What is an astronaut?

Astronauts are engaged in various tasks, both in space and on earth, to push the steadily-advancing cutting edge of space development. Apr 21, 2025 ... noun as· tro· naut ˈa-strə-ˌnȯt -ˌnät plural astronauts : a person whose profession is to travel beyond the earth's atmosphere. Any creature trying to survive on the lunar surface has to deal with up to 127 °C daytime temperatures and lows of -173 °C at night. They need to be built to ... Oct 6, 2022 ... "Astronaut" is a used to refer to a profession/specialization/career. There have been space tourists of varying degrees my whole life who've ... Apr 15, 2025 ... After Blue Origin's New Shepard flight, the question arose: what makes one an 'astronaut?' · There is no single definition of "astronaut," ... Nov 8, 2021 ... Foods taken into space must be light-weight, compact, tasty and nutritious. They must also keep for long periods without refrigeration. Nov 5, 2024 ... NASA Astronaut / First American Woman in Space. ... Ride joined NASA as part of the 1978 astronaut class, the first to include women. Mar 31, 2025 ... Sunita Williams is an American astronaut who set records on her three flights to the International Space Station. Her first two spaceflights ... NASA has selected 360 astronaut candidates: 299 men, 61 women; 212 military, 138 civilians; 191 pilots, 159 non-pilots. Dec 18, 2024 ... NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and two cosmonauts' six-month stay on the space station was unexpectedly extended to a year after their Soyuz ship ...