The Astronomy website from Idaho Public TV's Dialogue for Kids can answer many of your questions about space, astronomy and the universe. But this is the place for information about how to be a space explorer.

Human Space Flight
     Humans can travel to space in the Space Shuttle and can live in space in the International Space Station. The Kennedy Space Center in Florida is the home to the Space Shuttle. Take an interactive tour of the Space Shuttle here.

The International Space Station is the largest man-made object in space. The photo gallery at the PBS website,"Space Station," will give you an inside and outside look at the Space Station.

Meet Barbara Morgan, Idaho's teacher astronaut!! Read her Biography .

Ride along with her as she flies in space shuttle Endeavour to the Space Station.

How to be a part of the space challenge: Careers

     There are many ways to be part of the space challenge. You probably know something about astronauts. Do you have what it takes to be an astronaut? Do you thing you could eat bugs or survive the Vomit Comet?

Astronaut School

So you want to be an astronaut!

How much does a spacesuit weigh?
About 280 pounds

Have you wondered what it's like to live, eat, sleep and exercise in space? Check these websites:

Living in Space
Food for Space Flight
Sleeping in Space
Exercising

Spaceflight Questions and Answers

    It takes rigorous training to meet the physical challenges of weightlessness. Astronauts train in a space shuttle simulator which mimics all the motions and situations of a real space mission. There is even a special team of trainers that thinks up problems to help the crew be prepared for unexpected situations.

Did you know that there is gravity in space? Everything floats at life in Space.

     
Space is also an unfriendly environment to an astronaut. There is no oxygen to breathe. Micrometeorites (little pieces of rock and ice), dangerous radiation from the sun and temperature extremes are some of the problems that must be considered when designing space suits. Space Biology FAQ's provides more detail to these problems. 

It takes more than just the people aboard an orbiter to run a shuttle mission. There are about 270 experts, the ground controllers, who work on the ground at the Johnson Space Flight Center. This earth crew is divided into different groups. The Flight Dynamics Department is responsible for orbital maneuvers. Payloads is in charge of the shuttle cargo. There is a department for Guidance, Navigation and Control Systems. The communications group directly talks to the shuttle's commander. A flight director is the top authority for each shuttle mission.

     You don't have to be an astronaut or a part of the Earth crew to be a part of space exploration. Those who design and build the shuttles, space stations, rockets, computers, and navigation systems are a part of the exploration team. You can be a mechanical engineer, machinist, electronic assembler, manager, or part of the administrative support team. Aerospace Scientists can be astronomers,chemists, physicists, biologists, geologists, and botanists.

     So stay curious in Space, keep looking up and someday you can be a part of an exciting future.