Climb aboard boys and girls, and welcome to our internet space station. On today's journey we will be visiting the planets, meet the astronauts, learn about rockets and space ships, and see the stars. So, if everyone is ready, buckle up, sit back and enjoy the ride. We'll be leaving in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... blast off!!!
The Planets
Including Earth, there are a total of 9 planets in our solar system. All of the planets orbit around the sun. Since the sun is really hot, the planet closest to the sun is the hottest planet, and the planet furthest from the sun is the coldest planet. From the sun, the planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Several of the planets, including Earth, have moons which orbit around the planet, with Saturn having the most. Here are some great resources to learn more about the planets:
- Nine Planets : resourceful websites about all of the planets and their moons.
- Nine Planets for Kids : information about the planets.
- Welcome to the Planets : photos and information on the planets from NASA.
- Interactive Solar System : informative and fun resource from kidsastronomy.com, where you can click on planets to find information.
- Solar System Fun : NASA science for kid's resource on the planets and solar system.
- Planets of our Solar System : photos and information on the planets of the solar system.
Astronauts
Now it's time to meet the men and women who visit the planets, and who orbit the Earth - the astronauts. Astronauts go into space and spend as little as a few days in space or as much as several months on a space station. Astronauts do many things in space including repairing space crafts, launching satellites (including communication satellites used for global phones), take pictures and perform experiments in space. Here is information on who the astronauts are and what do they do in space:
- Astronaut Biographies : biographies of NASA astronauts, plus information on how to become an astronaut and what it is like living in space.
- Astronaut Fast Facts : information and facts on being an astronaut.
- Life in Space : information, fun and games on what it is like living in space.
- Astronaut Life : Discovery Channel resource on what it's like to be an astronaut.
- Living in Space : what the day to day life in space is like for astronauts.
Rocket Ships
To go into space, rockets have to be powerful enough to break free of the Earth's gravity, and once in space, they continue with a space ship. For space travel, astronauts have used various types of space craft, including space stations where they can live for extended periods of time. Here is information on rockets and space ships:
- Rockets for Kids : information on rockets including do it yourself rocket kits.
- How Rocket Engines Work : resource on how rocket engines work to get into orbit.
- Beginners Guide to Rockets : excellent resource on how rockets work.
- Space Station Kids : kid's resource on space station life.
- NASA Kids Club : information and games for kids from NASA.
Stars
Now that we are in space, you can get an up close look at the stars which look so far away on Earth. The sky has a large number of stars, many of which have been named.
- Learn About the Stars : kid's resource to learn about stars.
- Stars and Galaxies : fun and informational resource about stars and galaxies.
- Star Names : an alphabetical listing of stars that have been named.
- Stars : portraits of stars and constellations.
- Facts About Stars : information on stars, constellations and other heavenly bodies.
That concludes our trip to space in the Internet space station. We hope you enjoyed your trip and you have a better understanding of space, space travel and the stars, so that next time you look up into the sky you will see what is happening. Thanks for flying with us!