Discover published sets by community

A space elevator is a proposed type of space transportation system, which would consist of a cable attached to the Earth's surface reaching into space. The concept awaits practical materials like carbon nanotubes or graphene to become feasible.

A space station is a large spacecraft in orbit around Earth that serves as a home where astronauts live and work. The best example is the International Space Station (ISS).

An orbit is the gravitationally curved trajectory of an object such as a planet, moon, or satellite. For example, the Moon orbits Earth, and the International Space Station orbits Earth at a low earth orbit.

A space telescope is a telescope located in space to observe celestial events without atmospheric interference. Notable examples include the Hubble Space Telescope and the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope.

A space capsule is a spacecraft that returns to Earth from space. It typically has a simple aerodynamic shape and is made to protect the crew and instruments on re-entry. Apollo Command Module and SpaceX's Dragon are examples.

A launchpad is a complex with a platform and infrastructure to support the launch of a spacecraft. Famous ones include Launch Complex 39 at Kennedy Space Center and Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

A rocket is a vehicle, missile, or aircraft which is pushed up by a force that is produced by the expulsion of fast moving fluid from within a rocket engine. Examples include the Falcon 9, Saturn V, and the Space Shuttle.

Gravity assist is a technique used in space travel where a spacecraft gains speed and changes its path by passing close to a planet or moon. It's been used by missions like Voyager and the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn.

A rover is a space exploration vehicle designed to move across the surface of a planet or other celestial bodies. Examples include the Mars rovers like Sojourner, Curiosity, and Perseverance.

A satellite is an object in space that orbits or circles around a bigger object. Artificial examples include communication satellites like the Iridium constellation, and observation satellites like the Hubble Space Telescope.

A space suit is a garment worn to keep a human alive in the harsh environment of outer space, vacuum and temperature extremes. Examples are the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) for spacewalks, and the ACES suit worn during launch and landing.

A Cubesat is a type of miniaturized satellite for space research that is made up of multiples of 10×10×10 cm cubic units. They are commonly used in low Earth orbit for applications such as Earth observation and amateur radio.

A space probe is an unmanned spacecraft that leaves Earth's orbit and collects scientific information about celestial bodies or space phenomena. Examples include Voyager 1 & 2, and the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity.

A robotic arm is a type of mechanical arm with similar functions to a human arm that is used on space missions. Examples include the Canadarm used on the Space Shuttle and the Canadarm2 on the International Space Station.