What Is Aerodynamics? (Grades K-4)

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What Is Aerodynamics? (Grades K-4)

This article is for students grades K-4.

What Are the Four Forces of Flight?

Aerodynamics is the way air moves around things. The rules of aerodynamics explain how an airplane is able to fly. Anything that moves through air reacts to aerodynamics. A rocket blasting off the launch pad and a kite in the sky react to aerodynamics. Aerodynamics even acts on cars, since air flows around cars.

The four forces of flight are lift, weight, thrust and drag. These forces make an object move up and down, and faster or slower. How much of each force there is changes how the object moves through the air.

What Is Weight?

Everything on Earth has weight. This force comes from gravity pulling down on objects. To fly, an aircraft needs something to push it in the opposite direction from gravity. The weight of an object controls how strong the push has to be. A kite needs a lot less upward push than a jumbo jet does.

What Is Lift?

Lift is the push that lets something move up. It is the force that is the opposite of weight. Everything that flies must have lift. For an aircraft to move upward, it must have more lift than weight. A hot air balloon has lift because the hot air inside is lighter than the air around it. Hot air rises and carries the balloon with it. A helicopter’s lift comes from the rotor blades at the top of the helicopter. Their motion through the air moves the helicopter upward. Lift for an airplane comes from its wings.  

How Do an Airplane’s Wings Provide Lift?

The shape of an airplane’s wings is what makes it able to fly. Airplanes’ wings are curved on top and flatter on the bottom. That shape makes air flow over the top faster than under the bottom. So, less air pressure is on top of the wing. This condition makes the wing, and the airplane it’s attached to, move up. Using curves to change air pressure is a trick used on many aircraft. Helicopter rotor blades use this trick. Lift for kites also comes from a curved shape. Even sailboats use this concept. A boat’s sail is like a wing. That’s what makes the sailboat move.

What Is Drag?

Drag is a force that tries to slow something down. It makes it hard for an object to move. It is harder to walk or run through water than through air. That is because water causes more drag than air. The shape of an object also changes the amount of drag. Most round surfaces have less drag than flat ones. Narrow surfaces usually have less drag than wide ones. The more air that hits a surface, the more drag it makes.

What Is Thrust?

Thrust is the force that is the opposite of drag. Thrust is the push that moves something forward. For an aircraft to keep moving forward, it must have more thrust than drag. A small airplane might get its thrust from a propeller. A larger airplane might get its thrust from jet engines. A glider does not have thrust. It can only fly until the drag causes it to slow down and land.

Read What Is Aerodynamics? (Grades 5-8)

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Sandra May

Testing NASA’s IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe)

NASA’s IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) is loaded into the X-ray and Cryogenic Facility (XRCF) thermal vacuum chamber at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, in this photo from March 20, 2025. There, the spacecraft will undergo testing such as dramatic temperature changes to simulate the harsh environment of space.

The IMAP mission is a modern-day celestial cartographer that will map the solar system by studying the heliosphere, a giant bubble created by the Sun’s solar wind that surrounds our solar system and protects it from harmful interstellar radiation. The IMAP mission will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, no earlier than September 2025.

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Princeton/Ed Whitman

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Beth Ridgeway

Experience the Launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Mission

Digital content creators are invited to register to attend the launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to carry astronauts to the International Space Station for a science expedition as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. This will be the 15^th time a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft launched by a Falcon 9 rocket takes crews to the orbital laboratory. 

Launch of the Crew-11 mission is targeted for no earlier than July 2025 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida. The launch will carry NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, and mission specialists JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. 

If your passion is to communicate and engage the world online, then this is the event for you! Seize the opportunity to see and share the #Crew11 mission launch. 

A maximum of 50 social media users will be selected to attend this two-day event and will be given exclusive access to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

NASA Social participants will have the opportunity to: 

• View a crewed launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft 

• Tour NASA facilities at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida 

• Meet and interact with Crew-11 subject-matter experts 

• Meet fellow space enthusiasts who are active on social media 

NASA Social registration for the Crew-11 launch opens on Tuesday, April 15, and the deadline to apply is at 10 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 28. All social applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

APPLY NOW 

Do I need to have a social media account to register? 

 Yes. This event is designed for people who: 

• Actively use multiple social networking platforms and tools to disseminate information to a unique audience. 

• Regularly produce new content that features multimedia elements. 

• Have the potential to reach a large number of people using digital platforms, or reach a unique audience, separate and distinctive from traditional news media and/or NASA audiences. 

• Must have an established history of posting content on social media platforms. 

• Have previous postings that are highly visible, respected and widely recognized. 

Users on all social networks are encouraged to use the hashtag #NASASocial and #Crew11. Updates and information about the event will be shared on X via @NASASocial and @NASAKennedy, and via posts to Facebook and Instagram. 

How do I register? 

Registration for this event opens on Tuesday, April 15, and the deadline to apply is at 10 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 28. Registration is for one person only (you) and is non-transferable. Each individual wishing to attend must register separately. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Can I register if I am not a U.S. citizen? 

Yes, this event is open for all to apply, ages 18 years and older. 

When will I know if I am selected? 

After registrations have been received and processed, an email with confirmation information and additional instructions will be sent to those selected. We expect to send the acceptance notifications by May 30. 

What are NASA Social credentials? 

All social applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Those chosen must prove through the registration process they meet specific engagement criteria. 

If you do not make the registration list for this NASA Social, you still can attend the launch offsite and participate in the conversation online. Find out about ways to experience a launch here. 

What are the registration requirements? 

