BETA
Chapter 1
Becoming a NASA astronaut
Chapter 2
The vehicles that reach orbit
Chapter 3
The countdown and launch day
Chapter 4
Living in space and returning home
YOUR GOAL
Master of How NASA sends astronauts to space
Ch 2 · The vehicles that reach orbit
artiteacher Drag rocket parts into place to learn how NASA sends astronauts to space.
artiteacher NASA Orbit Vehicles
Into orbit now! Into orbit now! With Falcon 9 and SLS, NASA shows us how!
artiteacher NASA's Space Launch System is designed to return humans to the Moon and eventually reach Mars.
artiteacher NASA's Space Shuttle program revolutionized spaceflight by launching reusable winged orbiters into low Earth orbit.
Fun Fact
Saturn V fuel: The giant Saturn V rocket burned through enough fuel every second to fill an entire backyard swimming pool.
Glossary
spacecraft (noun)
A vehicle or device designed for travel or operation outside the Earth's atmosphere. In 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth inside a Friendship 7 spacecraft.
A vehicle or device designed for travel or operation outside the Earth's atmosphere. In 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth inside a Friendship 7 spacecraft.
Quiz
Which historic NASA rocket was used to launch astronauts to the Moon during the Apollo program?
Quiz
Which NASA program focuses on landing the first woman and first person of color on the Moon?
Quiz
Approximately how much fuel per second did the mighty Saturn V rocket burn during launch?
Quiz
What is the name of NASA's modern super heavy-lift rocket designed for the Artemis lunar missions?
Quiz
How many ceramic tiles made up the thermal protection system on a NASA Space Shuttle?
Quiz
What is the maximum number of days the Orion spacecraft can sustain a crew of four in deep space?
Quiz
Which spacecraft did NASA use for human missions between the years 1981 and 2011?
Quiz
In 2020, which private company's spacecraft became the first to launch NASA astronauts under the Commercial Crew Program?