo 11 used during their journey. We will be keeping control of the space craft by using the computers found in our orbiter. We will keep track of the space craft and other celestial objects that come near the space craft by using a radar.