52. How do spacecraft operate? (A K2S Question)

From The Space Library

Spacecraft operate something like submarines. They have a crew (astronauts), a captain (commander), an executive officer (pilot), and persons with special talents (mission specialists). They carry cargo (payloads), go on planned voyages (missions), and navigate from place to place. Like submarines they operate in a hostile environment not at all friendly to humans. Depending on the mission, they sometimes must be carefully docked, like submarines, to supply ports and even to other spacecraft. Like the voyages of submarines, spacecraft missions must be carefully planned and executed to conserve resources. One difference is that spacecraft are steered in all directions as compared to submarines which, for the most part, are kept right-side-up and usually are not translated sideways.

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Answer provided by Jon H. Brown

Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer

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