What is Space Exploration? Space exploration is the ongoing discovery and exploration of structures that are in outer space which is evolving and growing space technology. Many people believe that the government should spend money to explore outer space while many do not. People wonder why billions of dollars are spent for space exploration and believe that the cost is more than the benefits, but what many people don’t realize is that everyone in the world benefits from it. Many think that it’s a waste of time and money because of an incident with the Columbia disaster that took the lives of seven Americans, but with the successful landing of Apollo 11 on the moon and other space mission people have gained knowledge and new technology for it. …show more content…
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 which was about the size of a beach ball weighted roughly about 183 pounds on October 4, 1957, which took the artificial satellite 98 minutes to orbit the earth, and with that launch it made new developments for technological, military, and science. As NASA states in the Sputnik and The Dawn of the Space Age, “while Sputnik launch was a single event, it marked the start of the space age and the U.S.-US.S.R space race.” With the launch of Sputnik, it grabbed the world’s attention and it also caught the Americans off guard, which also made the public fear that Soviet Union since they had the ability to launch satellites. They feared that they can launch missile with nuclear weapons, which on November 3rd they launched Sputnik 2, but this time it was lager and it had a dog onboard. While Soviet Union launched Sputnik the Russian launched …show more content…
Kennedy made a giant step for mankind, sending Astronaut Neil Armstrong on Apollo 11 with astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins on July 16, 1969 which was eight years after the flight of Gagarin. After one and a half orbit they got the go for the mission control and three days later they were in lunar orbit then a day later Armstrong and Aldrin began their descent while Collins orbited in the command module. Armstrong finally landed on the moon ready to plant the first human foot on another planet and with billions of people watching he climbs done and states, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” They left behind the American flag and a patch honoring the fallen Apollo 1 crew. On July 24th the crew had landed off Hawaii and Kennedy’s challenge had been met, which was for the men to walk on the moon and return home safely. During the 1960’s unmanned spacecraft were sent to take photos of the moon before any astronaut would be sent, which by the early 1970’s communications and navigation satellites were used every day and obtaining mapping of Mars. By the 1980’s communication expanded having television programs and people were able to get satellite signals in their home, dish antennas. In April 1981 space shuttle Columbia was launched for most civilian and military space mission. There were twenty-four successful shuttle launches until January 1986, when the Challenger exploded after launch killing the seven crew members on
Kennedy had realized that the only way to overtake the Soviets after falling so far behind, would be by putting the first man on the moon. The US morale had taken a serious blow following Sputnik and the first cosmonaut in space, Yuri Gagarin. On September 12th, 1962, Kennedy delivered his famous speech, saying “We choose to go to the moon.” Kennedy knew that it was essential to gather support behind a manned mission to the moon from the American public. Although many argued that it would be easier, and more efficient to send an unmanned mission to the moon, it was more about the morale boost and the message a man on the moon would send to the
The cold war by the late 1950s had weaved into the everyday life of society for both countries. The announcement from the US that they will launch a satellite into orbit was challenged by the Soviets. On October 4th 1957, the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. This was the world’s first artificial satellite and man-made object to be in earths orbit. The launch was unexpected to the US, having caught them off guard. As a result Sputnik began to raise fears amongst the public, fearing the possible event of a nuclear attack, due to previous cold war
Little did anyone know or expect this would be the most rewarding mission since 1961. Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins left from the Kennedy Space Center on the east coast of Florida on July 16,1969. Michael Collins was the command module pilot, Neil Armstrong was the mission commander, and Buzz Aldrin was the lunar module pilot. The Apollo 11 crew traveled 240,000 miles in just 72 hours, Apollo 11 entered into a lunar orbit on July 19,1696. Collins detached for the lunar module The mission was already ahead of schedule with Americans waiting to see what was going to happen next for their country. At 10:39 p.m., Armstrong, being televised, opened the hatch of the lunar module, and three minutes later Armstrong made history by putting his left foot of the moon’s powdery surface. When Armstrong stepped down from the last step from the spacecraft, all of America jumped for excitement and joy. Aldrin soon joined Armstrong 19 minutes later, and together they took photographs, then planted the United States flag. President Nixon was so very blessed and honored that he was able to witness America make history on July 24, 1969 along with all of the other Americans. Returning back to Earth
The Soviets took a lead by launching the first successful satellite into space. On October 4, 1957 the Soviets launched the first successful satellite into orbit. It was called Sputnik I and it successfully entered Earth’s orbit. This first success started the Space Age. The Soviets successful launch shocked the whole world, giving the Soviet Union the respect for putting the first man-made object into outer space. The Americans successfully launched their first satellite four months after Sputnik I, called the Explorer I. The US would have had the first satellite in orbit if they were allowed to use military rockets from the beginning. But, Eisenhower was worried he would be called a warmonger if he used military rockets for launching a satellite into orbit. He told the sci...
