Out-There Facts About Space Exploration
From 2001: A Space Odyssey to Gravity, it’s clear that we are fascinated by space travel. But what is the reality like? Here are 21 facts about space exploration.
Space Exploration Facts
21. What’s In A Name
NASA, the American space agency, is an acronym that stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA is responsible not only for missions to space, but also for research into aeronautics and aerospace.
20. Weighty Outfits
A spacesuit on its own weighs 280 pounds! It takes astronauts 45 minutes to put on a spacesuit.
19. Snoopy in Space
The cartoon dog Snoopy has a surprising role in American space exploration: He’s the safety mascot for NASA. After the disastrous crash of Apollo 13, NASA approached Charles Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts characters, to request permission to use the character in their safety materials, and Schulz agreed. Ever since then, Snoopy has been a fixture of space safety.
