If You Get 29/35 on This Quiz, You Could Fake Your Way as a Rocket Scientist

Spacecraft propulsion has to do with thrusting the spacecraft forward. There are numerous methods and reasons for doing this, such as using the engine to push the spacecraft out of the Earth's atmosphere.

The orbital period is how long it takes for an object to complete a full orbit. This is important for a astronautics engineer to know so that they can do their calculations properly.

This is true. Pitch refers to the way that the rocket turns upon its center of gravity. This commonly takes place as it enters its orbit.

If the path of the orbit changes, the equation used to calculate it also changes. These equations are used to project the future path of the object or ship.

Propellants are a type of chemical that launches and thrusts spacecraft into space. Propellants can vary in type from solid to liquid. The propellants create a chemical reaction within that push es the rocket and gives it power.

Astrodynamics is the study of how objects move throughout space. It takes into account gravity and atmospheric pulls that can affect trajectories and movement. Understanding how things move throughout space allow astronautics engineers to know how they can manipulate objects and ships.

The letter "v" is used to represent velocity when referencing propulsion. According to NASA, this is part of the general thrust equation in which you must know the velocity, density and area.

We've done a lot of landing in the short time that we've been traveling to space! Although, we haven't made it to one of our favorite dwarf planets yet. Nothing is impossible, so maybe one day we will finally explore it!

The International Space Station acts as a research hub right in space. Did you know that it is even possible to spot the station from here on Earth? Look up high and don't forget to wave at our astronauts!

This is true. Pulsars are strong stars that beam radiation all around themselves. They also have a very strong pull that can bring matter toward them.

It important that satellites are pointing the right way while in orbit. In order to do this, they are put on the right path from the start and given a rotation. Their rotation can also be altered by thrusters that can point them the right way if they aren't at the moment.

The speed of an object in orbit is called orbital speed. It is another important factor for scientists to be aware of so that they are able to monitor as well as project the future of the object.

Dark matter is interesting, as you can't see it, but it is there. The reason we know about dark matter is because it can be detected through other means, such as its strong gravitational pull.

Often, when a rocket is landing, airbags can be used to help it arrive safely. This is just one method that can be used, as they include parachutes and aerobraking.

With thrust, the rocket changes orbit but it will always hit the place where it was first thrusted. This is one method of changing the trajectory of the orbit.

Orbits take the shape of an ellipse as they circulate around the object. It is possible for the orbit shape to change, but it depends on the thrust and how it is executed.

This is false. Microgravity is the exact opposite, as it is weaker than regular gravity. It is commonly paired up with weightlessness, something that can be experienced in a spaceship.

Light can travel extremely fast! Especially compared to the speed of sound, which is 0.21313 miles per second. Did you know that it takes light from the sun 8 minutes to reach us here on Earth?

This is true. The nucleus is a solid centerpiece in the middle of the comet that is made up of dirt and rock. Did you know that some comets are even older than our planets?

Gas giants are a group of planets in our solar system that are quite literally giants! They are made up of Neptune, Jupiter, Uranus and Saturn.

This is true. Space debris is a buildup of garbage or parts that are from here on Earth, but are currently floating in space. All of this debris is still in the Earth's orbit, however.

Isaac Newton knew his stuff and was ahead of his time, even back in the 1600s. We all know the famous story of the apple falling on his head, but whether the story is true or not, the theory that came from it was extremely important. It brought us Newton's Laws of Motion, which is still used by astronautics engineers today.

This is true. A yaw rotation, just like the pitch, rotates on an axis at the center of gravity. A yaw rate sensor is used to measure this rotation.

The Interplanetary Magnetic Field is important for an astronautics engineer to know about. The field is a source of solar wind that makes its way through space to us here on Earth.

This is a word you don't hear everyday – unless you're a rocket scientist of course! Wavelengths look just like they sound, like waves on the ocean. It's usually used in terms of distance between objects.

The velocity on the spaceship has to be adjusted if it is going to make a safe landing. As velocity refers to the speed, in order to safely land on a planet, it is imperative that the spaceship slows down.

Knowing the mechanics of a ship is very important, but paying attention to the design is also important. The design can also impact the launch, flight and landing of the ship, which engineers need to account for.

Kepler's equation is important for scientists to know when it comes to calculating trajectories. These equations can get extremely complicated, but they're imperative to the smooth operation of launching a rocket.

Celestial and orbital mechanics are two different things under the topic of astrodynamics. Orbital mechanics is all about the spacecraft and how it reacts to its atmosphere, whereas celestial mechanics are all about the movements of outer space objects like comets.

This is false. Rather than a rocket scientist, the correct job title for these individuals according to NASA is an astronautics engineer. They specialize in getting objects and spacecraft into space and back home successfully, often through the use of math.

A skyhook is used to launch an object into space from the Earth. What is unique about the Skyhook is that it is not connected to the Earth but rather an orbiting station with a cable connected to it. As the object passes, it catches onto the cable and it is sent into space (theoretically).

Nuclear is not a type of rocket propulsion. If it was, it would destroy the surface it was leaving (as well as the ship). The rest are all types that help a rocket to lift up from the ground and make its way through the atmosphere.

Guillotines have a much different use upon spacecrafts than they did before. They are instead used to cut different materials that are needed. There are no scissors in space!

A bi-elliptical transfer is a method of putting an object on another path of orbit. What is nice about this is that it requires less energy to execute. There are many important things to know about when completing the transfer, such as the time it will take and the velocity.

A lot of rockets free fall during certain points in their journey to their destination. This doesn't take place until the rocket has successfully made it out of the Earth's atmosphere. Otherwise, that could be quite dangerous!