Non-ballistic atmospheric entry

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/non-ballistic-atmospheric-entry

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. What is the entry trajectory?Controlled descent profile deviating from a purely gravitational arc
2. What is the aerodynamic control surfaces?Components like wings or flaps used to steer and stabilize
3. Why do spacecraft need non-ballistic entry instead of just falling?It lets them land safely and control where they touch down. It also helps reuse the vehicle and keeps astronauts safe.
4. How does a spacecraft use lift during re-entry?The vehicle's wings or shape make air push up on it, giving lift that helps steer and extend the flight, so the speed drops more slowly.

Hypersonic Aerodynamics: The study of air flow at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound.
Ablative Heat Shield: A protective layer designed to burn away, carrying heat with it.
Angle of Attack: The angle between a reference line on a moving body and the direction of the fluid flow it is moving through.