Did You Know: Space – Why do we put satellites in space? Traveling around the Earth high above you are hundreds of satellites. These are machines that have been launched into space to orbit the Earth. Satellites do many useful jobs such as helping us forecast the weather, letting us use cell phones, and taking … Read more
Did You Know: Space – Have we been to Mars? Humans haven’t yet been to Mars because we don’t have the technology to do so. However, we have sent robots to investigate the Red Planet. Curiosity is a NASA rover that has been exploring Mars since August 2012. It is helping us understand if life … Read more
Did You Know: Space – What happens when things go wrong in space? Sometimes things don’t go as planned when astronauts are in space. However, lots of people back on Earth work with astronauts to help them get through any emergencies, as happened with the Apollo 13 mission… Crew Apollo 13 was meant to be … Read more
Did You Know: Space – What is mission control? The work that astronauts do would be impossible without mission control. It is a place where many people work to help space missions and astronauts in space. People work in mission control every hour of the day, every day of the year. Keeping watch There are … Read more
Did You Know: Space – What do astronauts eat in space? Astronauts living in space need to eat three meals a day. The food they eat is similar to ours, but it needs to be “cooked” and eaten differently. Astronauts aren’t allowed crumbly food such as bread because the crumbs can float around and clog … Read more
Did You Know: Space – Why do astronauts float in space? In space, astronauts don’t walk around on the floor like people do on the Earth. Instead, they float! This is because they do not feel the effect of gravity, which is the force that pulls you toward the ground on the Earth. This state … Read more
Did You Know: Space – Where do astronauts live in space? The International Space Station (ISS) is where astronauts live, sleep, exercise, and work in space. It is the biggest object ever flown in space and is the first step toward exploring deeper into our solar system. Kibo module The Japanese Kibo module is one … Read more
Did You Know: Space – How do astronauts return to Earth? Astronauts travel between Earth and the International Space Station in the Soyuz spacecraft. The craft fits three astronauts and takes around three and a half hours to return from the space station back to Earth. Ready to depart The departing astronauts say goodbye and … Read more
Did You Know: Space – What was the Space Shuttle? The space shuttle was the first ever reusable spacecraft. It was used by NASA for 30 years to send astronauts into space. Astronauts who flew on it helped to build the International Space Station, repaired the Hubble Space Telescope, and completed lots of important science … Read more
Did You Know: Space – Why do astronauts need space suits? There is no air to breathe in space and temperatures can quickly change from being very hot to very cold. To stay safe, astronauts must wear a special space suit when they are outside their spacecraft. Helmet and visor The main part of the … Read more
