Deep Impact (spacecraft)

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/deep-impact-spacecraft

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How heavy is Deep Impact (spacecraft)?Approximately 370 kg (816 lbs)
2. What is the spacecraft type?NASA space probe
3. What is the launch vehicle?Delta II 7925
4. What was the Deep Impact mission?It was a NASA space probe that intentionally crashed into a comet to study the inside of the comet.
5. Why did Deep Impact crash into Comet Tempel 1?It was done to scoop up fresh dust and gas from inside the comet, which we can't see from far away.

Cometary Nucleus Composition: The mix of ice, dust, and rock that forms the solid core of a comet.
Kinetic Impactor: A projectile designed to strike a target at high speed to cause disruption or excavation.
Solar Nebula: The cloud of gas and dust from which the Sun and planets formed.
Volatiles: Substances that easily turn into gas at relatively low temperatures, such as water ice and carbon dioxide.