Space Exploration Glossary
Terms Relating to NASA Programs
Aeronautics — The science of building and operating vehicles for flight. Ascent module — That part of a spacecraft that ascends from the surface of a planet or moon to rendezvous and dock with an orbiting spacecraft. Asteroid — A small, usually irregularly shaped body orbiting the sun, most often at least partially between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Astronautics — The science and technology of space flight. Astrophysics — The study of the physical and chemical nature of celestial bodies and their environs. Atmosphere — The gaseous or air portion of the physical environment that encircles a planet….
