An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek ἄστρον (astron), meaning 'star', and ναύτης (nautes), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a …

4 days ago · astronaut, designation, derived from the Greek words for “star” and “sailor,” commonly applied to an individual who has flown in outer space. More specifically, in the West, astronaut refers …

Jan 14, 2026 · The term “astronaut” derives from the Greek words meaning “star sailor,” and refers to all who have been launched as crew members aboard NASA spacecraft bound for orbit and beyond.

1 day ago · Astronaut Suni Williams left NASA late last month after 27 years of service. She spent a total of 608 days in space, more than all but one other American astronaut.

2 days ago · NASA's Suni Williams — one of two astronauts stuck for months at the International Space Station — has retired.

1 day ago · NASA astronaut Suni Williams has retired after 27 years of service and a career defined by endurance, leadership, and firsts in space. She spent 608 days in orbit, completed nine spacewalks, …

The meaning of ASTRONAUT is a person whose profession is to travel beyond the earth's atmosphere; broadly : any person who travels beyond the earth's atmosphere.

2 days ago · Buzz Aldrin, the second man and only one of 12 to ever walk on the moon, turns 96 today. He's just one of four living moonwalkers and the oldest remaining astronaut still making trips around …

3 days ago · Veteran NASA astronaut Suni Williams announced her retirement Tuesday. Her extended mission to orbit due to the troubled Boeing Starliner test flight was her final foray.

Learn who astronauts are and what they do in space and on Earth.