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Space exploration is the use of astronomy and space technology to explore outer space. Physical exploration of space is conducted both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft. While the observation of objects in space, known as astronomy, predates reliable recorded history, it was the development of large liquid-fueled rocket engines during the early 20th century that allowed physical space exploration to become a reality. Common rationales for exploring space include advancing scientific research, uniting different nations, ensuring the future survival of humanity and developing military and strategic advantages against other countries. Various criticisms of space exploration are sometimes made, generally on cost or safety grounds. Space exploration has often been used as a proxy competition for geopolitical rivalries such as the Cold War. The early era of space exploration was driven by a "Space Race" between the Soviet Union and the United States; the launch of the first man-made object to orbit the Earth, the USSR's Sputnik 1, on October 4, 1957, and the first Moon landing by the American Apollo 11 craft on July 20, 1969 are often taken as the boundaries for this initial period. The Soviet space program achieved many of the first milestones, including the first living being in orbit in 1957, the first human spaceflight (Yuri Gagarin aboard Vostok 1) in 1961, the first spacewalk (by Aleksei Leonov) in 1965, the first automatic landing on another celestial body in 1966, and the launch of the first space station (Salyut 1) in 1971. After the first 20 years of exploration, focus shifted from one-off flights to renewable hardware, such as the Space Shuttle program, and from competition to cooperation as with the International Space Station. From the 1990s onwards, private interests began promoting space tourism and then private space exploration of the Moon (see GLXP). In the 2000s, China initiated a successful manned spaceflight program, while Japan and India have also planned future manned space missions. Larger government programs have advocated manned missions to the Moon and possibly Mars sometime after 2010. From Wikipedia under the
GNU Free Documentation License Why are we spending so much money on space exploration? Q. We can't predict or see an asteroid or comet crashing into the Earth until it hits us, let alone stop it, or so I've read. And I don't see space exploration benefiting us in any ways, except for statelites and the tempur-pedic mattress. Shouldn't that time and money be spent on something closer to home? You guys changed my mind, maybe it is worth it. Skittles have you read "A Short History of Nearly Everything", by Bill Bryson? Theoretically, the closest planet in our solar system that closest resembles Earth is more than a billion light years away. So even if we had some type of ship that could go at the same speed as light (not possible) it would take us a billion years to get there. So space exploration isn't about finding a new… [cont.] Asked by 5 - Fri Jul 6 18:13:02 2007 - - 10 Answers - 0 Comments A. Because of the fascinating expansion of knowledge as well as the technological benefits that are sometimes seemingly unrelated to space exploration. Check this out - and it's only the top 20... There are so many more examples like these. Answered by Breezy - Fri Jul 6 18:24:42 2007 What will our space exploration look like in the next hundred or so years? Q. Last century saw the birth of space exploration. So what will this century offer to us? Possibly colonization? Asked by Rob - Fri Jan 5 13:04:30 2007 - - 5 Answers - 0 Comments A. For a long time before cars were invented people spent a great deal of time trying to go faster by breeding better horses. While mankind has found a way to get off our planet right now using our current methods exploring space requires quite a lot of effort and expenses. Hopefully we will be able to invent new methods of space flight, life support and what else is needed to start colonizing space. We already have most of what is needed it is just scattered around in different places. No one is really organizing and pushing for space colonization (yet!) But by the end of the century... I will be disappointed if man is not living outside of earth by then. Answered by dracaena - Fri Jan 5 13:42:48 2007 What are Obama's and Clinton's positions on manned and unmanned space exploration?
Q. I am a big supporter of our manned spaced flight programs. How do their positions differ? I haven't heard much about space exploration on the news from either candidate. Asked by praetorian_uber - Mon Feb 18 19:28:03 2008 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments A. Obama is against NASA. " -- The successor to the space shuttle would face an uncertain future -- and an unclear mission -- if U.S. Sen. Barack Obama becomes president, according to campaign sources and documents. The Illinois Democrat would continue developing NASA s next spacecraft but would postpone, by five years, missions to the moon and Mars. NASA s current schedule aims to return astronauts to the moon by 2020. The campaign tried to clarify its position Tuesday after it released a space policy last week that seemed to contradict an earlier position by Obama. In that new policy, Obama pledged to reduce the gap between the 2010 retirement of the shuttle and the first mission of Constellation, its successor program, now slated for… [cont.] Answered by a bush family member - Mon Feb 18 19:34:54 2008 From Yahoo Answer Search: "Space exploration"
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 news.google.com Yakima Herald-Republic The free movies, all about space exploration , run 6:30 pm Fridays through Nov. 13. All movies in the series, called " Space Out!" are rated PG and are about ... and more » news.google.com Examiner.com President Obama was able to gain Florida's electoral votes, in part, based on a promise to provide adequate funds for NASA's space exploration program. ... NASA Running Low on Space Fuel Escapist Magazine Texas lawmakers to Obama: Divert some stimulus funds to NASA The Hill NASA announces new video space game United Press International Houston Chronicle - The Space Review - Orlando Sentinel all 43 news articles » news.google.com ZDNet Asia Space Exploration for iPhone application is a concise and comprehensive overview of the immense and expanding field of space exploration . ... From Google News Search: "Space exploration"  juegomania.org 224px x 320px | 16.40kB [source page]  enchantedkingdoms.com 250px x 348px | 14.10kB [source page] 27 Sep 2006 20 12 24k Spinner jpg 22 Aug 2006 21 13 25k Space Wars Mural2 jpg 20 Apr 2006 09 56 36k Space Wars Mural jpg 20 Apr 2006 09 29 36k Space Exploration Mu > 20 Apr 2006 08 48 14k Space Exploration Mu > 20 Apr 2006 08 49 43k SolaceTh jpg 23 Apr 2006 18 30 9k SolaceLg jpg 23 Apr  babyminestore.com 85px x 85px | 3.50kB [source page] Oopsy Daisy Space Exploration Space Exploration More Info From Yahoo Image Search: "Space exploration"  6ixpassions.com unknown Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:36:43 GM 50 years of . Space Exploration. Every . space. mission from the last 50 years on single map. 50 years of . Space Exploration. . Every . space. mission from the last 50 years on single map. Click for the full size version. Outstanding! (via Jacob) ...  ubersuper.com Stefan Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:53:39 GM What a nice Infographic! Don't miss the original version (3861x1706px), it's beautiful!  kcasier.blogspot.com K. Casier ue, 13 Oct 2009 11:10:01 GM Tuesday, October 13, 2009. 50 Years of . Space Exploration. . via stevey.com · Posted via web from Koen's posterous. Posted by K. Casier at Tuesday, October 13, 2009 · Older Post Home. Blog Archive ... From Google Blog Search: "Space exploration" |
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