| Space exploration is a research process of space with the aid of automatic & manned space vehicles.
Early experimental suborbital space flights were carried out by German rocket V-2 in 1944. However, practical study of space was started in Soviet Union through launch of first artificial satellite on October 4, 1957. Flight of Soviet cosmonaut Yury Gagarin on April 12, 1961 was a great achievement & turning point in the development of manned space exploration.
Other outstanding development in the field of space exploration is landing of human on Moon that took place on July 21, 1969. American astronaut Neil Armstrong was the first human to set foot on surface of natural satellite of Earth with words: — “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”.
However, initial years of development of space exploration were characterized not by cooperation but intense competition between the countries (so-called Space race). International cooperation began to develop intensively only in the last decade, first of all, thanks to joint construction of International Space Station & researches, carried out on its board.
Present day is characterized by new projects & plans for mastering the space. Space tourism is actively developing. Once again, manned space exploration is gaining momentum to return to Moon & aiming at distant Mars.
In 2009, USD 68 billions were spent on space programs worldwide including USA – 48.8 billion USD, EU- 7.9 billions USD, Japan - 3 billion USD, Russia – 2.8 billion USD & China - 2 billion USD.
Significant stages during study of space:
• October 4, 1957 – First satellite “Sputnik-1” (USSR) was launched;
• January 4, 1959 – “Luna-1” passed within the distance of 6000 km from surface of Moon & reached heliocentric orbit. It became the first satellite of Sun (USSR);
• April 12, 1961 - first flight of human into space (Y.Gagarin) on spacecraft Vostok-1;
• March 18, 1965 - first human to exit from spacecraft “Voskhod-2” to accomplish First Walk in Open Space (Alexey Leonov, USSR;
• February 3, 1966 - UMS Luna-9 made first-ever soft landing on the surface of Moon, panoramic pictures of Moon were transmitted (USSR);
• March 1, 1966 – “Venera-3” touched the surface of Venus for the first time delivering medallions of USSR. It was the first-ever flight of space vehicle from Earth to other planet (USSR);
• April 3, 1966 – “Luna-10” was the first satellite of Moon (USSR);
• July 21, 1969 - first landing of human on Moon (Neil Armstrong) within the frameworks of lunar expedition of spacecraft Apollo-11, which returned to Earth along with samples of lunar soil (USA);
• September 24, 1970 - Spacecraft “Luna-16” brought the samples of lunar soil to Earth (USSR);
• November 17, 1970 - soft landing & commencement of works to develop semiautomatic self-powered device, first-of-its kind in the world, & which can be controlled from Earth : Lunokhod-1 (Moon Walker) (USSR);
• December 15, 1970 - first-ever soft landing on the surface of Venus: “Venera -7” (USSR);
• April 19, 1971 – first space station “Salyut-1” was launched (USSR);
• November 13, 1971 - space vehicle “Mariner-9” was the first satellite of Mars (USA);
• March 3, 1972 – launch of first spacecraft, which subsequently left Solar System (Pioner-10, (USA);
• October 20, 1975 – Space station “Venus-9” has become the first satellite of Venus (USSR);
• October 1975 - soft landing of two space vehicles “Venus-9” & “Venus-10” (USSR) & first pictures of surface of Venus;
• April 12, 1981 – exit into orbit of first transport space shuttle (“Colombia”, (USA);
• December 7, 1995 - space station “Galileo” (USA) was the first satellite of Jupiter;
• November 20, 1998 – launch of first block of International space station;
• June 24, 2000 – space station “NEAR Shoemaker” became the first satellite of asteroid (433 Eros) (USA);
• June 30, 2004 – space craft “ Cassini” became the first artificial satellite of Saturn (USA);
• January 15, 2006 – space craft “Stardust” brought samples of Comet Vilda-2 to Earth (USA);
Commercial outer space exploration:
Space exploration is new highly-effective branch of national economy.
Commercial space exploration is a process, which consists in sequential inclusion of space systems in economic complexes. Three main directions of integration of space systems in national economy infrastructure exist:
* Space information complexes - modern communication systems, meteorology, navigation, systems for use and monitoring the natural resources, environmental protection;
* Space scientific systems - scientific-design researches & natural experiments;
* Space industrialization - manufacture of pharmacological drugs, new materials in the interests of electronic, electro-technical, radio engineering & other branches, study the resources of Moon & asteroids, eliminate wastes of harmful industrial productions in space.
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Human Spaceflight became a reality on April 12, 1961, with the launch of a bell-shaped capsule called "Vostok 1." Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space! Yuri made his historic 108 minute flight (orbiting around the whole Earth once) and parachute landed near his Vostok 1 capsule in the plains of Russia. This flight made him the first human to orbit the Earth and an international hero. Yuri was only 27 years old.
Exactly 20 years later, the United States embarked on a new era in spaceflight with the inaugural launch of a new type of spaceship — the Space Shuttle. Designed to carry a larger crew and large volumes of cargo to orbit, the Space Shuttles became synonymous with human spaceflight for an entirely new generation of young people.
Today, all over the country and world people are celebrating space and exploration!!!
Thanks!!
