A History of Space Travel
Continuing with my space related blogs here is a brief history of mankind’s voyages into the farthest quests for knowledge and discovery. Ever since Jules Verne wrote about all kinds of travel we have had an urge to make sci-fi a reality, and this is so true when it comes to space. The world looked up to the skies in 1959 when the Russians launched sputnik one. A simple device that orbited the earth emitting a simple beep-beep sound. A sound that could be heard on any transistor radio. But this wasn’t the only thing the Russian space agency contributed they were the first to send an animal into space a dog called LIKA, who actually died during re-entry, a fact that didn’t come out until after the fall of communism. Then Yuri Gagarin made history by becoming the first person to be launched into orbit, a ninety minute voyage that put him in the same class as Columbus, the Wright Brothers and Charles Lindbergh.
The first Eva or spacewalk was also done by a Russian proving that work in space could be possible for a person outside the safety of an orbiter. The American’s always seemed to be playing catch up when it came to space. Yes they did make it to the North Pole before anyone else, developed the first weapon of mass destruction and pioneered much of supersonic travel. They built a plane that could fly higher than any other. But they did drop the ball when it came to space travel. Then in 1961 they laid down the gauntlet and announced they would make it to the moon before 1970.
It was this challenge where NASA set the standards. The Gemini program was ground breaking; docking with other vehicles in space, both manned an unmanned. Firing people in to space for days to see if there are any long term effects on the body during periods of weightlessness. Then with the Apollo program more developments were made. They built a lunar lander nick-named the spider. Apollo 8 circumnavigated the moon ten times. Apollo 9 mission proved that the LEM worked and could make a rendezvous with its command module. Then on Apollo 10 they took the LEM to the moon and performed manoeuvres in near lunar orbit. Then on July 20th 1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldren became the first men to step on another world. And the famous “One small step one giant leap for mankind speech”. But I actually prefer the words of the Apollo 12 commander when he first stepped on to the moon “YIPEE”. It was on this mission they placed laser mirrors on the surface of the moon, which are still used today. They show us that the moon is getting further away from the Earth. They fire a laser at them and record how long it takes to receive it back. The best thing NASA did as it proves the landings were not faked.
But the Apollo program did have its setbacks too. The fire on Apollo 1 during the plugs-out test that killed Gus Grissom Richard Chafee and Ed White. Also the ill fated mission of Apollo 13 that almost ended in tragedy, when an o2 tank exploded shortly after take off. For this mission NASA had to improvise a way of getting Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert home safely which they did. They also sent four more manned missions to the moon. Apollo 14 went to Apollo 13 destination. And Apollo’s 15 16 and 17 made their contributions too.
Then there was Skylab and the Apollo Soyuz space meeting. The shuttle program developed in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Not forgetting the Mir Space Station. The probes that have been sent all around the solar system, including the robots that landed on Mars. The Giotto probe that took scientific measurements in the tail of Hayley’s comet.
This brings us up to date. There is the international space station, satellite communications. The Hubble Telescope.
Continuing with my space related blogs here is a brief history of mankind’s voyages into the farthest quests for knowledge and discovery. Ever since Jules Verne wrote about all kinds of travel we have had an urge to make sci-fi a reality, and this is so true when it comes to space. The world looked up to the skies in 1959 when the Russians launched sputnik one. A simple device that orbited the earth emitting a simple beep-beep sound. A sound that could be heard on any transistor radio. But this wasn’t the only thing the Russian space agency contributed they were the first to send an animal into space a dog called LIKA, who actually died during re-entry, a fact that didn’t come out until after the fall of communism. Then Yuri Gagarin made history by becoming the first person to be launched into orbit, a ninety minute voyage that put him in the same class as Columbus, the Wright Brothers and Charles Lindbergh.
The first Eva or spacewalk was also done by a Russian proving that work in space could be possible for a person outside the safety of an orbiter. The American’s always seemed to be playing catch up when it came to space. Yes they did make it to the North Pole before anyone else, developed the first weapon of mass destruction and pioneered much of supersonic travel. They built a plane that could fly higher than any other. But they did drop the ball when it came to space travel. Then in 1961 they laid down the gauntlet and announced they would make it to the moon before 1970.
It was this challenge where NASA set the standards. The Gemini program was ground breaking; docking with other vehicles in space, both manned an unmanned. Firing people in to space for days to see if there are any long term effects on the body during periods of weightlessness. Then with the Apollo program more developments were made. They built a lunar lander nick-named the spider. Apollo 8 circumnavigated the moon ten times. Apollo 9 mission proved that the LEM worked and could make a rendezvous with its command module. Then on Apollo 10 they took the LEM to the moon and performed manoeuvres in near lunar orbit. Then on July 20th 1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldren became the first men to step on another world. And the famous “One small step one giant leap for mankind speech”. But I actually prefer the words of the Apollo 12 commander when he first stepped on to the moon “YIPEE”. It was on this mission they placed laser mirrors on the surface of the moon, which are still used today. They show us that the moon is getting further away from the Earth. They fire a laser at them and record how long it takes to receive it back. The best thing NASA did as it proves the landings were not faked.
But the Apollo program did have its setbacks too. The fire on Apollo 1 during the plugs-out test that killed Gus Grissom Richard Chafee and Ed White. Also the ill fated mission of Apollo 13 that almost ended in tragedy, when an o2 tank exploded shortly after take off. For this mission NASA had to improvise a way of getting Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert home safely which they did. They also sent four more manned missions to the moon. Apollo 14 went to Apollo 13 destination. And Apollo’s 15 16 and 17 made their contributions too.
Then there was Skylab and the Apollo Soyuz space meeting. The shuttle program developed in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Not forgetting the Mir Space Station. The probes that have been sent all around the solar system, including the robots that landed on Mars. The Giotto probe that took scientific measurements in the tail of Hayley’s comet.
This brings us up to date. There is the international space station, satellite communications. The Hubble Telescope.
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