Nexus of Art & Science
Term Paper Outline
Title: Disney’s “Man in Space”
I.
Introduction
a.
Briefly describe the Disneyland TV show episode “Man in Space” (1955)
b.
Give background info on rocket technology up to
the 1950s
i.
Introduction of rockets in ancient China
ii.
Popularization of rockets in the US by Goddard
in the 1930s
iii.
Development of the V2 rocket during WWII
II.
Physics in “Man in Space” episode
a.
Briefly describe the episode
b.
Describe physics principles presented in the
episode
i.
Action / Reaction Principle. The narrator
explains how rocket propulsion works in terms of the Action / Reaction Principle.
ii.
Centrifugal force. The narrator explains how an
orbit is maintained when the downward pull of gravity is balanced by the
outward pull of the centrifugal force. The episode also describes how
astronauts are trained to withstand extreme acceleration, such as during
lift-off, by being spun in a human centrifuge.
iii.
Weightlessness. Weightless conditions are
presented as one of the major physiological and psychological challenges for
astronauts. The human mind is disoriented when the body is in a constant state
of free fall.
III.
Political and Social aspects of the Space Race
a.
Describe the status of the Cold War in 1955
b.
Mention important world events related to the
Space Race
i.
Soviet space program. In 1957 the USSR launched Sputnik,
the first artificial satellite, and in 1961 the Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin
was the first human in space.
ii.
US space program. After initially being behind
in the Space Race the US accelerated their program. In a speech to Congress in
1961 President Kennedy said, “this nation should commit itself to achieving the
goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him
safely to the Earth.” The Apollo 11 mission completed this goal in 1969.
IV.
Conclusion
a.
Compare the predictions made in the episode with
the actual events
b.
Discuss the impact of the space program on
science, technology, and society
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