Spaceflight
Spaceflight covers topics related to human presence in outer space. Learn about weightlessness, astronauts and space tourism in this section.
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Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams are the two NASA astronauts that have been circulating in the news since becoming stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2024. After several obstacles, they returned to Earth on March 18, 2025.
By Mitch Ryan
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.
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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?
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?
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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.
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
On September 18, 2006, Anousheh Ansari, a telecommunications entrepreneur, became the first female space tourist and the fourth space tourist overall. Could you be next? Find out what's in the works to get you to space.
By Kevin Bonsor
Like a firefighter or a rock star, an astronaut is one of those jobs kids say they want to have when they grow up. If you're still serious, we can tell you what it takes.
By William Harris & Sascha Bos
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How long can a human survive in outer space? In science fiction movies, this seems to be an area of much creative license, with some people exploding instantly, and others surviving for nearly a minute without long-term ill effect. I read once that one's blood would boil, but I read elsewhere that this isn't true. So what is it?
We are seeing a lot more space suits now that the international space station is occupied. Learn how space suits work and why they cost $12 million each!
I would like to know how an astronaut, who is in a space suit for hours, can eat, drink and eliminate fluid- and solid-waste byproducts? What "mechanics" are built into the suit and how do they operate?
As the International Space Station astronauts return to Earth after a three-month stay, learn about the effects of weightlessness on the body.
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When most people think of NASA, they probably think of astronauts and the Kennedy Space Center. But there's a whole lot more to this 60-year-old organization.
Space food has come a long way from Project Mercury's paste-filled tubes. Today's astronauts select menus that include everything from macaroni and cheese to brownies. So do astronauts really eat space ice cream?
Internet king turned rocketman? After making his fortune on the Web, Elon Musk entered the commercial space race. Will this businessman and his SpaceX company make space tourism affordable?
By Jane McGrath
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.
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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.
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'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
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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
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?