Outer Space & Universe
Outer Space & Universe
Space, also known as outer space, is the near-vacuum between celestial bodies. It is where everything (all of the planets, stars, galaxies and other objects) is found.
On Earth, space begins at the Kármán line (100 km above sea level). This is where Earth's atmosphere is said to stop and outer space begins. This is not a firm boundary but is a convention used by scientists and diplomats.
Items in space are free to move back and forth; up and down; and left and right. These three dimensions are what make 3D space. Items also move forward through time, which is sometimes called the fourth dimension.
The majority of space contains very little matter and so most of it is a vacuum. Scientists do not know how big space is but we do know that space is extremely big, and is always expanding.
According to the big bang theory, all matter and energy in the Universe was compressed into a very small space. Then it exploded and started expanding. Space is still growing in size today; this means the distance from one galaxy to distant galaxies is getting longer.
Gravity is the force that keeps the Moon in orbit around the Earth and the planets in orbit around the Sun. Gravity can stretch and bend space similar to how a heavy ball placed on a stretched sheet of rubber will cause the rubber to stretch. The scientist who discovered that space can bend is named Albert Einstein. How gravity bends space is part of his theory of general relativity.
Astronauts, Cosmonauts, Taikonauts and Spationauts
An astronaut is any person who is trained by NASA to travel and perform tasks in space. Although the space traveler may not necessarily be a United States citizen, each astronaut does go through a rigorous training regiment by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Other space travelers go by other names then astronaut depending on their country of origin.
In the United States, astronaut is derived from the Greek words ástron (star) and nautis (sailor). While, in Russia, a space traveler goes by the name космонавт (English: cosmonaut), which is derived from the Greek words kosmos (universe) and nautis (sailor). Westerners call a space traveler from China a taikonaut, based on the 1998 writings of Chiew Lee Yik and Chen Lan where the term tàikōng (great emptiness), Chinese for “space”. In China, the term yuháng yuán (universe navigator) is used for space traveler.
Only the United States of America (United States), Russia (earlier, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), and the People’s Republic of China (China) have sent manned spacecraft into space. Other countries have assisted these countries by sending their own space travelers on space missions. For instance, a French space traveler is called a spationaut (from the French word spationaute), which is derived from the Latin spatium (space) and Greek nautis (sailor). (plural in Greek nautes = sailors)
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09:11
Blastoff! SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites, nails landing - 2025's 11th Falcon 9 mission
Added 23 Views / 0 LikesA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 23 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Jan. 24, 2025 at 9:07 a.m. EST (1407 GMT; 6:07 a.m. local time). Full Story: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-launches-23-starli
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00:41
Small jets on sun are 'driving' fast and slow solar wind
Added 23 Views / 0 LikesA study of the 2023 discovery of tiny jets on the sun by ESA's Solar Orbiter has revealed that they "really are a source of not only fast but also slow solar wind," according to ESA. CREDITESA & NASA/Solar Orbiter/EUI Team
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02:55
Starship | Seventh Flight Test
Added 23 Views / 0 LikesThe first Starship flight test of 2025 flew with ambitious goals: seeking to repeat our previous success of launching and catching the world’s most powerful launch vehicle while putting a redesigned and upgraded Starship through a rigorous set of flight d
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04:52
Wave after Wave of Storms over the next 10 days! Duo Lingo Mascot dies & Florida is MoonPieTown?
Added 23 Views / 0 Likesi hope everyone is well, cool and happy.God bless everyone,Thttps://www.paypal.me/THORnewshttps://venmo.com/TEric-Lewisonhttps://www.patreon.com/thornews
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09:01
Blastoff! SpaceX launches Starlink batch on booster's record-breaking 26th flight, nails landing
Added 23 Views / 0 LikesA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 21 Starlink satellites from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Feb. 15, 2025 at 1:14 a.m. EST (0614 GMT)."It was the 26th liftoff for the rocket's first stage, breaking a reuse mark that SpaceX set just last
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Watch Live! Blue Origin's NS-30 Crewed Mission
Added 23 Views / 0 LikesMission NS-30 will be the 30th overall launch of Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket-capsule combo. It will be the 10th crewed flight for the company, which was established in 2000 by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.NS-30 will lift off from Blue Origin's West Texa
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05:44
Buckle up for Wild, Weird & Stormy March 2025!
