Spaceflight

He stood just 5 feet, 2 inches. But Gagarin cast an enormously long shadow in space exploration, both for his achievements and his mysterious death.

By Nathan Chandler

We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s historic journey to the moon.

A small aluminum ball that orbited the planet for three months in the 1950s had a profound influence over your life. If it hadn't, you wouldn't be reading this now.

By Jonathan Strickland

When there are 16 sunsets every day, getting some shut-eye becomes a bit of an issue. Do astronauts get through it with some warm milk as they float?

By John Fuller & Maria Trimarchi

In the 1960s, space food was either cubed or tubed, and it wasn't very appetizing. Today's astronauts have a more palatable array from which to choose. Where is it developed?

By Maria Trimarchi

Some people don't believe a man walked on the moon. Others still think the Earth is flat. Are the Illuminati preparing the Earth to become an alien colony?

By Jonathan Strickland

Would you be able to hear the Starship Enterprise if it zipped past you in space? Would the destruction of the Death Star be completely silent?

By Jonathan Strickland

Almost everyone dreams of floating effortlessly like astronauts in space. The Zero Gravity Corporation offers this experience to the public. Go inside G-FORCE-ONE to find out what it's like to somersault in zero gravity and how simulating weightlessness works.

By Jonathan Strickland

We know who won – top-runner SpaceShipOne. We know what the team receives for that accomplishment: $10 million and an obscenely gigantic trophy. But what about the story behind the contest? Learn about the rules, restrictions, red tape, test crashes, successful launches and the technological innovations that may get you into sub-orbit sooner than you think.

By Lacy Perry

What most people remember about Apollo 14 is Alan Shepard hitting golf balls on the moon. But on the same mission, command module pilot Stuart Roosa took seeds to space and back and now they're beautiful trees on Earth.

By Sharise Cunningham

Camden County in South Georgia was once considered as a backup site for launching the Apollo missions. Now this quiet county could be the next big launching site to space.

By John Donovan

Starship is a reusable spacecraft and second-stage rocket built by SpaceX. The end goal of the massive spaceship is to send humans to the moon and eventually to Mars.

By Valerie Stimac

When nature calls, you have to listen. But when you're in microgravity, going to the bathroom can be a major challenge. How do astronauts get the job done?

By Stephanie Watson

Blasting a spacecraft into space is one thing. Bringing it back in one piece is another. Spacecraft are likely to burn up into bits if they aren't specially insulated and designed for the ride.

By Jane McGrath

Since the Hubble Space Telescope launched in 1990, it has been plagued with problems that require frequent repairs. How does NASA fix it?

By Jonathan Strickland

This video camera hitches a ride on the space shuttle to provide ground control with a bird's eye view of the launch. How could RocketCam have prevented the Columbia space shuttle tragedy?

By Jane McGrath

If the future of tourism lies in outer space, then we'll need to blast off those amateur astronauts from somewhere. Compared to the average airport, how space-age will these spaceports be?

By Cristen Conger

Believe it or not, to get to space and back, NASA relies on a piece of technology that's been around for centuries. Just what is a gimbal, anyway?

By Jonathan Strickland

These outer space abodes will have to protect inhabitants from extreme temperatures, radiation and flying moon dust. One man is actually selling deeds for lunar property at $20 a pop. Seriously?

By Cristen Conger

This passive-aggressive peacetime contest between the USSR and the U.S. unofficially ended with the U.S. moon landing. But the Soviets also touted a long list of space race accomplishments. Who won?

By Cristen Conger

Kids from around the world flock to Huntsville, Ala., to attend Space Camp. What's so appealing about science class in the summer, and can a 40-year-old go to camp?

By Julia Layton

When astronauts talk moonwalking, they don't mean the Michael Jackson dance move. Spacewalks take an entire day of preparation -- and a 240-pound space suit.

By John Fuller

There's no livestock in space farming, but growing plants in space could allow for long-term exploration and settlements. And with this farm, you don't need to watch where you step.

By Jessika Toothman

Maybe Schwarzenegger had it right when he talked about the importance of pumping iron. Astronauts spend as long as four hours a day exercising. But why?

By John Fuller

The space race between the United States and the former Soviet Union began in the early 1950s. What followed was an era of cooperation between the United States, and now Russian, space programs with the building and operation of the International Space Station.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.