Facts About Space

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was founded in 1958.  Since then, the program has continued to pursue knowledge and understanding of space with missions, satellites, telescopes, mathematics and science.  One of the most effective ways that NASA has learned about space is by sending astronauts into space.

Working in space effects the human body.  An astronaut may experience space motion sickness which affects almost half of the astronauts.  Fluids that are typically in the legs due to gravity may cause the face to swell in zero gravity.  When the astronaut returns to Earth, the body has to adjust to gravity again.  On Earth, the heart must pump harder and the muscles must work harder than they had whilst in space.

The planet Earth is the only known planet to have water on its surface.  Some scientists believe that Jupiter’s moon, Europa has an ocean that covers its entire surface.  However, the moon is cold and covered with ice.  Cracks in the icy surface are caused by the gravitational pull on Europa as it orbits Jupiter.

Mars has a red surface partly due to the high content of oxidized iron known as rust.  Another cause of the reddish surface is the black Martian sand.  When this sand is crushed, it turns into a red powder.  Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus and Saturn are made of gases.  Pluto’s solid surface is mostly ice.

There are seven main rings of Saturn which are made of particles caught in gravitational fields. The rings may be as thin as thirty feet.  Though people used to think that Saturn was the only planet in our solar system with rings, scientists have identified rings on Uranus, Jupiter and Neptune though Saturn’s rings are considerably larger than the rest.

Scientists have discovered that icy particles from one of Saturn’s moons has contributed to the outermost main ring.  Debris from other moons caused by collisions with asteroid may be responsible for some of the particles in other rings.

While the planet Earth has only one moon, there are at least ninety-five moons in our solar system.  It is believed that Jupiter has the most moons of any planet in the solar system.  Jupiter has at least sixty-three moons.  Venus and Mercury do not have any moons.

The surfaces of moons can be radically different.  Some moons are exceptionally cold while others are hot with volcanic activity.  Scientists believe that it rains methane on Saturn’s largest moon called Titan.

Some people believe that an astronaut would blow up if the astronaut was in space without the protection of the space suit.  Though unprotected astronauts would experience some swelling and other physical symptoms due to ultraviolet rays from the sun, the near vacuum environment and cold temperatures would mean that they would be on the verge of death within two minutes due to the lack of oxygen in space.