Astronauts

Half a century on, Kohoutek may be due a little more respect. Though it disappointed the media and the public, it proved to be a bonanza for serious scientists.

The 'Comet of the Century' Failed to Impress, but It Wasn't Such a Disaster After All

Highly anticipated before its arrival in late 1973, Kohoutek became an interplanetary punchline. But astronomers may have gotten the last laugh

Astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara were performing routine maintenance during a spacewalk outside the ISS when they lost the tool bag.

Astronauts Lost a Tool Bag During a Spacewalk—and You Can See It Floating From Earth

The bag slipped away while Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara were performing routine maintenance on the International Space Station

Frank Rubio poses in front of a window on the International Space Station looking out to Earth below. Rubio has been stationed on the ISS since September of last year.

NASA Astronaut Sets Record for Longest Trip to Space by an American

When Frank Rubio returns from the International Space Station on September 27, he will have spent 371 consecutive days in space

Director Greta Gerwig at the European premiere of Barbie. The film has enjoyed worldwide success and made Gerwig the only woman with a sole directing credit on a billion-dollar movie.

'Barbie' Makes History, Becoming First Billion-Dollar Movie Directed Solely by a Woman

Greta Gerwig's movie challenges dated notions about the box-office appeal of films centered on women

Barbie has held more than 250 jobs since her debut in 1959.

When Barbie Broke the Glass Ceiling

The iconic doll traveled to space, flew with the Thunderbirds and joined the NBA, beating real-life women to an array of career milestones

NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan during a 2020 space walk at the International Space Station. Researchers theorize that the weightlessness astronauts experience on the ISS contributes to immune system dysfunction.

Why Astronauts Have Weaker Immune Systems in Space

Gene activity in white blood cells decreased once astronauts got to space—and it didn’t rebound until they returned, a new study finds

Research on creating food in space will help future missions to Mars and beyond. The Deep Space Food Challenge, co-sponsored by NASA, encourages development of novel space foods.

Move Over, Freeze-Dried Fruitcake—Here's the Latest in Astronaut Food

Eight companies developing next-generation space meals have advanced to the final round of competition in a contest co-sponsored by NASA

Astronaut candidate Bobby Satcher during a zero-gravity flight on an aircraft in 2004. The microgravity in space affects the human body and even changes the brain.

Space Travel Can Change Astronauts' Brains for Years

Fluid-filled cavities in the brain expand during spaceflight, and a new study shows that astronauts may need three years to recover

An observation point at Meteor Crater in Arizona

Seven Ways to Explore Space Without Leaving Earth

From astronaut training sites to working spaceports, these spots across the United States put a terrestrial spin on space travel

Four of the participants will exercise on a cycling machine while spinning around in a centrifuge designed to mimic artificial gravity.

Volunteers Are Spending 60 Days in Bed to Help Astronauts Stay Healthy in Space

For two months, the group of 12 men must eat, sleep, exercise, bathe and use the toilet while at least one shoulder is touching the bed

Did lions once live in ancient Greece?

Did Lions Live in Ancient Greece? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

Hosts Emily Martin and Matt Shindell speak with Anisha Abraham and to her actor friend Jo Chim, who has written and directed a 30-minute film called “One Small Visit,” dramatizing a visit the Abraham family (above) enjoyed with the astronaut Neil Armstrong.

A New Neil Armstrong Film Makes One Giant Leap for Kindness

Smithsonian podcasts deliver doses of optimism this month, featuring Bill Nye and a story of a warm welcome from the astronaut’s family

From left to right: astronauts Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Hammock Koch during a news conference following Monday's announcement.

NASA Announces Crew for Artemis 2 Moon Flyby Mission

These four astronauts are poised to travel farther than any humans have been from Earth since 1972

Several private companies are designing space stations that may eventually orbit Earth.

The ISS Will Fall From the Sky After the End of the Decade. What Will Replace It?

As NASA plans to retire the orbiting laboratory, these four privately owned and operated space stations are under development

The new suits will actually be all white, but Axiom Space showed off its prototype with a dark gray cover material.

See the New Moonwalk Spacesuit Designed for NASA's Artemis Program

The space agency has tapped private company Axiom Space to develop the sleek new attire for its moon-bound astronauts

The astronauts launch into space at 12:34 a.m. Eastern time on Thursday. They'll join seven other astronauts aboard the ISS, before four others return to Earth in a few days. 

Four Astronauts Arrive at the International Space Station

Despite a launch delay and docking issue, the space travelers are now onboard the orbiting laboratory

Researchers used Barbie dolls to test liquid nitrogen's effectiveness at removing Moon dust simulants from a replica spacesuit. (Left: before spraying; center: after spraying; right: after spot cleaning)

NASA's Moon Dust Problem Might Finally Have a Solution

Researchers sprayed liquid nitrogen at spacesuit-clad Barbie dolls to test their novel idea

How much advance warning would we have if a large comet were headed on a collision course with Earth?

How Much Warning Would We Have of an Earth-Shattering Comet? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

Sacha Jafri's We Rise Together—With the Light of the Moon is designed to endure on the moon’s surface.

One Small Step for Space Art

A new artwork by Sacha Jafri could travel to the moon next month

NASA has 42 current astronauts to select from for a possible mission to the moon.

How NASA Is Selecting the Next Astronauts to Walk on the Moon

The space agency has said that it will send the first woman and the first person of color to the lunar surface

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