Q. We've all heard the joke--NASA spent $11 million developing a zero-g capable space pen, when the Soviets just used pencils. The truth is:

A. An inventor named Fisher created the space pen and marketed it to NASA

Q. The Shuttle-Mir Program was a collaborative effort between Russia and the US, where US space shuttles and astronauts visited Russian space station Mir, and Russian cosmonauts flew on US shuttles. 'Mir' is the Russian word for what?

A. Both 'Peace' and 'World'

Q. John F. Kennedy Space Center, NASA's space vehicle launch facility and Launch Control Center is located where?
A. Merritt Island, Florida

Q. NASA's first human spaceflight program specialized in orbital and sub-orbital flight, with capsules only large enough to hold one pilot. What was the program called?

A. Project Mercury

Q. Who is the only astronaut to have hit a golf ball on the moon?
A. Alan B. Shepard

Q. In 1958, which US President signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, officially establishing NASA?

A. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Q: Christa McAuliffe was the first teacher in space. Who is the scheduled to be the second?
A: Barbara Morgan

Q: What was the wingspan of the solar-powered Helios spacecraft?
A: 247ft

Q: How many Tracking and Data Relay Satellite Systems (TDRSS) satellites are on-orbit today?
A: The TDRSS space segment consists of seven on-orbit satellites.

Q: Which astronaut was the only one of the Mercury 7 astronauts to fly in all three of NASA's 'Moon Shot' programs (Mercury, Gemini and Apollo)?
A: Wally A. Schirra was the only man to fly in all three projects. Alan Shepard flew in Mercury and Apollo, but not in Gemini. Gus Grissom was involved in all three project, flying in Mercury and Gemini, but he was killed during a pre-flight simulation in his Apollo 1 capsule, so he never actually flew in the Apollo program.

Q: How many of the original Mercury 7 astronauts walked on the moon?
A: Although three of the Mercury 7 flew in the Apollo program, only one, Alan Shepard, walked on the moon.

Q: The word "Ozone" comes from what Greek word?
A: ozein, which means "smell", a reference to the chemical's odor.

Q: Who was the first American woman astronaut to perform a spacewalk?
A: Astronaut Kathy Sullivan, was first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk during STS-41G.

Q: What are Saturn's rings made of?
A: The rings are made of chunks of water ice ranging in size from dust to large houses.

Q: Who was the first African-American to perform spacewalk?
A: On Feb. 9, 1995, Dr. Bernard Harris became the first African-American to walk in space.

Q: What launch pad did the fatal Apollo 1 fire occur on at what was then called Cape Kennedy?
A: Launch Complex 34

Q: Who was the first American Astronaut to ride aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket?
A: Dr. Norm Thagard

Q: Only one Gemini capsule was given a name; which one.
A: The first capsule was called Molly Brown by Astronaut Gus Grissom.

Q: What NASA Center built the Explorer 1 spacecraft?
A: The Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Q: What is NACA?
A: National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics

According to legend, Wàn Hǔ (d. ca. 1500) was a minor Chinese official of the Ming dynasty who attempted to become the world's first recorded "astronaut". After strapping 47 rockets to a wicker chair, he had 47 servants ignite them at the same time. With a roar of flame and smoke, he was never seen again. The crater Wan-Hoo on the far side of the Moon is named after him.

"The rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air" tell about an attack of 32-pound English Congreve rockets on our Fort McHenry in 1814. They were a new weapon of war, with a range of about three miles.

The name Rocket comes from the Italian Rocchetta (i.e. little fuse), a name of a small firecracker created by the Italian artificer Muratori in 1379.

Although the first recorded mention of rockets in battle was by the Chinese in 998 A.D., fireworks were mentioned as early as 282 A.D.