Space Fun Facts

Bears, the Millennium Falcon & Storms
By McLain Hirschbuhl
Editor-in-Chief
 
THE MILLENNIUM FALCON
The Falcon rockets used by SpaceX are actually named after the fictional Star Wars spacecraft, the Millennium Falcon, once more proving that SpaceX founder Elon Musk is a giant nerd!
 
       ROCKETS & CHEESE
SpaceX became the first private corporation to launch a rocket into space in 2010. On board their first flight was a wheel of cheese. This was done to honor the actor John Cleese for his famous sketch in the movie, Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
 
   COSMONAUTS VS. BEARS
Most cosmonauts carry shotguns, handguns and other weapons in order to defend themselves when they return to Earth. This is in case they have to fight off bears and wolves after landing in the frozen Russian tundra.

Who knew one of the most dangerous parts of the trip to and from space would be waiting to get picked up?
 
           RUSSIA’S RULE
The Russians built the first 9 out of 10 sections of the International Space Station. You can tell because these sections have a glass box with a gun inside that says, “Break in case wolves attack.”
 
     RAINSTORMS AT NASA
NASA's vehicle production facilities are so large, mini rain storms form inside. To solve this problem, there are giant air conditioning units to suck out the moisture.
 
     BILL NYE, SPACE GUY?
Bill Nye the Science Guy originally wanted to be an astronaut. NASA kept rejecting him and so unfortunately, he missed the opportunity to become Bill Nye the Space Guy.
 
                   HEADS UP
NASA will send you a text to let you know if the International Space Station is passing overhead. Just hope that doesn't include a “Run for cover!” message, as well.
 
                 $400 FINE
When the Skylab satellite crashed in Australia, the country fined NASA $400. I'm never complaining about getting a parking ticket again.
 
             ARMAGEDDON!
Part of NASA’s management training program is to watch Armageddon, a movie about miners who are trained as astronauts to travel to space and destroy an asteroid that is threatening the future of humanity.

They watch it so that NASA can point out the many scientific inaccuracies the movie contains, and wow, are there a lot of inaccuracies like, fire (from an explosion) and sound (from a machine gun firing) — neither of which is possible in space due to a lack of atmosphere.
                
         NASA TRESPASSING?
Three men from Yemen sued NASA, claiming that Mars was rightfully theirs, because it was given to them by their ancestors. They claimed NASA was trespassing with their unmanned space rover.

And my neighbors say it's ridiculous when I complain about their dog being in my yard.
 
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