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A astronomer is a person who studies the Planets, Stars, galaxies and traveling comets and asteroids. If you were to become a astronomer you would have to understand the history of scientific discoveries. A Astronaut is a person who studies planets, objects in the universe and how the gases work in the atmosphere on other planets. Humans rarely visit other planets but they do take pictures  and study the colors and movement. 

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A astronomer is a person who studies the Planets, Stars, galaxies and traveling comets and asteroids. If you were to become a astronomer you would have to understand the history of scientific discoveries. A Astronaut is a person who studies planets, objects in the universe and how the gases work in the atmosphere on other planets. Humans rarely visit other planets but they do take pictures  and study the colors and movement. 

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Astronomy is the study of space. If you were an astronomer, you might focus on galaxies, stars, planets, or traveling objects such as comets and asteroids. Don't get astronomy confused with astrology. Astrology is a form of mystical prediction based on the stars and the time of year. Horoscopes are based on astrology. Astronomy is grounded in science. Astronomy uses math and science to study and predict the actions of the universe.

To be a good astronomer, you need to understand its history of scientific discoveries. Over thousands of years, humans have developed and proved many ideas about space. Proving the fact that the Earth revolved around the Sun was one of the first major accomplishments of modern astronomy. As you learn more, you will find out that ancient societies understood the movement of the Earth long before it was accepted by ruling powers. We are now using orbiting telescopes to photograph possible black holes (Hubble, Chandra). There are still thousands of unanswered questions. This science will depend on a long future of exploration.

Humans rarely visit other planets. Humans do take pictures of other universal bodies. From those pictures we study the colors, movement, and composition of other objects in the universe. Astronomers need to understand the sciences of Earth because this is the only place we can study firsthand. Astronomers work with chemistry when studying the atmospheres on other planets. Astronomers need to understand geology to explain the structure of planets and stars. Astronomers also need to know physics to explain how objects move through the universe.

The countries of the world are currently building a space station that orbits the Earth. This is the first step in our efforts to colonize and study the Solar System. One day (maybe in your lifetime), there may be groups of scientists working on the Moon and Mars. As time passes, Earth will also send more probes into deep space to study the outer planets and the interstellar region outside of our system. Even though the study of space has been going on for thousands of years, we have only been able to study the universe firsthand for about 40 years.

In 2006, NASA announced that its new exploration vehicle would be called Orion. The Constellation Program will develop the new spacecraft and its launching technology (Ares rockets). The new manned capsule will have the latest technology and be the foundation for missions to the Moon and Mars.

Encyclopedia.com (Space Program):
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Space_Program.aspx
Wikipedia (Space Exploration):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_exploration
Encyclopædia Britannica:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/557348/space-exploration

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Cosmos4Kids.com! This astronomy tutorial introduces space exploration. Other sections include the Universe, galaxies, stars, and the Solar System.

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Neil Armstrong was the fist man on the moon. Before he was an astronaut he was a Navy pilot but he realize it was way to risky and went back to collage. When he join NASA he diced he wanted to be an astronaut. Apollo 11 was the best life changing thing ever, after Apollo 11 he stayed at NASA for a little while but moved on to become a college professor and teach engineering. 

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Neil Armstrong was the fist man on the moon. Before he was an astronaut he was a Navy pilot but he realize it was way to risky and went back to collage. When he join NASA he diced he wanted to be an astronaut. Apollo 11 was the best life changing thing ever, after Apollo 11 he stayed at NASA for a little while but moved on to become a college professor and teach engineering. 

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A little more than 40 years ago, an American astronaut climbed down the ladder of his lunar landing module - the Eagle - and became the first human to touch the moon's surface. As he steadied himself, he said: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." Around the globe, an estimated 530 million people watched on their televisions as Neil Armstrong uttered those now-famous words. On August 25, this American hero died at age 82.

Armstrong and fellow moon walker Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin briefly became the first ambassadors to another world on July 20, 1969. Setting foot on another celestial body was a massive and breathtaking achievement. And Armstrong's words brought the human scale of that accomplishment to households around the world.

"Neil was among the greatest of American heroes - not just of his time, but of all time," said President Barack Obama. "When [Armstrong] and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation." These men showed the world "that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible," the president added. And these brave individuals "delivered a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten."

Preparing for a life of exploration

Armstrong fell in love with flying at a young age. By 15 he was already taking lessons. He picked up odd jobs around his hometown to pay for flight time in a small airplane. He got his student's flying permit, at 16, before he got his driver's license.

In college, he trained as an aeronautical and aerospace engineer. In this field, people learn how to design and control not only aircraft but also jets and other propulsion systems.

But before he could finish college, Armstrong was called up for military service. He signed on to become a Navy fighter pilot. He flew 78 combat missions in Korea. During one, his plane was hit and he had to parachute out. It was an event that could have killed him. But it didn't frighten him off of flying. Instead, he went back to school and finished his studies. Then he joined a federal agency that would become the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA.