Registration indicates your intent to travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and attend the two-day event in person. You are responsible for your own expenses for travel, accommodations, food, and other amenities. You must be able to attend all days of NASA Social activities in order to view the launch

Some events and participants scheduled to appear at the event are subject to change without notice. NASA is not responsible for loss or damage incurred as a result of attending. NASA, moreover, is not responsible for loss or damage incurred if the event is cancelled with limited or no notice. Please plan accordingly. 

NASA Kennedy is a government facility. Those who are selected will need to complete an additional registration step to receive clearance to enter the secure areas. 

IMPORTANT: To be admitted, you will need to provide two forms of unexpired government-issued identification; one must be a photo ID and match the name provided on the registration. Those without proper identification cannot be admitted. 

For a complete list of acceptable forms of ID, please visit: NASA Credentialing Identification Requirements. 

All registrants must be at least 18 years old. 

What if the launch date changes? 

Many different factors can cause a scheduled launch date to change multiple times. If the launch date changes, NASA may adjust the date of the NASA Social accordingly to coincide with the new target launch date. NASA will notify registrants of any changes by email. 

If the launch is postponed, attendees may be invited to attend a later launch date but that is not guaranteed. 

NASA Social attendees are responsible for any additional costs they incur related to any launch delay. We strongly encourage participants to make travel arrangements that are refundable and/or flexible. 

What if I cannot come to the Kennedy Space Center? 

If you cannot come to the Kennedy Space Center and attend all days in person, you should not register for the NASA Social. You can follow the conversation online using #NASASocial.  

You can also become a virtual guest for NASA launches and milestone events. This free program gives access to curated resources, schedule changes, and mission specific information delivered straight to your inbox. Join us today! 

You can watch the launch on NASA+. NASA will provide regular launch and mission updates on X at @NASA, @NASAKennedy, and @Commercial_Crew, as well as on NASA’s Commercial Crew Program blog. 

If you cannot make this NASA Social, don’t worry; NASA is planning many other Socials in the near future at various locations! 

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Gary Daines

Why Do We Grow Plants in Space?

Why do we grow plants in space?

Plants are such versatile organisms that they can fulfill many roles in our exploration of space. Plants provide us with food, with oxygen, they can recycle water and waste, and they can even provide us with psychological benefits. So all these functions will help NASA in fulfilling our goal of trying to create a sustainable environment for human presence in space.

But there are also other benefits. We can investigate how plants adapt to the novel environment of space, something that’s completely outside their evolutionary history. We can develop new processes and technologies to cultivate plants in difficult and even extreme environments. All these lessons learned will help us in ultimately improving the lives of humans here on Earth by being able to better cultivate plants.

So why do we grow plants in space? To be able to create a sustainable environment for us to thrive in space, as well as improve lives and agricultural techniques here on Earth.

[END VIDEO TRANSCRIPT]

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Michael Ciancone Builds a Lasting Legacy in Human Spaceflight 

When Michael Ciancone joined NASA in 1983, he could hardly imagine what his 40-plus-year career would entail. From honoring and preserving spaceflight history to advancing safety standards, he has undoubtedly woven his knowledge and experience into NASA’s history as well as its future.  

Ciancone currently serves as the Orion Program safety lead, overseeing the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance’s effort to ensure the safety of the Orion crew, vehicle, and associated hardware. In his role, he manages safety reviews of all flight hardware, with a current focus on Artemis II. His everyday success is backed by decades of learning and global collaboration within the areas of human spaceflight safety and history.  

In 1997, Ciancone transferred from NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland to Johnson Space Center in Houston to serve as the executive officer for the Shuttle/International Space Station Payload Safety Review Panel, as well as group lead for Payload Safety. To better understand the scope and nature of his new role, Ciancone sought opportunities to engage with other safety professionals at conferences and symposia. At the suggestion of his manager, Ciancone instead organized a conference on spaceflight safety for payloads at Johnson, creating a forum for colleagues from the international spaceflight community.  

These efforts were the catalyst for the formation of the International Association for the Advancement of Spaceflight Safety (IAASS), an organization founded by Ciancone and Skip Larsen of Johnson along with Alex Soons and Tommaso Sgobba of the European Space Agency. The IAASS is committed to furthering international cooperation and scientific advancements in space system safety and is recognized as the pre-eminent international forum for spaceflight and safety professionals. The organization is responsible for hosting an annual conference, conducting specialized safety training, and publishing seminal books on the aspects of spaceflight safety. 

Throughout his tenure, Ciancone has worked closely with colleagues from around the world and he emphasizes that human spaceflight is a global endeavor made possible through respect and collaboration. “[In human spaceflight] there are different and equally valid approaches for achieving a common goal. Successful partnership requires an understanding and respect for the experiences and history of international partners,” he said.  

In addition to his dedication to spaceflight safety, Ciancone is active in the field of spaceflight history. He serves as the chair of the History Committee of the American Astronautical Society and, as a member of the International Academy of Astronautics, he also serves on the History Committee. Working in this community has made Ciancone more keenly aware of dreams of spaceflight as viewed from a historical perspective and guides his daily work at NASA. 

Beyond his technical achievements, Ciancone has also found creative ways to spice up the spaceflight community. While at Glenn Research Center, he co-founded the NASA Hot Pepper Club—a forum for employees who share a passion for cultivating and consuming hot peppers and pepper products. The club served as a unique space for camaraderie and connection, adding flavor to NASA life.  

Ciancone’s immersion in spaceflight history and spaceflight safety has shaped his unique and valuable perspective. In addition to encouraging others to embrace new challenges and opportunities, Ciancone paraphrases Albert Einstein to advise the Artemis Generation to “learn from the past, live in the moment, and dream of the future.” This mentality has enabled him to combine his interest in spaceflight history with his work on Orion over the past 15 years, laying the groundwork for what he refers to as “future history.”  

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Mary Pfister