Space Ports
Spaceports are just like airports or shipping ports, but for spacecraft.
They are places that will launch, and maybe even land rockets.
Firsts in Space
The journey to space didn’t start with humans. Before astronauts, animals were sent to test if living things could survive the trip. From fruit flies to dogs, these animals played a key role in space exploration. Some, like Laika the dog, became famous for their bravery.
Colour Your Space
Spending time focusing on one task can help you to relax. Colouring is a great way to spend some time on a calm and creative activity.
Use your imagination to add colour to these colouring sheets. Choose from Space Exploration, Planets, or Telescopes. Or why not complete all 3?!
Let's Explore Rockets!
Next time it's dark, why don't you look up!
Even if we can't go into space we can still learn a lot about it from right here on the ground.
Dorothy Vaughan
Year born: 1910
Research Areas: Computer Programming
"I changed what I could, and what I couldn't, I endured."
Hazza Al Mansouri
Early Life
Hazza was born in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He spent much of his childhood near the Liwa Desert where he would stargaze and dream about being a pilot. He graduated from Khalifa bin Zayed Air College in 2004 with a degree in aviation. He went on to join the UAE Armed Forces and became a military pilot. In 2018, he was one of two people selected to become the UAE’s first astronauts. Over 4000 people applied.
Year born: 1983
Research Areas: Aviation
"Working in space allows you to see people, from different backgrounds, working towards one common goal"
Tim Peake
Early Life
Tim was born and grew up in Chichester in the UK. His mum was a midwife and his dad a journalist. He went to air shows as a child which sparked his interest in flying. He left school at 18 to study at a military academy and join the British Army. Tim began flight training and became a helicopter pilot, going on to teach others to fly. During his time in the army he studied for a degree in Flight Dynamics from the University of Portsmouth.
Year born: 1972
Research Areas: Flight Dynamics, Aviation
Katherine Johnson
Early Life
Katherine Johnson grew up in West Virginia, USA. Her mother was a teacher and her father a farmer and handyman. Katherine was curious about numbers from an early age and took every course in maths she could at West Virginia State College. She graduated with the highest honours in 1937 and took a job teaching at a Black public school in Virginia. In 1939, Katherine became the first Black woman to study for a postgraduate qualification at West Virginia University. She then took a break from studying and teaching to have children.
Year born: 1918
Research Areas: Rocket Flightpaths, Trajectories, Orbital Mechanics
"I loved going to work every single day"
Timeline of the Apollo Missions
Did you know astronauts landed on the Moon six times between 1969 and 1972?
The First Moon Landing
In 1969, the Apollo 11 mission landed on the Moon.