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Course: NASA > Unit 1
Lesson 1: WelcomeKhan Academy & NASA introduction
A brief overview of the topics you can explore! Created by NASA.
Want to join the conversation?
what do I need to do to become an astronaut at NASA (or other space companies) ? what majors and languages do i need to qualify? I am currently a senior in high school(30 votes)
I think it matters about what you want to do at NASA, NASA isn't just space.(2 votes)
Does Nasa allow tours for kids and parents in its Mission Control?(13 votes)
yes they do, depending on which building you go to.(15 votes)
Does an astronaut comes back to earth taller than before?(10 votes)
Due to the lack of gravity, the astronaut's spine decompresses. This effect will not last for very long once the astronaut returns to earth though, as their spin will compress again. This is also why we are taller in the morning than we are in the evening.(4 votes)
What does NASA stands for??(8 votes)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration =)(9 votes)
Can a black-hole be created by using anti-matter?(2 votes)
Anything is possible in the unknown. Currently, no being that humans are aware of can use or have even witnessed antimatter. We are learning more and more about black holes and how they react with matter and light.(13 votes)
I'm 12 and I really want to be an astronaut. Everyone tells me to study the topics covered by school and later I can think about Space. I do love studying but I want to step up a bit further. Can anyone please tell me how I can improve my education that can help me in future?(5 votes)
We live in an amazing time, in that the knowledge of the world is at your fingertips, in the form of the Internet. I'd recommend that you start researching the things that grab your fancy, starting with the requirements to be an astronaut. Obviously math and science are key, but you should not wait for these topics to be taught to you. :-)
You can google key phrases such as "how do I become an astronaut" and "requirements to be an astronaut." Plus you can think about what truly interests you and start searching. To help in your inspiration, you'll want to learn the history of manned space exploration, such as subscribing to the YouTube channel Vintage Space by Amy Shira Teitel, and browsing the Encyclopedia Astronautica at astronautix.com .
There are several areas where you can get your hands dirty, so to speak, and here are just a few to get you started:
Electronics (google Arduino), Robotics, Chemistry (study Chemistry here at KA, then google "Chemistry Kits"), Rocketry (google Model Rocketry and visit your local hobby store for Estes rockets), Astronomy (you can start stargazing with a pair of binoculars).
I'm a classroom teacher, and I encourage you to go where your heart leads you! Everywhere you go, ask questions, and you'll find people very eager to help an enthusiastic 12 year old. :-)(13 votes)
Once a space ship is launched, the rockets come off and fall down. Where exactly do these used rockets go?(4 votes)
They fall off in the ocean at which point they are recovered by the US Navy vessels and transported back to the hangar. They are cleaned and used again in the next rocket booster. The SpaceShuttle Challenger's one of the main reason for a mid-air blow up is that one of the rocket boosters used malfunctioned leading to the disaster.(3 votes)
I have heard that on Venus a day is longer than a year . Why is it so?(3 votes)
Most likely because it takes so long for Venus to make a full rotation along its axis. The full rotation time is shorter than the revolution time.(1 vote)
how do we even become a scientist in nasa(3 votes)
get a degree in college for STEM and what VMC said(1 vote)
Is it true that there is life on Mars ?(1 vote)
Mariya, what I believe is that there might HAVE been life in Mars millions of years ago as they found water. Now, there's no proof of life in Mars but there must be life somewhere else... maybe micro-organisms. Few microbes from Earth can withstand very high/low temperature so there can be possibilty of Extraterrestrial life. These are my thoughts(4 votes)
Video transcript
Hello, and welcome to mission control. I'm Kim Lichtenberg, and I'm a scientist and engineer who works on NASA's Mars rover mission. My dad, Byron Lichtenberg, is an engineer and a former astronaut who flew on the space shuttle twice. [intercom messages] What links us to space exploration is the same thing that unites the world: curiosity, a quest for knowledge, and a love of learning. Here at NASA, curiosity drives our quest to seek answers to fundamental questions about our universe. Creativity and innovation enable us to make daring leaps forward and exploring new worlds. Learning tutorials make it possible for everyone to share on the adventure of exploration, and to expand our own horizons through lifelong learning. We invite you to follow your own curiosity about space exploration using the tutorials below created in cooperation with NASA and Khan Academy. In "Measuring the Universe," you'll apply math and physics to understand the cosmos and what we've learned about it through human history. And in "Exploring the Universe," you can learn about NASA's missions and discoveries made for humanity. We hope you'll enjoy your journeys on learning about space exploration and be inspired to continue your own quest to understand our whole planet and worlds beyond.