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Understanding the Orbit of the ISS
- NASA: Space Station Orbit Tutorial
- ESA: Speed and Altitude of the ISS Interactive - The dependence between height above ground and orbital velocity for ISS. Then a simple interactivity makes it possible to change height above ground and observe changes in velocity and orbital period.
- Windows on Earth – Orbital Projections Applet
- Ed Lu, astronaut explaining Earth observations and a sample orbit (part 1).
- Ed Lu, astronaut explaining Earth observations and a sample orbit (part 2).
Orbital Mechanics
- NASA: Orbital Elements
- NASA: Describing an Orbit
- NOAA: Satellites and Orbits - An easy-to-use interactive, animated introduction to satellites and the forces that determine orbits. Highlights a short satellite history, non-mathematical review of basic orbital physics, orbital terminology and orbit types with a focus on Earth observation and environmental monitoring. Includes: reading assignment, classroom demonstration, student activity lab, quiz and lesson instructions. Grades 8 through 10.
- Orbital Mechanics 101 –NASA Aerospace Scholars curriculum that allows students to explore the orbit of the ISS and space shuttle. Grades 11 through 12.
- Orbital Mechanics - Grades 11 through 12.
Latitude and Longitude/Maps
- Understanding Maps of Earth (pdf)
Students gain basic map skills, becoming familiar with the continents, bodies of water, hemispheres, latitude and longitude, globes, and flat maps of Earth. - Important Facts About Latitude and Longitude (pdf)
Students learn the concepts of latitude and longitude. - EarthKAM Map Skills
The activities above and others as downloadable PDF documents
ISS Orbital Track Activities
- Tennis Ball Globe Activity from NASA (pdf)
Students create a tennis ball globe, to see how a sphere like Earth can be represented in one type of flat map. - The Mathematics of Space-Rendezvous – Another activity that helps to show why a sine curve orbital plot is created when an orbit is portrayed on a flat map.
Where is the ISS?
- NASA Spaceflight Tracker
The orbital tracking page shows the location of the ISS in real-time (via a Java applet). In the same section you can also find out sighting times for your location (by city). - Windows on Earth - Windows on Earth is a rich, realistic digital simulation that lets you explore Earth from the window of the International Space Station—as if you were an astronaut.
ISS Sightings
- Heavens Above - A resource for all satellite observing and data, including sighting times for the ISS.
- NASA Spaceflight Tracker
The orbital tracking page shows the location of the ISS in real-time (via a Java applet). In the same section you can also find out sighting times for your location (by city).
