Spaceflight
Spaceflight covers topics related to human presence in outer space. Learn about weightlessness, astronauts and space tourism in this section.
The Zoo Hypothesis: Are Aliens Watching Us Like Animals in a Zoo?
Communicating With Aliens Is Hard. Communicating With Alien AI Could Be Harder
UFOs and the Government
The Largest Star in the Universe Is 1,700x Bigger Than Our Sun
What Is a Harvest Moon?
The Mysteries of Mercury Retrograde Unveiled: A Cosmic Phenomenon
What Is a White Hole? Does the Cosmic Phenomenon Exist?
10 Best Ideas for Interplanetary Communication
How can the moon generate electricity?
Quiz: Apollo 11, the First Moon Landing
Who was James Webb?
10 Space Landmarks We'd Like to Visit
The Fastest Fictional Spaceships
10 Fictional Spacecraft We Wish Were Real
How Lunar Rovers Work
Learn More
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.
We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s historic journey to the moon.
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?
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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?
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?
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?
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.
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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
It's launch time for the first privately funded space flight. In the course of battle for the X Prize, a group called Scaled Composites has built and tested SpaceShipOne, a sub-orbital spacecraft intended to carry tourists on the ride of their life. Learn all about the craft.
As the International Space Station astronauts return to Earth after a three-month stay, learn about the effects of weightlessness on the body.
A new space race is on -- who will be the first to build a space hotel? One company has gathered 3 billion dollars to do just that. Find out what life in a luxury space hotel might be like.
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GPS is great, but it's kind of Earth-centric. If we have our hearts set on traveling to distant planets and faraway stars, then it's time to come up with a new navigation system. NASA, of course, has an idea.
On Earth, we have a constant supply of fresh air. But what happens in the tiny, confined cabins of spacecraft, like the space shuttle or space stations? How is oxygen supplied to the people on board?
In the confined cabins of spacecraft, like the space shuttle or space stations, carbon dioxide, which is toxic, poses a problem for astronauts. Keep reading to see how that CO2 is eliminated.
When you think about space travel, you probably don't take the time to wonder how astronauts go to the bathroom. However, the annals of aeronautic history abound with space bathroom tales. Here are 10 of our favorites.
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Humans in space may age just a bit more slowly than the rest of us, but they also experience rapid muscle and bone mass loss. Why does this happen, and do astronauts recover?
Showering every day is likely something you take for granted. But for astronauts on the International Space Station, it's not an easy task.
Humans have made it to the moon a number of times so we know how long the journey should take.
NASA and other agencies have been studying artificial gravity in hopes they will someday use it to help astronauts combat the effects of weightlessness in space. How close are we to that reality?
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Nobody's nose knows better than NASA's George Aldrich. He's the longest-serving member of the space agency's odor panel, which basically sniffs and smells everything that goes up into space.
By John Donovan
NASA's historic Beach House on Cape Canaveral is the last place many astronauts visit before they blast off into space. Today it's full of mission memories and NASA artifacts.
By Mark Mancini
For the first time since 2011, NASA will launch astronauts into space from U.S. soil. It will also be the first time ever a private company will get them there.
By Mark Mancini
When you think of NASA, you probably think of an all-around professional organization. And you're right. But, those astronauts like to have a lot of fun, too.
By Mark Mancini
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In the early days of the space race, several animals went into orbit, including dogs, chimps and one intrepid cat. Who was this forgotten feline from the French space program?
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?