Naučte se číst v angličtině jako rodilý mluvčí

“Our endeavors in space are so special and essential,” says Peggy Whitson. She and other astronauts have compared firsthand the many differences between living on Earth and living in space.

From the beginning of time, humans have been asking questions about our universe. For centuries, scientists have wondered how Earth might compare to other planets. More than fifty years ago in the United States, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) began planning the first explorations of space.

Today, astronauts from many different countries work together on the International Space Station (ISS). It is a huge research facility in space where astronauts work to improve life on Earth and learn about our solar system. Life in space is very different from life on Earth. Many activities that we take for granted on Earth, including eating, sleeping, and even
breathing, work differently in space. Some NASA astronauts have written journal entries for their families and friends back home about their life in space. These true accounts describe what astronauts experience in space.

Compare life in space and on Earth as you get facts and read journal entries from astronauts. You might even discover some similarities.

On Earth and in Space

How Strong is the Gravity?
On Earth, we experience a force that pulls us to the ground. That force is called gravity. It is probably not something that you think about too much. Yet without gravity, we would all float away into the atmosphere. Everything from walking, riding a bike, driving a car, or sleeping in a bed is possible because of gravity. Our strong skeletons support our bodies against the pull of Earth’s gravity.

In space, the force of gravity is so weak that a feeling of weightlessness results. Astronauts use the word microgravity to describe this lack of gravity in space. Here’s how one NASA astronaut recounts the experience.

“You fly everywhere. You don’t walk. That is a lot of fun! But we do spend a lot of time exercising since microgravity has eliminated the need for crew members to walk. Our muscles and bones would atrophy during a six month tour of duty because of lack of use. While I am doing all of this exercising, I enjoy listening to music from the space station’s large CD collection.”.......