A closer look
Make sense of
the view.
Why a rocket has a launch window. How a station stays in orbit. What a day of light really means. Follow the numbers into the ideas behind them.
Explore a live feature
The distance of
a day.
Voyager 1, a changing distance and the journey of a radio signal. See the live measurement, NASA's light-day milestone and how we distinguish them.
Follow Voyager 1Start with a question.
4 guidesHow to read launch times
NET, T-0, windows and precision. Understand what a changing time actually tells you.
How fast does the ISS travel?
The ISS travels at about 28,000 km/h. Explore how orbital speed keeps it falling around Earth, why astronauts float and how to follow its current position.
What is Max Q?
Max Q is a rocket's maximum dynamic pressure. Change air density and speed in a simple model, then connect the idea to a real launch timeline.
How does Voyager 1 still talk to Earth?
Follow the radio journey between Earth and Voyager 1, understand the Deep Space Network and try a clearly labelled signal-delay simulation.