Inner Planets
This is the smallest planet in our solar system and the closest one to the Sun.
What is Mercury?
This is the largest planet in our solar system, measuring more than twice as big as all the other planets combined.
What is Jupiter?
Located at the center of our galaxy, this hot ball of burning gas emits the heat and light that the planets revolve around.
What is the Sun? (Also accept: A star)
This term describes the environment in space where there is very little gravity to keep objects or people grounded.
What is microgravity?
This is the total number of recognized planets currently revolving around the Sun in our solar system.
What is eight?
This is the only planet in our solar system that is capable of sustaining life because of its water systems.
What is Earth?
This outermost planet in our solar system holds the title of being the coldest planet.
What is Neptune?
These are large rocks that orbit the Sun, but are not classified as full planets.
What are asteroids?
Because fluids shift upward in a human body without gravity, astronauts often experience this physical change in their faces.
What is facial puffiness?
This term represents the entire system of space and everything else contained within it.
What is the universe?
This planet is a cold, rocky desert with a very thin atmosphere, and scientists believe it may have once held life.
What is Mars?
This gas giant is the second largest planet in our solar system and is famous for its massive, distinct ring systems.
What is Saturn?
This streak of light, often called a shooting star, is seen when a piece of space rock burns up in Earth's atmosphere.
What is a meteor?
To prevent their food and drinks from floating away or making a dangerous mess, astronauts eat food that has been processed in these two ways.
What are dehydrated and vacuum-sealed?
Satellites, probes, and rovers all fall under this specific category of spacecraft because they operate without a human onboard.
What is uncrewed?
Known as the hottest planet in our solar system, temperatures here can reach up to 867°F, and it spins in the opposite direction of most other planets.
What is Venus?
This ice giant is uniquely known for rotating completely on its side compared to the other planets.
What is Uranus?
These chunks of ice and rock orbit the Sun in long, oval paths, growing visible melting tails as they get closer to the Sun's heat.
What are comets?
To sleep safely without drifting around, astronauts must use sleeping bags that are secured in this specific way.
What is tethered (or strapped) to the wall or ceiling?
This unit of measurement, equal to the average distance from the Sun to Earth, is used by scientists to make comparing massive cosmic distances easier.
What is an Astronomical Unit (AU)?
These are the three shared physical characteristics that define the Terrestrial planets of the inner solar system, separate from their size.
What are being made of rocky materials, having solid surfaces, and having no rings? (Accept any two: rocky materials, solid surfaces, no rings).
Unlike the inner solar system, the Jovian planets can be split into these two distinct sub-categories based on their composition.
What are Gas Giants and Ice Giants?
While both originate in space, this is the specific vocabulary difference between a meteoroid and a meteorite.
What is that a meteoroid is floating in space, while a meteorite has actually crashed onto a planet's surface?
Due to the complete lack of load-bearing forces in microgravity, astronauts must exercise regularly to prevent these two severe changes to their musculoskeletal system.
What are muscle atrophy (weakening) and bone loss (decrease in bone density)?
If you are traveling from the Sun outward toward the edge of the solar system, this is the correct order of the planets you will pass.
What are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune?