Astronaut
Latest about astronaut

Michael Collins, Apollo 11 pilot, dies at age 90
By Nicoletta Lanese published
Collins piloted the Apollo 11 command module as his crewmates walked on the Moon.

Spaceflight and long-distance swimming shrink the heart
By Yasemin Saplakoglu published
Scientists analyzed the hearts of retired astronaut Scott Kelly after he spent time in space and elite endurance swimmer Benoît Lecomte after he swam the Pacific Ocean.

Mark Kelly becomes 4th astronaut elected to Congress
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Mark Kelly has won a seat in the U.S. Senate, making him only the fourth NASA astronaut to be elected to Congress.

Without gravity, the fluid around an astronaut's brain moves in weird ways
By Doris Elin Salazar published
The fluid that cushions the human brain redistributes in the skull during spaceflight, according to a new study.

An Astronaut Got a Blood Clot in Space. Here's How Doctors on Earth Fixed It.
By Leonard David published
An unidentified astronaut aboard the International Space Station had a deep vein thrombosis — or blood clot — in the jugular vein of their neck, according to a new case study.

The 1st Human on Mars May Be a Woman, NASA Chief Says
By Hanneke Weitering published
It won't be long before we see the first woman on Mars, and she just might beat the first man there, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said Friday (Oct. 18).

Space Radiation Doesn't Seem to Be Causing Astronauts to Die from Cancer, Study Finds
By Rachael Rettner published
That may be true for the short missions astronauts have gone on so far. But Mars will be a different story.

A SpaceX Crew Dragon Safety Test Went Very Wrong. Here's Why That Matters
By Rafi Letzter published
SpaceX tested the escape system on its Crew Dragon capsule. Smoke from the failure was visible for miles.
!["[It's] like walking in an underground wonderland," said NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, describing his experience underground in the Sa Grutta caves in Sardinia, Italy.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Syd9KzwqBKKdYRUdFpMNof-320-80.jpg)
Astronauts Spent 6 Nights in a Pitch-Black Cave, and Emerged with a Brand-New Species of Crustacean
By Brandon Specktor published
An international team of astronauts has discovered new life (in a cave below Italy).

Meet Ripley, SpaceX's Dummy Astronaut Riding on Crew Dragon Test Flight
By Meghan Bartels published
SpaceX's famous "Starman" dummy onboard the inaugural Falcon Heavy launch is about to have some competition — from a new dummy, named Ripley, strapped into the company's first Crew Dragon capsule.
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now
Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.