''Why NASA Uses Gold On Its Spacecraft''
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA /ˈnæsə/) is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower established NASA in 1958[10] with a distinctly civilian (rather than military) orientation encouraging peaceful applications in space science. The National Aeronautics and Space Act was passed on July 29, 1958, disestablishing NASA's predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The new agency became operational on October 1, 1958.
With all of the discussion about how tough it's far to get funding for missions into outer space, this could sound crazy: NASA covers lots of its spacecraft in real gold. Dig a bit deeper, however, and you will realize it is no longer so loony in the end.
Space swagger(Bling)
one among the most important threats to the delicate electronics on a spacecraft is radiation. and not using a environment to guard them from that radiation, electronics get a right away hit, shifting warmth and risking severe harm. Gold may be very, superb at reflecting radiation. It reverberate as tons of infrared and UV radiation as copper, aluminum, and silver, however it does them one higher by way of absorbing a massive amount of visible light. this indicates it may not blind astronauts with massive reflections. And absolutely everyone who is owned jewelry is aware of that silver and copper tarnish without difficulty. Gold stays vibrant, which means that less care each for jewelry wearers and for NASA engineers.
Now Not All That Glitters
in step with NOAA, however, no longer the whole thing that seems like gold on space items is really gold. Multi-layer insulation (MLI) seems like foil with a yellowish-gold metal hue, however is really crafted from layers of polyimide or polyester lined with thin layers of aluminum. The silver facet faces in, at the same time as the yellow polyimide faces out, giving satellites and other items their bling-tastic look. Hush, even the ones satellites may have gold components, for the reason that gold is simply so darn desirable at defensive things inside the vacuum of space.
Some Important Facts About Gold
1:Gold is the only metal that is yellow or "golden". Other metals may develop a yellowish color, but only after they have oxidized or reacted with other chemicals.2:Nearly all of the gold on Earth came from meteorites that bombarded the planet over 200 million years after it formed.
3:The element symbol for gold is Au. The symbol comes from the old Latin name for gold, aurum, which means "shining dawn" or "glow of sunrise".
4:The word "gold" comes from the Germanic languages, originating from the Proto-Germanic gulþ and Proto-Indo-European ghel, meaning "yellow/green". The pure element has been known since ancient times.
5:Gold is extremely ductile. A single ounce of gold (about 28 grams) can be stretched into a gold thread 5 miles (8 kilometers) long. Gold threads can even be used as embroidery thread.
6:Malleability is a measure of how easily a material can be hammered into thin sheets. Gold is the most malleable element. A single ounce of gold can be beaten out into a sheet that is 300 square feet. A sheet of gold can be made thin enough to be transparent. Very thin sheets of gold may appear greenish blue because gold strongly reflects red and yellow.
7:Although gold is a heavy, dense metal, it is generally considered non-toxic. Gold metal flakes may be eaten in foods or drinks.
8:24 karat gold is pure elemental gold. 18 karat gold is 75% pure gold. 14 karat gold is 58.5% pure gold, and 10 karat gold is 41.7% pure gold. The remaining portion of the metal usually is silver, but may consist of other metals or a combination of metals, such as platinum, copper, palladium, zinc, nickel, iron, and cadmium.
9:Gold is a noble metal. It is relatively unreactive and resists degradation by air, moisture, or acidic conditions. While acids dissolve most metals, a special mixture of acids called aqua regia is used to dissolve gold.
10:Gold has many uses, aside from its monetary and symbolic value. Among other applications, it is used in electronics, electrical wiring, dentistry, electronics, medicine, radiation shielding, and to color glass.
High purity metallic gold is odorless and tasteless. This makes sense since the metal is unreactive. Metal ions are what confers flavor and odor to metallic elements and compounds.
''Our Favorite Videos About Gold And Space''
What's With the Gold Foil on the Gemini Spacecraft?Chemistry of the World Cup Trophy - Periodic Table of Videos.
Rutherford Gold Foil Experiment - Backstage Science
Tops Facts About Gold You May Don't Know
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