by: Austin
Space history goes thousands of years back. People have been fascinated with objects in space since time began.
The word planet means wanderers, named after Roman deities. For thousands of years ancient astronomers observed all the points of light that appeared to move along the bright stars. A tool that we use that is called a telescope was invented in the 17th century.They were able to observe the planets better. Over years our research became more advanced, we could identify things even better.
In 1678 Isaac Newton wrote one and only one book telling all of the basic laws of force motion and gravity. In 1903 Konstan Tsiolkovsky figured out all of the basic equations for rocketry and gave us one big step and how to build a rocket.
Finally, in 1959 we started to go into space and explore the moon. We would observe things in space and make close range surveys. After people actually went into space them selves, our knowledge about space and the things in it took a big step. We used much technology to figure this out. Johannes Kepler discovered how to build a satellite.
The Russian Government adopted the space station concept after the loss of the moon race in 1969. Several generations of the Salyut, Almaz and Mir space stations had flown. Mir-2 had to follow as the main Russian effort in the manned spaceflight. This project went through many reincarnations in 1980's and the beginning of the 1990's.
Gemini was a project between Mercury and Apollo. Its major objectives were to subject two men and their equipment to long duration and they would dock with the other orbiting vehicles. Then they would use methods of reentry, landed at a preselected spot. The National Space Administration announced December 7, 1961, a plan to extend the existing flight program for space by development of a two man spacecraft.
Six of the sixteen Apollo missions landed on the moon. Eleven was the first one to land with Neil Armstrong. Neil’s friend was Mike. Before Neil was an astronaut he was stuck in life support. He was living a normal life.
The Apollo program got humans to the moon and back. They had to do sixteen testings before they launched the humans into space. The Apollo program was from 1963 to 1972. Three of the Apollo missions were canceled, those were 18, 19, and 20. Apollo thirteen didn’t land on the moon due to malfunction. There were 3 humans on the Apollo space crew and there were 2 humans on the Apollo-Soyuz. Apollo-Soyuz was the first space flight mission that had two nations working together, they were Russians and Americans. A Russian Soyuz was launched followed by the Apollo launched that day. They docked on July 17. For two days joint operations were conducted, in the end both spacecrafts landed safely. The national space administration announced December 7, 1961, a plan to extend the existing flight program for space by development of a two man space craft.
Skylab was a spacecraft from the U.S. It was adopted from the third stage of a Saturn V rocket. It was launched into orbit in May of 1973. Three crews of 3 occupied Skylab. The longest mission which lasted three months ended in February 1974.
Astronaut Walter M. Shirra during water mission training for Mercury 8 mission in 1962. Astronaut L. Gordan Cooper Jr. was in full pressure suit for Mercury 9 mission in 1962. On February 1962 astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. was the pilot of the Mercury Atlas Six. Astronaut M. Scott Carpenter, prime pilot for the Mercury Atlas Seven mission during training.
Project Mercury was the first project to get Americans into space. From 1961 to 1963, Project Mercury’s mission flying 7 men in space was a success. Americans wanted to go into space and then come back safely, with man and spacecraft. The seven original astronauts were, Walter M. Scharra Jr., Donald K. Slayton, John H. Glenn Jr., M. Scott Carpenter, Alan B. Shepard Jr., Virgil I. Grissom, and L. Gordon Cooper Jr. Crew members of the U.S. Navy career Champlain cheered, and took pictures of the arrival of Project Mercury #1 Pilot to fly a suborbital flight. His name was Alan B. Shepard Jr. Mission: Mercury 11, 1961. In Mercury 4 Virgil I. Grissom was the astronaut.
Nasa’ s space shuttle orbiters are the first two spacecrafts capable of routinely launching into orbit like rockets, and then returning to Earth like gliders falling from the sky.
Credits:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/ - Astronaut at NASA picture
http://www.solarviews.com/eng/histintr.htm
http://my.execpc.com/~culp/space/history.html
Pictures and information on Project Mercury http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/mercury/mercury_ov/html/s62_8774.html
Grissom Picture
Glenn Atlas 6
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/mercury/mercury6/html/s64-36910.html
Carpenter – Atlas 7
Schirra Picture
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/history/gemini/gemini-overview.htm
ISS Information
http://www.russianspaceweb.com/iss.html
Spacecraft Information
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/shuttle-mir/spacecraft/s-orb.htm