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The American space shuttle is the most complex machine ever built. It is made up of 2.5 million parts and it's engines produced 44 million horsepower on takeoff. The space shuttle program closed on July 21, 2011, after having brought 3 millions pounds of cargo into space.

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It takes 100,000 years for a space ship traveling at the speed of light to travel our galaxy (the Milky Way) from one end to the other.

In space, astronauts eat tortillas instead of bread due to safety reasons. Bread crumbs could get loose and damage delicate equipment on the spacecraft.

In space, astronauts eat tortillas instead of bread due to safety reasons. Bread crumbs could get loose and damage delicate equipment on the spacecraft.

Cube shaped watermelons in Japan cost two to three times the normal price, about $90US. Their cube shape helps to save space in the fridge.

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Around 60 tons of cosmic dust falls down to Earth from outer space every day.

Around 60 tons of cosmic dust falls down to Earth from outer space every day. Every breathing organism inhales some of this ancient dust, which long ago may have formed a star or a planet.

The first person to pay for visiting outer space is Dennis Tito.

The first person to pay for visiting outer space is Dennis Tito. His one week trip to the International Space Station cost 20 million dollars, and was courtesy of the Russians. NASA wasn't thrilled.

Earth's gravity field extends well into outer space. It's strong enough to keep our moon in place, and will eventually pull back all the satellites we have launched into orbit.

The first living creature in outer space was a female Samoyed husky dog named Laika. She was launched aboard the Russian spacecraft Sputnik 2 on November 3rd, 1957.

The first man in space boarded the Russian spacecraft Vostok 1 in April 12, 1961 with a 50-50 chance of survival.

The first man in space boarded the Russian spacecraft Vostok 1 in April 12, 1961 with a 50-50 chance of survival. The spacecraft orbited the earth for one hour and 48 minutes and returned successfully.

The International Space Station travels 253 miles (408km) above the earth at 17,100 (27,519km/h) miles per hour and completes a full circle of the earth every 90 minutes. Astronauts on board get to see a sunrise and sunset 16 times each day.

93 percent of all water on board the International Space Station is recycled. NASA has even installed a high tech water filter that turns urine into water. The US astronauts drink it, but the Russian astronauts refuse, although they don't mind handing over their urine to the Americans.

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