Space always represented a great challenge for a man and unsolvable puzzle. People throughout history tried to answer many questions, but only in the middle of last century man managed to answer just some of them. Cold war what raged nearly half a century between the “East” and “West”, lead not only to arms race, but to race in space conquering. Great forces competed in space exploration in order to be one step ahead of their rival.
Russians sent the first man to space, while Americans where the first to step on the Moon. All subsequent moves of great forces lead to the fact that the limit of space exploration moves further. Many more projects followed by NASA and European Agency for Space Exploration, that broaden our views even more and set foundations for future research work. Look at 10 greatest events that will be written in golden letters in the history of space exploration.
10APOLLO 13 – DRAMATIC SPACE RESCUE, 11 APRIL 1970
An oxygen tank explosion on April 13 forces crew to use emergency procedures. All of the three man crew return to Earth safely.
09DENNIS TITO – FIRST SPACE TOURIST, APRIL 2001
He American multimillionaire spent 7 days, 22 hours and 4 minutes in space. He orbits the Earth 128 times.
08VIKING 1 – FIRST SUCCESSFUL MARS LANDING, 20 AUGUST 1975
Along with Viking 2, two landers image the entire planet. The mission revolutionizes our view of Mars.
07SPACESHIP-ONE – FIRST PRIVAELY FUNDED HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT 21 JUNE 2004
Developed by Scaled Composites at a cost of 25 million dollar, its pilot Mike Melvill, become the first commercial astronaut – pilot.
06LIEUTENANT VALENTINA TERESHKOVA – FIRST WOMAN IN SPACE, 16 JUNE 1963
The former textile worker completes 48 orbits in 71 hours, It´s her one and only spaceflight.
05MIR SPACE STATION – FIRST CONSISTENTLY INHABITED SPACE STATION, 20 FEBRUARY 1986
It leads research into the permanent occupation of space. During 15 years in space it completes over 86.000 orbits around the Earth.
04HUBBLE TELESCOPE – LAUNCH OF REVOLUTIONARY SPACE OBSERVATORY, 24 APRIL 1990
The first major optical telescope placed in space. It´s images have provided the biggest advances in astronomy since Galileo´s telescope.
03SPUTNIK 1 – FIRST SATELLITE IN SPACE, 24 OCTOBER 1957
The launch of this Soviet satellite ushers in the space age. It transmits signals for 22 days before its batteries run out.
02MAJOR YURI GAGARIN – FIRS MAN IN OUTER SPACE, 12 APRIL 1961
The spaceflight lasts 108 minutes and the craft, Vostok 1, travels at 17.025mph (27.400kph).
01APOLLO 11 – FIRST MANNED MISSION TO THE MOON. 16 JULY 1969
Apollo 11 travels 240.000 miles in 76 hours to enter lunar orbit on July 19. A day later, Neil Armstrong sets foot on the moon.
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