Friday, March 11, 2022

"Pre-Pi[e]" Day 2022: The Many Ways NASA Needs... Pi[e]!


We will post a more complete "Pi Quiz" on Monday morning, but for the moment -- as we prep for some great cherry pie, coming up over the weekend -- consider just a few of the ways Pi makes. . . space science. . . possible.

Here's the whole rundown -- and a bit:

. . .Talking to Spacecraft

Sending messages to distant spacecraft and receiving them requires a network of massive antennas stationed around the globe so that, as the world turns, we never lose contact. Together, these antennas make up NASA’s Deep Space Network, or DSN. The engineers who communicate with spacecraft through the DSN use pi in the math equations needed to send messages and process those that are sent back.

It’s a pretty important task considering the messages are used to do things like land rovers on Mars and get images from a spacecraft flying closely by Pluto for the first time. . . .


If you want to hand it out (as kids' extra-credit homework!) here is that PDF. [Updated, with a solution set for the above right, right here -- from last year.] Onward, smiling. . . .

नमस्ते

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