Astronomy

Astronomy

The branch of science that studies places beyond Earth, like stars, planets, comets and galaxies.

Satellite

Satellite

Also called Artificial satellites, a type of unmanned spacecrafts deployed into Earth’s orbit for specific missions such as communications, IT, observational and research capabilities and others.

Telescope

Telescope

An instrument used to look at very distant things. Telescopes floating in space such as Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, Spitzer Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope.

Optical Observatory

Optical Observatory

An Observatory is a place used to look into space. Optical ones, have a dome, usually in a high location with a telescope.

Radio Observatory

Radio Observatory

An Observatory is a place used to look into space. Radio ones, have big dishes that receives radio waves from space and converts them into a picture.

Space-based observatory

Space-based observatory

Telescopes floating in space. Examples are Hubble, Compton Gamma Ray, Chandra X-ray, Spitzer  and James Webb Space Telescope.

Probe

Probe

Unmanned spacecrafts that can fly millions of kilometers, used to explore space by gathering information, conducting scientific investigations and capturing images. Types include interplanetary, orbiters, and landers.

Orbiter

Orbiter

A spacecraft that orbits around another planet used to explore it, examples include earth orbiter, lunar orbiter, mars orbiter, solar orbiter.

Fly By

Fly By

A spacecraft that passes close to an object in space, but isn’t captured into its orbit by gravity. Examples include: Mariner 2 to Venus, Mariner 7 to Mars, Mariner 5 to Venus, Pioneers 10 and 11 to Jupiter and Saturn.

Rover

Rover

Wheeled robots or motorized vehicles that are used to explore the surface of an alien surface upon arrival such as another planet. Examples of rovers that have already gone to Mars are Sojourner, Spirit and Opportunity, and Curiosity.

Lander

Lander

Is a spacecraft that makes a soft landing on an alien surface such as another planet, moon or asteroid

Spacecraft

Spacecraft

A vehicle designed to travel to space used for many purposes such as communications, Earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration, and transportation of humans and cargo.

Rocket

Rocket

Carry humans and things to space and used for fireworks, weaponry, ejection seats, launch vehicles for artificial satellites, human spaceflight, and space exploration Examples are Falcon Heavy rocket and the Saturn V.

Space shuttle

Space shuttle

A human space flight, examples include Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour.

Space station

Space station

A space laboratory orbiting the Earth operated by astronauts who live there temporarily for specific missions. Examples such as Tiangong 2 and the International Space Station (ISS), Mir, Skylab and Salyut.

* Images: Credit NASA, Airbus, ESA, NOAO