space flight
Journey beyond atmosphere
Space flight is travel beyond Earth's atmosphere into outer space.
The term covers everything from brief suborbital hops to missions reaching other planets.
The first human space flight lasted just 108 minutes.
Space flight may be crewed or uncrewed, with rockets, shuttles, or capsules as the vehicle.
Also spelled spaceflight.
Working team aboard
- astronautSpacecraft crew member
- cosmonautRussian orbital traveler
- capsuleEnclosed dose container
- dockingConnecting to a port
spacewalk · EVA · telemetry · mission control · splashdown · deorbit · checklist · ground station
Absence of apparent mass
- microgravityExtremely weak gravitational force
- zero-gInformal term for weightlessness
- freefallUnimpeded downward motion
- g-forceAcceleration in gravitational units
acceleration · thrust · propulsion · escape velocity · orbital mechanics · trajectory · reentry · aerodynamics
Orbiting celestial body
- geosynchronousOrbiting at planetary rotation speed
- geostationaryFixed above one point
- perigeeOrbit's closest point
- apogeeHighest orbital point
elliptical · circular · inclination · eccentricity · stationkeeping · orbital decay · rendezvous
Gravitationally bound stellar mass
- nebulaInterstellar gas formation
- quasarLuminous active galactic core
- pulsarMagnetized rotating neutron emitter
- supernovaExploding massive star
wormhole · black hole · event horizon · singularity · exoplanet · dark matter · relativity · cosmology
crew
Working team aboard
docking · spacewalk · EVA · telemetry · mission control · splashdown · deorbit · checklist · ground station · NASA
weightlessness
Absence of apparent mass
- microgravityExtremely weak gravitational force
- zero-gInformal term for weightlessness
- freefallUnimpeded downward motion
g-force · acceleration · thrust · propulsion · escape velocity · orbital mechanics · trajectory · reentry · aerodynamics · Hohmann transfer
satellite
Orbiting celestial body
- geosynchronousOrbiting at planetary rotation speed
- geostationaryFixed above one point
- perigeeOrbit's closest point
apogee · elliptical · circular · inclination · eccentricity · stationkeeping · orbital decay · rendezvous
galaxy
Gravitationally bound stellar mass
- nebulaInterstellar gas formation
- quasarLuminous active galactic core
- pulsarMagnetized rotating neutron emitter
supernova · wormhole · black hole · event horizon · singularity · exoplanet · dark matter · relativity · cosmology · light-year
rocket
Propulsion-driven spacecraft
launchpad · booster · stage · engine · nozzle · fuel · burn · throttle · separation · payload
cosmos
Orderly totality of existence
extraterrestrial · alien · rover · curiosity · voyager · expedition · odyssey · lunar · martian · solar system
space flightground transportation
Non-flying travel methods
sea travel · ocean voyage · aviation · air travel · driving
space flightimmobility
Lack of motion
stasis · groundedness · staying put · rootedness · staying home
space, flight, cyberspace, airspace, aerospace, space travel, breathing space, space mission