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Astronaut

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

Astronaut Bruce McCandless floats freely in space using a special jetpack during a mission in 1984.

Astronauts: Explorers of Space

Astronauts are special people who travel above Earth in spacecraft. They help us learn about space by doing important science experiments. These brave travelers train a lot to get ready for life in space.

The word "astronaut" comes from Ancient Greek. It means "star sailor." In the United States, groups like NASA use this word for their space travelers. People who are trained but have not yet flown in space are also called astronauts.

In other countries, different words are used. For example, astronauts from Russia or the former Soviet Union are usually called cosmonauts. In China, space travelers are sometimes called taikonauts.

Since 1961, many people from many countries have become astronauts and traveled into space, helping us learn more about our universe. The first person in space was Yuri Gagarin from the Soviet Union. He flew in 1961. The first woman in space was Valentina Tereshkova, also from the Soviet Union, in 1963.

Astronauts do many exciting things! They float around in space, which feels like being weightless. They also work together as a team to fix things and learn new secrets about our universe. Their adventures inspire many people around the world to dream big and explore new places.

Images

Alan Shepard sits inside his spacecraft Freedom 7 before his historic 1961 space mission, making him the first American in space.
Portrait of the first two groups of NASA astronauts selected in the 1950s and 1960s, posing for a group photo.
A group portrait of famous Soviet cosmonauts, including Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova, taken in 1965 at Star City.
Astronauts Tim Kopra, Tim Peake, and Yuri Malenchenko speak on a satellite phone shortly after landing their Soyuz spacecraft in Kazakhstan following their mission aboard the International Space Station.
Portrait of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human to travel into space.
Portrait of Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to travel into space, wearing her military uniform.
Astronaut Neil Armstrong wearing his space suit, with a photograph of the lunar surface behind him.
Portrait of Vladimír Remek, the Czech cosmonaut.
Portrait of Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut to travel into space.
Astronauts conducting a medical check during their mission aboard the International Space Station.
NASA astronaut lapel pin symbolizing space exploration and bravery.

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Astronaut, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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