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Technology

Supercomputers

Supercomputers are types of computers which work together to act quickly. 

They are often called high-performance machines. This is because they are able to process data a million times faster than the best desktop computers. 

Rows of black cabinets housing the Frontier supercomputer, with blue and red cables neatly organized along the sides. The environment features a clean, industrial look with overhead yellow cable trays and visible ventilation systems
This work by OLCF at ORNL is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
The Frontier Supercomputer in the USA

Space Ports

Spaceports are just like airports or shipping ports, but for spacecraft. 

They are places that will launch, and maybe even land rockets. 

Two CubeSats, small rectangular satellites, floating in space above the Earth's atmosphere with clouds visible in the background
This work by NASA is licensed under Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal
Image of CubeSats - a common modern small and lightweight satellite.

Uses of Satellites

Satellites are useful in lots of ways. They look at the Earth as well as space. They also help us in our daily lives.

A hand holding a smartphone displaying a map with a red location pin, against a background of green grass and plants
This work by The Schools' Observatory is licensed under All rights reserved
Smartphone with maps app

Data

Astronomers take images with telescopes because they want to use them to do science research. 

An orange galaxy with cloudy, spiral arms and a white-yellow, bright centre. A small, grey square is drawn around a tiny portion of the galaxy and there is a close-up view box on the image right. This shows many orange pixels with a few black ones.
This work by The Schools' Observatory is licensed under All rights reserved
Digital image of a galaxy

Semiconductors

Semiconductors are an important part of CCD cameras (Charge-coupled Devices). They help to convert light into a current in the technology.

A dotted cube with a grey sphere at each corner. There is a smaller outline of a grey cube inside, tilted at an angle. Again, there are grey spheres at each corner, and some of these spheres connect to each other with grey lines. The result is a crystal structure.
This work by The Schools' Observatory is licensed under All rights reserved
3D silicon crystal; each atom is bound to 4 others.