How do astronauts communicate with their families from space?
Because of the large distances involved, we can't run any wires between the Earth and space. So the only way to send information back and forth is to use radio waves. Just like a radio station broadcasts a signal which you can listen to using a radio, astronauts and people on Earth can broadcast information back and forth to each other. This information can be in any form - for example, one of the most popular ways that astronauts communicate with their families these days is via email!
Another popular method over the years has been ham radio. Astronauts can communicate with entire networks of amateur radio operators all over Earth!
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Related questions:
- How do the astronauts communicate in space if sound cannot travel in a vacuum?
- What do astronauts do all day in the International Space Station?
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