Spacecraft explained to kids

A spacecraft is a vehicle designed to travel through space. spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, Earth observation, weather monitoring, navigation, and transportation of astronauts and other cargo. Many spacecraft are launched into orbit by rockets, but there are also some that are designed to land on other planets or moons. Early spacecraft were very simple, and could only carry a few people or a small amount of cargo. However, modern spacecraft are much more advanced, and can be very large and complex. Some spacecraft are designed to be reusable, meaning they can be launched and landed multiple times. Spacecraft are generally launched from Earth by rockets. However, some spacecraft are designed to land on other planets or moons, and so they must be launched by larger rockets or other types of vehicles. There are many different types of spacecraft, and they are used for a variety of purposes. Some spacecraft are designed for human spaceflight, and can carry astronauts and other crew members. Others are designed for robotic missions, and can be controlled by ground controllers or fly by themselves. Some spacecraft are designed to perform scientific research, and can carry instruments and other payloads to study the universe. Others are designed for commercial purposes, such as satellite TV or satellite navigation. Spacecraft can be launched from Earth by a variety of different types of rockets. The most common type of rocket used for spacecraft is the solid fuel rocket, which uses a solid propellant to create thrust. However, there are also liquid fuel rockets, which use liquid propellants, and hybrid rockets, which use a combination of solid and liquid propellants. Once a spacecraft is in orbit, it can use a variety of different propulsion methods to move around. The most common type of propulsion used in orbit is chemical propulsion, which uses fuel and oxidizer to create thrust. However, there are also electric propulsion systems, which use electricity to generate thrust, and solar sails, which use sunlight to propel a spacecraft.