Added 23 Views / 0 LikesIt's about to get funky.God bless everyone,Thttps://www.paypal.me/THORnewshttps://venmo.com/TEric-Lewisonhttps://www.patreon.com/thornews
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04:24
Space to Ground: The Power of 10: Feb. 28, 2025
Added 23 Views / 0 LikesNASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station. Got a question or comment? Use #AskNASA to talk to us.Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:https://www.nasa.gov/iss-scien
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01:06
Firefly's Blue Ghost on moon seen by Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
Added 23 Views / 0 LikesThe Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost lander on the moon was captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Credit: Space.com | imagery courtesy: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University / Firefly Aerospace | edited by Steve Spaleta (https://x.com/stevespaleta)
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01:07
Blastoff! China launches 5 satellites atop Ceres-1 rocket
Added 22 Views / 0 LikesA Ceres-1 rocket launched 5 satellites, including Yunyao-1 37-40 and JTX-A-05 models, from the the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Jan. 20. 2025. Credit: Space.com | footage courtesy: China Central Television (CCTV) | edited by [Steve Spaleta](https://
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10:19
The BIG Chemtrail* Question!? 7.4 Earthquake Peru! 100 inches of snow & 30+ inches of rain N. Cal!
Added 22 Views / 0 Likeshave a great weekendand stay coolGod bless everyone,Thttps://www.paypal.me/THORnewshttps://venmo.com/TEric-Lewisonhttps://www.patreon.com/thornews
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09:36
More Planes Collide! More Space Debris! Parallel Meteors! BIG ICE & BIG SNOW for NE! wtf Greece EQs.
Added 22 Views / 0 Likesyou are super duper awesome.God bless everyone,Thttps://www.paypal.me/THORnewshttps://venmo.com/TEric-Lewisonhttps://www.patreon.com/thornews
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04:00
Planets, lunar eclipse and the moon in March 2025 skywatching
Added 22 Views / 0 LikesFind out where Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Mercury will be this month. A total lunar eclipse will be visible in parts of the Americas on March 14. Also, learn about the new moon and more. Night sky: What you can see this month - https://www.space.com/16149-n
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09:03
Blastoff! SpaceX launches 2nd Starlink batch in less than 24 hours, nails landing
Added 22 Views / 0 LikesA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Feb. 11, 2025 at 1:53 p.m. ET. Credit: SpaceX
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06:20
PINK & RED ALERT! Life Threatening Floods & Tornadoes possible Saturday! KY TN AR MS AL! WTF EQs.
Added 22 Views / 0 LikesHappy Valentine's Day to all who celebrate.Play defense tho.God bless everyone,Thttps://www.paypal.me/THORnewshttps://venmo.com/TEric-Lewisonhttps://www.patreon.com/thornews
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01:10
Shenzhou 19 crew play darts in space, celebrate Chinese New Year
Added 21 Views / 0 LikesChina's Shenzhou 19 recently set a up a dart board on the Tiangong Space Station and celebrated the Chinese New Year. Credit: Credit: Space.com | footage courtesy: China Central Television (CCTV) | edited by [Steve Spaleta](https://x.com/stevespaleta)
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01:22
Near-Earth Asteroids Discovered To Date | Planetary Defense: By the Numbers March 2025
Added 21 Views / 0 Likes☄️ What do we know about the asteroids and comets in Earth's neighborhood? Planetary defense — which includes finding, tracking, and characterizing these near-Earth objects — is part of our mission. Here's what we've found so far.Learn more about Planetar
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08:09
RED ALERT! Los Angeles Flood! Southern Tornadoes! Big Snow NE? & Storm after Storm after Storm!
Added 21 Views / 0 LikesHAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSE!and thank all the cool people for being awesome.God bless everyone,Thttps://www.paypal.me/THORnewshttps://venmo.com/TEric-Lewisonhttps://www.patreon.com/thornews
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01:02
NASA fires up X-59 supersonic aircraft's engine in preparation for 1st flight
Added 21 Views / 0 LikesNASA and Lockheed Martin conducted a "series of engine run tests to prepare for the X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft's first flight," according to a post on X by the Glenn Research Center. Credit: NASA Glenn Research Center
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00:47
China names spacesuit and rover for moon exploration
Added 21 Views / 0 LikesThe Chinese spacesuit for moon exploration has been named "Wangyu", meaning "gazing into the cosmos" adn the lunar rover is called "Tansuo", meaning "to explore the unknown," according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).Credit: Space.com | footage co