There, for 17 years, Neil Armstrong held a number of different jobs. He started as a test pilot for many pioneering aircraft. These included the X-15, an experimental vehicle that could zoom through the atmosphere at more than 4,000 miles per hour! He made seven flights on that space plane, at one point reaching an altitude of 63,198 meters (207,500 feet). That's about six times higher than today's standard jumbo jets. And he didn't just pilot the X-15. He also worked closely with the aircraft's engineers and designers to improve the plane's flight controls. In all, Armstrong flew more than 200 different models of aircraft, including jets, helicopters and gliders.

That all changed in 1962 when Armstrong joined NASA's astronaut corps. Suddenly, his focus became rocketry and space exploration. Within four years, he was given the command of the Gemini 8 spacecraft, from which he controlled the first successful docking, or linkup, of two vehicles in space.

But the highlight of his career was Apollo 11, that famous mission to the moon. And almost 1 in 5 people alive at the time shared in the excitement, watching as blurry television images showed Armstrong descending to the lunar surface.

His team's landing module had set down in a region known as the Sea of Tranquility. Within 20 minutes, Aldrin joined him. There, the two took photos, collected moon rocks and set up some science experiments.

They also left mementos for future space travelers. These included a patch carrying the names of Virgil Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee - Apollo 1 crew members who died in a launchpad fire. Armstrong and Aldrin also left medals inscribed with the names of Vladimir Komarov and Yuri Gagarin, two Russian astronauts (called cosmonauts) who died during space flights in 1967 and 1968. Finally, they left a small silicon disc that carried a miniature goodwill message from 73 world leaders (its message is so small that you would need a microscope to see the words).
Neil Armstrong walking on the moon for the first time.
Aldrin returned to the Eagle after 93 minutes on the moon's surface. Armstrong, the mission's commander, stayed 40 minutes longer. He savored the last bits of this huge adventure. Then the pair rejoined Michael Collins aboard the Apollo 11 space capsule for their return trip home. In all, the team spent more than eight days in space and traveled 953,054 miles (more than 1.5 million kilometers).

And still their trip wasn't really over. The men couldn't step out of their space suits and rush to hug their families for another three weeks. Once back on Earth, the men had to remain in quarantine. It was a precautionary measure to make sure no one had picked up a dangerous germ during their lunar trek and carried it home.

After his Apollo 11 trip to the moon, Armstrong stayed on at NASA and eventually rose to become its deputy associate administrator, in Washington, D.C. Later, he became a college professor, teaching aerospace engineering. He then worked for several aerospace companies. It seems the man never could get enough of the idea of cruising through - and occasionally outside of - Earth's atmosphere.

After his death, Armstrong's family issued a statement. They said, in part: "While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves."

Observes NASA Administrator Charles Bolden: "As long as there are history books, Neil Armstrong will be included in them, remembered for taking humankind's first small step on a world beyond our own."

As a mark of respect for Armstrong and what his achievements represented, President Obama ordered that flags throughout the country and at U.S. embassies abroad be lowered to half-staff on the day Armstrong is buried.

aerospace A research field devoted to the study of Earth's atmosphere and the space beyond or to aircraft that travel in the atmosphere and space.

astronautics A research field specializing in the design and construction of aircraft - including those created for space travel.

Apollo missions NASA's third human spaceflight program. It sought to develop the technologies needed for long-distance space travel. It got a big kick-start after President John F. Kennedy proposed in 1961 creating the national goal of "landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

astronaut People trained to travel into space for research and exploration.

celestial body Any naturally formed objects of substantial size in space. Examples include comets, asteroids, planets, moons, stars and galaxies.

cosmonaut Russian term for astronaut.

docking The act of bringing together and inserting one thing into another.

engineer An individual who applies science to practical purposes, such as the design or development of machines, structures or systems.

lander A special, small vehicle designed to ferry humans between a spacecraft and the celestial body they will explore.

lunar Relating to Earth's moon.

propulsion The act or process of driving something forward, using a force. For instance, jet engines are one type of propulsion for keeping airplanes aloft.

Janet Raloff is the Editor, Digital of Science News Explores. Prior to this, she was an environmental reporter for Science News, specializing in toxicology. To her never-ending surprise, her daughter became a toxicologist.

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Forty-five years ago, an American astronaut climbed down the ladder of his lunar landing module - the Eagle - and became the first human to touch the moon's surface.

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A lot of space junk is effecting this years missions and future mission. There are more than 500,000 junk is space.There are some people who perilously destroy satellites in space which causes explosions and debris. The more debris there is in space it means that space travel is slowing down.     

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A lot of space junk is effecting this years missions and future mission. There are more than 500,000 junk is space.There are some people who perilously destroy satellites in space which causes explosions and debris. The more debris there is in space it means that space travel is slowing down.     

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Trump is working with companies so that people can travel to the moon. The reason why hes working with companies is because the government thinks it to expensive. people want to travel to the moon to become more educate. The moon also has materials we can use on earth such as rich metals,gold,platinum and cobalt.       

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Trump is working with companies so that people can travel to the moon. The reason why hes working with companies is because the government thinks it to expensive. people want to travel to the moon to become more educate. The moon also has materials we can use on earth such as rich metals,gold,platinum and cobalt.       

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