Would You Rather Visit Space or the Deep Ocean?

Right now, an enormous laboratory called the International Space Station (ISS) is circling Earth 409 kilometers (254 miles) above the planet’s surface. The station allows a crew of up to seven people to live and work in the airless void of space for months at a time. Spanning the length of a football field, the ISS is made up of connected modules where astronauts can eat, sleep, exercise, and perform experiments.

Right now, a huge laboratory is circling Earth, 409 kilometers (254 miles) above the planet’s surface. It’s the International Space Station (ISS). It holds a crew of up to seven people. For months at a time, the station allows them to live and work in the airless void of space. The ISS is as long as a football field and is made up of connected modules. Astronauts can eat, sleep, exercise, and perform experiments in them.

To get to the station, astronauts ride in a tiny spacecraft launched from atop a powerful rocket. The flight to space is a rough one. The rocket accelerates from zero to 28,000 km (17,400 mi) per hour in minutes! It’s so fast that astronauts feel a crushing force three times greater than the pull of Earth’s gravity. The rocket separates from the spacecraft, which then positions itself to dock, or connect, with the ISS. Depending on the spacecraft and flight path, the journey can take anywhere from four hours to three days.

To reach the station, astronauts ride in a tiny spacecraft. It’s launched on top of a powerful rocket. The flight to space is rough. The rocket accelerates from zero to 28,000 km (17,400 mi) per hour in minutes! At this speed, astronauts feel a crushing force. It’s three times greater than the pull of Earth’s gravity. The rocket separates from the spacecraft. Then the spacecraft positions itself to dock, or connect, with the ISS. The journey can take anywhere from four hours to three days. It depends on the spacecraft and flight path.

Inside the ISS, astronauts experience microgravity—gravity much weaker than on Earth. So they’re always floating! This takes getting used to. “I experienced some nausea when I first got into space,” says NASA astronaut Megan McArthur. On the station, astronauts spend time doing research and exercising to maintain their muscles, which can atrophy, or waste away, in low gravity. A favorite activity is peering out the window at Earth. “I love to look out at our beautiful planet,” says McArthur.

Inside the ISS, astronauts experience microgravity. This gravity is much weaker than Earth’s. So they’re always floating! This takes getting used to. “I experienced some nausea when I first got into space,” says NASA astronaut Megan McArthur. On the station, astronauts do research. Their muscles can atrophy, or waste away, in low gravity. So they also exercise to maintain their muscles. And they enjoy peering out the window at Earth. “I love to look out at our beautiful planet,” says McArthur.

The lowest known point on Earth lies nearly 11 km (7 mi) beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean. It is known as the Challenger Deep, and it is found in the Mariana Trench. This long, narrow canyon formed when two tectonic plates—the massive slabs of rock that make up Earth’s outer crust—collided. Studying the Mariana Trench helps scientists learn more about the mysterious deep ocean. Only 27 people have gone all the way down to the Challenger Deep.

The lowest known point on Earth is the Challenger Deep. It lies nearly 11 km (7 mi) under the surface of the Pacific Ocean. The Challenger Deep is found in the Mariana Trench. This long, narrow canyon formed when two tectonic plates collided. These massive slabs of rock make up Earth’s outer crust. Scientists study the Mariana Trench to learn more about the mysterious deep ocean. Only 27 people have gone all the way down to the Challenger Deep.

Scientists explore the Mariana Trench in deep-sea submersibles. These underwater vehicles have thick walls designed to withstand the enormous pressure created by the weight of water pushing against them. These subs are cramped—barely big enough to hold two or three people. Once lowered from a ship, the subs use battery-powered motors to slowly descend. It takes three to four hours to reach the deepest part of the trench.

Scientists explore the Mariana Trench in deep-sea submersibles. The weight of water pushes against these underwater vehicles with huge pressure. So they have thick walls to withstand it. These subs are cramped. They’re barely big enough for two or three people. First, the subs are lowered from a ship. Then they use battery-powered motors to slowly descend. It takes three to four hours to reach the deepest part of the trench.

No sunlight reaches the bottom of the Mariana Trench, making it pitch-black and frigid. “As you descend, the inside of the sub gets colder and colder, so you have to add on layers of clothing to keep warm,” says Amanda Demopoulos, a scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey. Cameras and tiny portholes allow researchers to gaze into the depths, lit only by the sub’s headlights. The Mariana Trench is home to many unusual species, like anglerfish, amphipods, and ghostfish. “The deep sea continues to be a new frontier for amazing discoveries,” says Demopoulos.

No sunlight reaches the bottom of the Mariana Trench. So it’s pitch-black and frigid. “As you descend, the inside of the sub gets colder and colder, so you have to add on layers of clothing to keep warm,” says Amanda Demopoulos. She’s a scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey. Cameras and tiny portholes allow researchers to peer into the waters. The only light comes from the sub’s headlights. Many unusual species live in the Mariana Trench. They include anglerfish, amphipods, and ghostfish. “The deep sea continues to be a new frontier for amazing discoveries,” says Demopoulos.