astronaut

National

Apollo astronaut Frank Borman, who first orbited moon, dies at age 95

4:29pm November 09, 2023

by Russell Lewis

Frank Borman commanded two early NASA missions including Apollo 8, the first to orbit the moon. He was a no-nonsense astronaut known for his keen attention to detail and duty to country.

Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques has his blood sampled on board the International Space Station for an experiment that examines the space-related changes that occur in blood and bone marrow.

Why do some people get rashes in space? There's a clue in astronaut blood

5:00am June 26, 2023

by Ari Daniel

A new study of astronaut blood finds that space travel reduces the expression of 100 genes related to the immune system.

Astronaut Al Worden circled the moon during the Apollo 15 mission.

National

Retired Apollo 15 Astronaut Al Worden Dies At 88

4:26pm March 18, 2020

by Russell Lewis

He had one trip to the moon — not to tread the surface, but to orbit in the craft that would return the two moonwalkers to Earth. All three got in trouble later over the sale of space mementos.

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Astronauts Christina Koch (right) and Jessica Meir pose for a photo on the International Space Station on Oct. 4. NASA moved up the first all-female spacewalk because of a power system failure at the space station.

National

NASA's First All-Female Spacewalk Set For Friday

6:57pm October 16, 2019

by Rachel Treisman

Astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir will replace a faulty power regulator on the International Space Station. Only 15 women have participated in spacewalks, and all were accompanied by men.

Some of the space food that was scheduled to be carried on the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission included (from left to right): chicken and vegetables, beef hash, and beef and gravy.

50 Years After Apollo 11, Here's What (And How) Astronauts Are Eating

7:00am July 21, 2019

by Susie Neilson

Ever since astronaut John Glenn's first bite of applesauce in 1962, eating in space has been a challenge. NPR talks to former NASA food scientists to see how cosmic cuisine has evolved over the years.

NASA astronaut Anne McClain, attends her final exam at the Gagarin Cosmonauts' Training Centre outside Moscow on Nov. 14, 2018.

Science

'Every Day Is A Good Day When You're Floating': Anne McClain Talks Life In Space

1:34pm February 17, 2019

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Kindergartners from Georgetown Day School in Washington D.C., help NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro field questions to McClain, who's an astronaut serving on the International Space Station.

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The Chinese lunar lander Chang'e 4 is headed to Aitken Basin, a large impact crater near the moon's south pole, pictured here in blue. The distance from the depths of Aitken Basin to the tops of the highest surrounding peaks is nearly twice the height of

China's Lunar Lander To Explore Moon's Far Side

5:07am January 01, 2019

by Joe Palca

Early in 2019, China hopes to land a rover — the first soft landing on the moon's far side. The mission is exploratory, and will lay groundwork for a trip by Chinese astronauts to the lunar surface.

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NASA astronaut Anne McClain (from left), Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency successfully blasted into space on Monday morning. It is the first mission since an aborted launch in October.

World News

Soyuz Rocket Launches, Docks Successfully To Relief Of NASA, Russia Space Agency

3:17pm December 03, 2018

A Russian, an American and a Canadian were aboard the spacecraft when it lifted off from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazkahstan. It's the first launch since a failed mission in October.

Astronaut Dick Gordon, a member of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, attends a 2009 event at Cape Canaveral, Fla.

National

NASA Astronaut Dick Gordon Has Died At Age 88

7:06pm November 07, 2017

by Russell Lewis

As a child in the Great Depression, he never dreamed of being a pilot — let alone an astronaut who would be one of just 24 people to fly to the moon. He had two of the early spacewalks.

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"It's not just about making one German astronaut happy with fresh bread," Marcu explains. "There's really a deeper meaning to bread in space." Above, a photo illustration of bread in space.

3, 2, 1 ... Bake Off! The Mission To Make Bread In Space

1:09pm July 26, 2017

by Paige Pfleger

On Earth, crumbs are harmless, but in orbit they can be perilous. But bread is a big deal in Germany, so scientists and engineers there are teaming up to create an oven and dough fit for microgravity.