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The first American to orbit the Earth, John Glenn, also had a political career as a U.S. senator. After his historic space flight, he served in Congress for 24 years. At the end of his political career, at the age of 77, he went back into space and became the oldest person to fly in space on the shuttle Discovery. Listen to hear more about the extraordinary life of John Glenn.
Story Length: 4:11
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March 10, 2016
3:08
After living in space for almost a year, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly returned safely to Earth. Kelly stayed aboard the International Space Station, conducting experiments and taking photographs of Earth. Throughout the year, he was able to communicate with people at NASA and update them on his activities and status. Researchers at NASA have also tracked Kelly’s physical and mental health after one of the longest missions in space. Listen to the story to hear more about this astronaut’s admirable and historic journey.
Read MoreDecember 31, 2015
8:05
There are only a small number of people who have been in space. A smaller number of people have been outside a space station, tied only with a tether, floating in space. There is a huge amount of training and planning that goes into a space mission, but sometimes things still go wrong. Now astronauts have fewer opportunities for space travel since NASA ended its shuttle program in 2011. Listen to these astronauts as they describe their experiences floating over the Earth.
Read MoreNovember 10, 2015
2:13
This story is about astronaut Ronald McNair, as told by his brother Carl. They grew up in racially-segregated South Carolina. Carl tells about when Ron came up against segregation laws that he didn’t understand as a child and how that shaped his life as a young African-American in the rural south. But his life ended tragically. Listen to this story of Ronald McNair’s journey.
Read MoreApril 3, 2014
8:15
The Hubble Telescope has been transmitting data from space for 24 years. It has endured several changes in U.S. Presidents and it will continue to stay in space until at least 2020. What have we learned from the Hubble Telescope over the last two decades?
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