NASA survival test answers

Matt Shade

Matt Shade

Joined
Nov 24, 1999
Messages
4,981
Here's what NASA said. I don't have the sheet that gave all of their reasoning but will tell you what I remember if you have any questions. Remember this is in space on teh lighted side of the moon where the sun will be very strong because there is not atmosphere to protect them from its rays.

1. 2-100 pound tanks of Oxygen.

2. 5 gallons of water

3. Stellar map of moons constellation ( have to know where your going)

4. Food concentrate

5. Solar powered FM reciever transmitter

6. 50 FT of nylon rope (tie group tegether, carry/drag injured etc.)

7. First aid kit with injection needles

8. parachute silk (protection from the sun)

9. Self inflating life raft ( Co2 bottle, used as propulsion device, raft can be used to carry things)

10.Signal flares

11. 2-.45 caliber pistols

12. Case of dehydrated milk ( just another form of food concentrate)

13. Solar powered portable heatin unit ( almost worhtless, not needed on lighted side of moon, already to hot. Doesn't work on dark side of moon)

14. Magnetic compass( magnetic filed on the moon is totally different, compass will not function)

15. Box of matches ( won't work)

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I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer... but I've got the sharpest knife in the room.
 
The only thing I really disagree with Matt, is the Stellar Map.
I think the version of the test you used was probably flawed.
A stellar map is useless for ground navigation. All it shows you is a 2 dimensional representation of the stars as they appear in relation to each other. (In this instance supposedly from the perspective of standing on the moon. The difference in appearance from that perspective and from Mt. Palomar Observatory is negligable. It's as useless as the heater.

I suppose it's possible to make a flare that burns in a vaccume. I'll buy that.
I still would say no to the injection kit unless it was PROVEN to me that it didn't affect integrity of the suit.

I'm surprised they rank carrying the pistols that high. Do you have any idea what the reasoning was for that?


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Tráceme no sin la razón, envoltura mi no sin honor
 
Ken,

My guess is that if they assume the flares will work in a vacuum (sealed cartridges), then the ammo will as well (sealed rounds). I doubt that the cartridges/rounds, even if they were sealed, contained enough oxygen to get a full ignition, but as long as the propellant burned enough to push the bullet out of the barrel, you'd get an equal and opposite reaction. The recoil would push you backwards and act like a propellant. Hell of a way to travel, but I suppose it would beat walking 200 miles in a space suit while dragging a bunch of equipment behind you.


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Danny
aka "kuma575"
 
One of my daughters brought this test home from school a couple of weeks back.What memories it brought back I first took this test 20 some years ago when I was in college.
 
You guys seem awfully clueless about amunition and explosives. THEY ALL CONTAIN THEIR OWN OXIDIZER AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY ARE SEALED (UNLESS YOU ARE UNDER WATER). How much oxygen do you suppose seeps into a rifle cartridge after ignition. This includes flares. At their high rate of combustion to achieve maximum brightness virtually all pyrotechnics include oxidizers.
 
Hi Jeff.
As a matter of fact, I'm pretty clued in on ammunition, having been a full time custom reloader for several years. Anything from the 11mm Vitterelli to the goofiest wildcat you would ever care to dream up. (No longer do it commercially don't call me)
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I don't know anything about the composition of flares though. My only interest is in projectiles designed to hit something besides air.
Whether they contain their own oxidizers or not, I have to believe that the illumination and signaling properties of any flare would be very seriously downgraded in a vaccume.

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Tráceme no sin la razón, envoltura mi no sin honor
 
Why would you take the two guns? And why two?
I can buy the concept of using them as "thrusters". But why else? I'd like to hear som good answers to that.

Daniel
 
heh heh. I remember taking this test in the 6th grade. I forgot the precise order, but I remember the real shocker was the raft and the guns. Apparently you were supposed to sit in the raft and shoot the guns behind you, taking advantage of the low gravity to get back to your ship.
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No, I don't think so. LOL
Even at 1/8th normal gravity, I'd still weigh 30.625 pounds, (not counting suit and gear) and the .45 isn't going to budge that much weight.


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Tráceme no sin la razón, envoltura mi no sin honor
 
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