Page 41 - Life beyond the Karman

Astrogeology
Astrogeology is the geology of the solid bodies in the solar system, such as the asteroids and the planets and their moons. Research in this field helps scientists to better understand the evolution of the Earth in comparison with that of its neighbours in the solar system. This subject was once the domain of astronomers, but the advent of spacecraft has made it accessible to geologists, geophysicists, and geochemists. Its success has largely depended on the development of advanced planetary science.
Astronomers
Astronomers are scientists who study the origins, evolution, and characteristics of objects that can be observed beyond Earth, as well as the overall nature of the universe.
What do astronomers do?
Astronomers aim to understand how the universe began, and how it has evolved and will evolve in the future. They study how interstellar dust, gas clouds, planets, stars, galaxies and clusters of galaxies came to exist and how they work.
Astronauts
An astronaut is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight programme to carry out a unique mission to space. Astronauts are professional space travellers who perform experiments and repair or replace parts of satellites.
Astronauts come from all sorts of backgrounds. Some are scientists, while others are pilots, engineers, or doctors but they have all gone through a fiercely competitive process to be selected so that one day they might get an opportunity to go into space.
What do astronauts do?
Mission Specialist Astronauts
Mission Specialist Astronauts work with pilots to conduct experiments, launch satellites, and maintain spacecraft and equipment. Their background can be in engineering, science, or medicine. They can also work as astronaut educators, inspiring students to become part of the space industry.
LIFE BEYOND THE KÁRMÁN LINE - OUTER SPACE
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