• Question: In class I'm making a space ship how many people would be on the space ship

    Asked by sammy dodger to Col Op, Elie, Floris, Jenn, RocketRich on 15 Mar 2016. This question was also asked by Jeeshpie117.
    • Photo: Columbus Operations

      Columbus Operations answered on 15 Mar 2016:

      It depends how big it.

      Usually the space ships going to the International Space Station (ISS) can carry 3 astronauts. These are the Soyuz.

      The space shuttle no longer flies to the ISS but when it did it could carry up to 8 astronauts.

    • Photo: Richard Moss

      Richard Moss answered on 15 Mar 2016:

      That is a great question! NASA and ESA study that problem. The more crew, the more food and air and water is needed, which means more weight at the launch. But too few crew and you do not have enough people to work together (if one is sick, etc). Think about a village. How many people are needed to provide all that you need?
      The ISS has 6 or 7 crew (in the near future). The next spaceship to go to the Moon and Asteroids will have 4 or 5 crew. How many will go to Mars on the first trip? NASA has not decided… how many would you send and why?

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