Some Information On NASA

What Does It Stand For?

NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Some More Stuff

Over the 62 years of NASA they have successfully launched over 200 crewed flights and As of November 2018 the corps has 38 active astronauts and 18 “management astronauts”, who are “employed at NASA but are no longer eligible for flight assignment”. The highest number of active astronauts at one time, was in 2000 when there were 149.

What Does NASA Do?

 Astronauts in orbit conduct scientific research. Satellites help scientists learn more about Earth. Space probes study the solar system and beyond. New developments improve air travel and other aspects of flight. NASA is also beginning a new program to send humans to explore the Moon and Mars. In addition to those major missions, NASA does many other things. The agency shares what it learns so that its information can make life better for people worldwide.

What’s Next for NASA?

In 2020, NASA will be taking long strides toward returning astronauts to the Moon, continuing the exploration of Mars and developing new technology to make supersonic aircraft fly more quietly.

Rovers

Over the years, NASA has sent four robotic vehicles, called rovers, to Mars and NASA plans to send another one some time between this year and next year. In total, the four rovers that have already gone to Mars are: Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity.

Apollo 11

Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. The first steps by humans on another planetary body were taken by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on July 20, 1969. The astronauts also returned to Earth the first samples from another planetary body.The Apollo 11 mission concluded exactly eight days, three hours, 18 minutes and 35 seconds after launch with a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean, about 800 nautical miles southwest of Hawaii and 12 miles from the recovery ship, the USS Hornet.

Asteroids And Meteorites

According to NASA, about once a year a car-sized asteroid hits Earth’s atmosphere but most of it burns up on entry. Some do make it through, however a 1985 study calculated that the rate at which humans are hit by meteorites is 0.0055 per year, or once every 180 years.