astronaut
Orbital crew member
An astronaut is a person trained to travel and work in space.
The term typically applies to crew members of spacecraft, whether military pilots or civilian scientists.
Americans use astronaut; Russians use cosmonaut; the Chinese use taikonaut—but all describe the same role.
She dreamed of becoming an astronaut since watching the moon landing.
Propulsion-driven spacecraft
- shuttleShort-distance transport
- capsuleEnclosed dose container
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- boosterSomething that increases strength
launchpad · docking · reentry · module · orbiter · space station · command module · lunar module
Organized exploratory journey
- discoveryAct of finding something
- frontierEdge of settlement
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- voyageJourney by sea
uncharted · trailblazer · quest · odyssey · pathfinder · moonwalk · lunar landing · Mars mission
Activity outside spacecraft
- spacewalkVenturing outside a spacecraft
- extravehicularOutside a spacecraft
- helmetProtective head covering
- visorEye-shading brim
gloves · life support · oxygen · tether · pressurized · thermal protection · communications · backpack
Extremely weak gravitational force
- zero-gInformal term for weightlessness
- weightlessnessAbsence of apparent mass
- orbitCurved celestial path
- floatingStaying atop liquid
sunrise · cosmos · void · isolation · confinement · disorientation · space sickness · adaptation
Device replicating real conditions
- centrifugeSpinning density-separation device
- water tankContainer for stored water
- survival trainingLearning to endure harsh conditions
- fitnessGood physical shape
endurance · isolation · mission control · protocol · certification · candidate · selection · NASA
Joint effort toward shared aim
- collaborationJoint intellectual work
- crewmateFellow vessel worker
- mission commanderHead of an expedition
- flight engineerAircrew systems monitor
Systematic fact-finding effort
- experimentationSystematic testing of ideas
- astrobiologyStudy of cosmic organisms
- data collectionSystematic accumulation of facts
- laboratoryFacility for scientific investigation
biomedical · life sciences · crystal growth · materials science · space telescope · sample collection · hypothesis · findings
rocket
Propulsion-driven spacecraft
- shuttleShort-distance transport
- capsuleEnclosed dose container
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
booster · launchpad · docking · reentry · module · orbiter · space station · command module · lunar module · Soyuz
expedition
Organized exploratory journey
voyage · uncharted · trailblazer · quest · odyssey · pathfinder · moonwalk · lunar landing · Mars mission · deep space
EVA
Activity outside spacecraft
- spacewalkVenturing outside a spacecraft
- extravehicularOutside a spacecraft
- helmetProtective head covering
visor · gloves · life support · oxygen · tether · pressurized · thermal protection · communications · backpack · umbilical
microgravity
Extremely weak gravitational force
- zero-gInformal term for weightlessness
- weightlessnessAbsence of apparent mass
- orbitCurved celestial path
floating · sunrise · cosmos · void · isolation · confinement · disorientation · space sickness · adaptation · wonder
simulator
Device replicating real conditions
- centrifugeSpinning density-separation device
- water tankContainer for stored water
- survival trainingLearning to endure harsh conditions
fitness · endurance · isolation · mission control · protocol · certification · candidate · selection · NASA · ESA
teamwork
Joint effort toward shared aim
- collaborationJoint intellectual work
- crewmateFellow vessel worker
- mission commanderHead of an expedition
research
Systematic fact-finding effort
- experimentationSystematic testing of ideas
- astrobiologyStudy of cosmic organisms
- data collectionSystematic accumulation of facts
laboratory · biomedical · life sciences · crystal growth · materials science · space telescope · sample collection · hypothesis · findings
- jobsdoctor, administrator, lawyer, teacher, nurse
- spacespace, sun, moon, stars, star
- astronautsspaceman, spacewalker, moonwalker, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin
- moonfull moon, lunar, crescent moon, new moon, half moon
- space explorationrockets, Saturn V, satellites, mission, Falcon Heavy
- space travelspaceship, starship, spacecraft, rocket, orbit
astronautearthling
Inhabitant of this planet
submariner · groundling · deep-sea diver · miner · aquanaut
astronauthomebody
One preferring domestic life
shut-in · landlubber · stay-at-home · couch potato · recluse
astronauthomebody
One preferring domestic life
hermit · isolationist · provincial · stick-in-the-mud · Luddite
- astronaut trainingEducation for orbital travel
- astronaut helmetSealed headpiece for orbit
- ancient astronautsPrehistoric alien intervention theory
- astronaut wingsInsignia for space travelers
- astronaut ice creamFreeze-dried novelty dessert