All About Astronauts

There are few among us that did not wonder in awe about what it would be like to be an astronaut a child. Space exploration will forever peak humanity’s interest and curiosity. The prestige of visiting outer space belongs to a proud few, but as technology develops, more and more people will have the opportunity.

The Federation Aeronautique Internationale states that a man or woman officially becomes an astronaut upon reaching an altitude of over 100 miles. As of March 30, 2006, 443 people have crossed this imaginary line. Efforts to learn more about space are widespread. Since the astronaut Yuri Gagarin made his pioneering exit out of our atmosphere, men and women from 35 countries have joined his notoriety.

During the race to space in the early 1960s, The United States began Project Apollo, a campaign launched to compete with the efforts of Russian scientists and future cosmonauts. With resources going into the Apollo spacecraft, Saturn Launch Vehicle, and details like mission-specific astronaut suits, the U.S. was finally successful when the Apollo astronauts reached the moon and safely returned in July of 1969.

Since the infancy of human presence in space, 18 astronauts have died on missions, and 10 more from launches. Despite this, our interests remain strong and our minds stay determined. Find out more about astronauts, and space-related news in our archive of astronaut pictures, articles and interactive features below.