Canada’s first ever interest in space exploration came into play during 1959 when the first suborbital sounding rocket was launched from Manitoba.
Early on in the race, the USSR was very successful. In 1957, the Soviets launched Sputnik, which triggered the start of the space race (John F. Kennedy). The United States began to scramble, trying to catch up with the Soviets. However, soon after, the Soviet Union completed another huge success. They sent the first man to orbit Earth (John F. Kennedy). In 1961 the USSR’s Yuri Gagarin became the first human to ever orbit the Earth (John F. Kennedy). The United States was still unsuccessful and beginning to look weak. After that, America got serious. On May 25, 1961, President Kennedy asked Congress for around eight billion dollars to build up the space program over the next five years (John F. Kennedy). The president declared, “This nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth” (John F. Kennedy).
On April 12, 1961 Russia became the first to send a manned craft into space. The craft’s name was Sputnik 11, also known as Vostok 1. Yuri A. Gargarin became the first man to view Earth from Space. The flight lasted a mere one hour and forty-eight minutes before returning Gargarin safely to the Earth’s surface. This occurred only twenty-five days prior to NASA’s first suborbital flight. This only added fuel to the fire in America’s passion to become the first nation to send a man to the moon, thus gaining an edge on Russia in total accomplishments in space. This, however did not come unti...
The space race was the product of the Cold War. It was an effort to prove technological superiority but on the other hand, it was also feared on both sides that weapons of mass destruction will be placed in orbit. In 1957, the Soviet Union sent the 184 pound Sputnik 1 satellite into Earth’s orbit. It was the first artificial satellite and the first manmade object to be placed into Earth’s orbit. Following that, they also sent the first animal into space, Laika the dog. In 1958, the United Sates also launched their first satellite into orbit, dubbed Explorer 1. The Soviet space program advanced once again in 1959. The Soviet Union launched Luna 2, which was the first space probe to hit the moon. In April 1961, the Soviet Union had the ultimate success, sending the first human into space. The name of the Russian cosmonaut was Yuri Gagarin, who made a 108 minute suborbital flight in a Vostok 1 spacecraft. One month after that, Alan Shepard became the American in space aboard the Freedom 7 spacecraft. Continuing from there, each nation step...
We explore space to compare other planets with the earth and to study the sun, to explore the universe while finding out if intelligent life exists, for satellites to improve communications, weather forecasting, navigation, resource monitoring, and “to create a focal point for a new intellectual renaissance” (Ruzic). When considering space exploration, one can look at Columbus. If Columbus had never set out to find a better trade route but instead found the new world, the economy in Europe would have declined to the point where another country would have sent explorers out and that country would have discovered the new world.... ...
In 1957 the Soviets used a missile to launch a satellite, Sputnik 1, into orbit around the earth. The arms race then became a space race as the United States rushed to launch its own satellites, some for military purposes.
The Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth. It was an aluminum sphere, 58 cm (23 in) in diameter, weighing 83 kg (184 lb). Its orbited around the earth lasted 96.2 minutes. At the end of 57 days the satellite returned to earth's atmosphere and was destroyed by aerodynamic frictional heat.
Since the beginning of time, mankind has sought after learning about and exploring the universe. This yearning drove us to achieve such great things as the journey to the moon and the discovery of water on mars. Nowadays, several people argue as to whether or not space exploration is worth the effort. I believe that it is humanity’s instinctual nature to pursue a better understanding of ourselves, and our universe. Further understanding of our universe will lead to the discovery of new technologies and ways to secure humanity’s survivability. As such, this essay will argue that space exploration is a necessity to our kind and that NASA should be progressively more financed.
Most people think that the costly downside to funding space exploration is a reason to avoid spending money on sciences and instead spend it on problems here on earth, but such funding for space exploration actually promotes economical as well as scientific benefits. Space exploration is an important expenditure for the high cost because of the potential for numerous benefits such as the possibility to find useful resources to cultivate, space exploration and satellites produce many thousands of jobs in our economy, and it creates and discovers newer and better technologies through research and development.
Some may think exploring outer space is simply a human’s curiosity. This is true but on the contrary, people explore to learn about things they may have never known and touch on the essence of the creation of the universe. Another reason for exploring this uncharted area is the technological advancements people have made and immense amount of innovation they have achieved in this field (Wood). Lastly, scientists study the other planets just in case one day humans need to relocate after overwhelming damage has been done to Earth. Suffice to say, it is a vital part of today’s day and age to research outer space (Rothery).
Space exploration is amazing in my opinion, and I feel that we should have more. Space exploration is when we explore outside of the Earth. We have learned a great deal from space exploration.