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KIDSAT GLOSSARY Ascending Node: The point where the shuttle's orbit crosses the equator going north. The longitude of this point is called the Longitude of the Ascending Node. Altitude: The height of the shuttle above the surface of the Earth. Descending Node: The point where the shuttle's orbit crosses the equator going south. The longitude of this point is called the Longitude of the Descending Node. Equator: An imaginary line circling the middle of the Earth at latitude 0 degrees. The equator is the starting point for measuring distances north or south. Footprint: The area on the surface of the Earth that can be captured in a photograph taken by the KidSat camera. GMT: Greenwich Mean Time. Also called UT - Universal Time. The reference point for GMT (and UT) is Greenwich, England. When it is midnight on the Prime Meridian, which passes through Greenwich, the GMT (UT) is 00:00:00. When it is noon on the Prime Meridian it is 12:00:00 GMT (or UT). Gravity: The force with which the Earth pulls everything near it towards its center. Gravity keeps the shuttle in orbit around the Earth. Inclination: The angle that describes the orientation of an orbit. Inclination measures the tilt of the orbital plane with respect to a plane that contains the Earth's equator. The inclination of the shuttle's orbit during KidSat is 51.6 degrees. Internet: A world wide network which allows computers to send information back and forth. JPL: Jet Propulsion Laboratory located in Pasadena, California. JSC: Johnson Space Center located in Houston, Texas. The Mission Control Center at JSC communicates with the space shuttle during a mission. KSC: Kennedy Space Center located in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The shuttle launches and lands at KSC. Latitude: Measures how far north or south a point is from the equator. Latitude lines are imaginary lines which circle the Earth in an East-West direction. Launch: During launch, two solid rocket boosters and an external tank generate enough energy to lift the space shuttle into space. Teachers' Handbook Page 49