SPACE!

Humans have probably been fascinated by the concept of space travel ever since the first humans looked up into the skies. Click on this link to view an interactive timeline of human space exploration to discover significant moments in our history.

AND WE HAVE LIFT OFF!

Although Curiosity may still be the most famous robot in space, NASA launched another rover to Mars in 2020 called Perseverance. It's main mission is astrobiology - including the search for ancient extraterrestrial life. It also included a tiny helicopter called Ingenuity which successfully conducted the first powered controlled flight on another planet on April 200th, 2021. Watch the video below of its third flight as photographed by the cameras on Perserverance. Watch to the end - Ingenuity flies out of the filed of vision but does return!

Follow your Curiosity

Perhaps the most famous robot in space - after its successful launch on Nov. 26, 2011, the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover has now been on Mars for more than 4 years! The trip from Earth to Mars took it nearly 240 days and it successfully negotiated the "Seven minutes of terror" in the final landing manoeuvres. After landing on Gale Crater, Curiosity has already conducted many thousands of hours of exploration and science as it moves towards its final destination of Mount Sharp. You can watch simulations of the landing, receive up to date news, 'drive' a virtual rover and lots more fun stuff at NASA's Mars Science Laboratory site.

Watch the video above to see highlights of Curiosity's fourth year on Mars and look forward to what her team hopes to achieve in 2017.

GALE CRATER - The Australian connection

Did you know that Gale Crater is named for an Australian astronomer - Walter Frederick Gale - who lived and worked in NSW in the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Visit this site for more details of his life.

Mars Exploration Rovers

NASA has been sending rovers to Mars since 1997 with the Pathfinder program, followed by the Phoenix lander.
NASA then landed 2 rovers in January 2004 - Spirit and Opportunity. They too, lasted far longer than their intended 90 day mission times. Opportunity is still operational on Mars and in 2015 had travelled more than 42 kilometres on the surface of Mars! Watch the video on the left for an exciting overview of the Mars rover program.

When humans left Earth ......

Of course the only time human beings have actually been anywhere outside of Earth was with the Apollo program which took humans to the Moon way back in 1969. Watch the video on the left below for an understanding of how important this was, and the video on the right to see highlights of the first Moon landing.

How you can help with space research - Citizen Science!

That's right - you ( and me) and anyone else with a computer and access to the Internet can now participate in some of the most exciting research in astronomy. Find out how you can get involved .... Zooniverse

Living in Space - ISS Tour - Kitchen, Bedrooms and Bathrooms

Join NASA astronaut Suni Williams as she shows you how astronauts on the ISS sleep, eat and keep clean.

3-D panoramic tour of the ISS

ESA has just released a wonderful 3-D panoramic interactive using multiple photographs taken by Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti before she left the ISS. Click here to 'visit' the ISS - you can explore every part of the Space Station and click on icons to watch an astronaut explain or demonstrate and item.

Expedition 36 launches to the ISS

The crew of expedition 36 launched from a cosmodrome in Kazhaksthan in the early hours of May 29th 2013. On board were the first Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, Dr. Karen Nyberg a NASA astronaut and Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikin.

Expedition

Watch the video below to see the Soyuz spacecraft approaching and docking with the ISS

Commander Chris Hadfield

Chris Hadfield is a Canadian astronaut who until recently was the commander of the International Space Station. He has been instrumental in a resurgence in interest in space because of his use of social media to communicate from his very special place up in space. His twitter handle is @Cmdr_Hadfield and he also has a Facebook page with all his wonderful photographs (like the one below) from space as well as lots of videos. Ask your parents if you can check it out!
He is also an inspirational speaker. Watch this wonderful TED talk he gave in 2014 after returning from the ISS.

Space Oddity

Before he left the ISS on May 13th, Cdr. Hadfield filmed this version of David Bowie's classic song "Space Oddity". Watch it - it's wonderful!

SPOT THE STATION

Did you know you can see the International Space Station from your house? As the third brightest object in the sky, after the sun and moon, the space station is easy to see if you know where and when to look for it.

NASA'S Spot the Station service sends you an email or text message a few hours before the space station passes over your house. The space station looks like a fast-moving plane in the sky, though one with people living and working aboard it more than 200 miles above the ground. SIGN UP HERE

SPACE WALKS

Space walks or more specifically EVAs (Extra-vehicular activity) are one of the most technically demanding and challenging aspects of space flight and exploration. It has been 50 years since Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov first stepped out of his spacecraft to 'walk in space'. Click here to watch a short video about the highlights of the last 50 years.

LIFE ON THE SPACE STATION

How does food taste in space

Cdr. Hadfield explains how our senses change in space

Going to the ……… in space

And of course .. the question on every kids' mind …. how do you go to the toilet in space? Watch until the end - it's hilarious!

Sleeping in Space

Even something like sleeping becomes just that bit more complicated (but possibly more comfy) in space!

Water in Space

So much fun!!!