Apr 22, 2025 · Spaceships and Rockets What is a rocket? A rocket is used to carry a spacecraft from Earth’s surface to space, usually to low Earth orbit or beyond, and is sometimes called a launch vehicle.

As of 2016, only three nations have flown crewed spacecraft: USSR/Russia, USA, and China. The first crewed spacecraft was Vostok 1, which carried Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into space in 1961, …

Starship is the fully reusable spacecraft and second stage of the Starship system. The vehicle comes in several different configurations, offers an integrated payload section and is capable of carrying crew …

Explore our definitive list of spacecraft, including satellites, planetary probes, crewed vehicles, and deep-space missions. Discover detailed information on various spacecraft, their designs, and their historic …

Feb 21, 2026 · space exploration, investigation, by means of crewed and uncrewed spacecraft, of the reaches of the universe beyond Earth ’s atmosphere and the use of the information so gained to …

Sep 22, 2022 · Learn about different types of spacecraft, both crewed and uncrewed, used for space exploration.

Discover the United States’ pioneering role in space exploration with groundbreaking spacecraft technologies and historic missions. American spacecraft are bold, brilliant, and built to boldly go.