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Nov 4, 2024 · Space exploration, investigation, by means of crewed and uncrewed spacecraft, of the reaches of the universe beyond Earth’s atmosphere and the use of the information so gained to increase knowledge of the cosmos and benefit humanity. Learn more about space exploration in this article.
Nov 4, 2024 · Space exploration - History, Technology, Benefits: Since ancient times, people around the world have studied the heavens and used their observations and explanations of astronomical phenomena for both religious and practical purposes. Some dreamed of leaving Earth to explore other worlds.
Nov 4, 2024 · Space exploration - Astronomy, Technology, Discovery: In the decades following the first Sputnik and Explorer satellites, the ability to put their instruments into outer space gave scientists the opportunity to acquire new information about the natural universe, information that in many cases would have been unobtainable any other way.
Nov 4, 2024 · Space exploration - Milestones, Achievements, History: The first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957. The first human to go into space, Yuri Gagarin, was launched, again by the Soviet Union, for a one-orbit journey around Earth on April 12, 1961.
Nov 4, 2024 · Space exploration - Applications, Benefits, Technology: Space visionaries in the early 20th century recognized that putting satellites into orbit could furnish direct and tangible benefits to people on Earth.
Nov 4, 2024 · Space exploration - Human, Debate, Consequences: By the early 2020s more than 500 people, coming from more than 40 different countries and more than 10 percent of whom were women, had flown in space. As of that same time, only Russia, China, and the United States had the capability of carrying out human spaceflights.
Nov 4, 2024 · Space exploration - Astronauts, Technology, Discoveries: Until the dawn of spaceflight, astronomers were limited in their ability to observe objects beyond the solar system to those portions of the electromagnetic spectrum that can penetrate Earth’s atmosphere.
Through space exploration humans have learned a great deal about the planets, stars, and other objects in space. More than 5,000 spacecraft have been launched into space to gather information since 1957. They include spacecraft with humans on board, space probes, and satellites.
6 days ago · Learn about SpaceX, the first private company in history to send a spacecraft, which it named Dragon, to the International Space Station Video released by the spacecraft maker SpaceX in August 2012 after it won a contract with NASA to prepare its Dragon spacecraft to carry astronauts into space.
Oct 7, 2024 · The spacecraft typically either is placed into an orbit around Earth or, if given sufficient velocity to escape Earth’s gravity, continues toward another destination in space. The spacecraft itself often carries small rocket engines for maneuvering and orienting in space.
