NASA – the US space agency that put the man on the moon and was at the forefront of space exploration – celebrates its 60th anniversary
Not only the organization has pushed the boundaries of human knowledge within our solar system. the distant universe, but it has also been crucial for the development of the technologies we use every day on Earth.
Here is an overview of some of his successes, his setbacks, and his research contributions to technological developments
. The launch of the first US satellite was a milestone for the nascent US space program, if not for NASA – which did not exist yet – nor for humanity, which had attended the launch of Sputnik 1 of the 39, USSR a year earlier.
Explorer 1 was created by three scientists who would play critical roles in the American space program, William Pickering, James Van Allen and Wernher von Braun – a former Nazi who was secretly moved to the United States with hundreds of other German scientists after World War II.
Alan Shepard was the first American in space, although NASA was still beaten to make a world record by the USSR where Yuri Gargarin had made the trip less than
The mission lasted only 15 minutes and 22 seconds, but it provided NASA with valuable information about the challenges that space flight would present.
It was watched by 45 million viewers in the United States alone
Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to travel through the asteroid belt
Theft unmanned was the first to fly to Jupiter, Saturn and the Milky Way. He was the first to cross the asteroid belt and continued to make observations and obtain close-up images of Jupiter.
Pioneer 10 reached speeds of 82,000 mph (131,200 kmph) while crossing the asteroid belt.
It was followed on a similar trajectory by Pioneer 11 in 1973, a year after Pioneer 10.
Pioneer took measurements of the magnetosphere of Jupiter, radiation belts, magnetic field, airframe, and the like. atmosphere and the interior. He sent his last signal, very weak, to Earth in January 2003.
Image: The space shuttle is launched for the first time in 1981
After the Apollo missions came the era of space shuttles. NASA originally had a vision of a reusable two-story vehicle, with a first-stage orbiter that would then return to Earth.
But budgetary issues meant that they could not build a two-step model. The design that eventually exists is still used until 2011.
The first launch was to take place in 1976, but it was in 1981 before the launch of the space shuttle Challenger.
He turned two days in April landing safely on Earth, paving the way for the next 30 years of transporting people in space, repairing satellites and research.
Pioneer 10 and 11 bear on them plates that identify their time and place of origin. little more ambitious when he came to Voyager.
Image: The disc of gold sent sounds of the earth in the Space
a gold disc that included spoken greetings in Akkadian languages spoken about 6000 years ago, in Wu, a Chinese dialect.
He also included songs from around the world, including pieces by Bach and Beethoven and Johnny B Goode by Chuck Berry. [1] 9659063] It was worn on the Voyager “/>
Image: It was worn on the Voyager
The Voyager left our solar system in 1990 and it will take about 40 000 years before the 39 he comes into contact with another planetary system.
The gold disc can be purchased on vinyl and CD now, and is even available on soundcloud.
In 1986, the disaster struck the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Within 73 seconds of launch, the shuttle "exploded" killing the seven astronauts on board, including Christa McAuliffe, a high school teacher.
According to National Geographic, the tragedy was complicated, the shuttle's fuel tank collapsed. the propellants of hydrogen and liquid oxygen. This created a giant fireball in the air.
Image: The Challenger was destroyed shortly after take-off
The shuttle was still intact, but it broke when it was not possible take strength. The crew cabin separates from the payload and the pieces fall and break more in the water.
It is unclear when the crew died, as they were probably still alive up to the point of impact with the Atlantic Ocean.
Image: The Challenger was destroyed shortly after takeoff
Image: [19659007] The Earth as a pale blue dot, of Neptune
On February 14, 1990, Voyager 1 took the first image of Earth from Neptune. The family portrait captured Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Earth and Venus.
Carl Sagan, a member of the Voyager 1 imaging team, wrote in his book Pale Blue Dot: "It's here, it's home to us all." you love, everyone you know, everyone you've ever heard, all the human beings who have lived have lived their lives …
"There may be no better demonstration of the madness of human vanities as this distant image of In 1965, the Hubble Space Telescope was deployed from the Space Shuttle Discovery.
Designed by Marshall Space Flight Center, he took some of the most iconic images of space we know. 19659002] The same center designs and develops Hubble's successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, to be launched in October 2018.
A planetary nebula named NGC 6302, also known as, Butterfl y Nebula and nebula of insects
Image: ] Carina Nebula photographed from Hubble Telescope
Since its inception, the telescope has made more than 1.3 million observations. travel to 1700mph to take pictures and send them back to Earth.
It has returned to more than 13.4 billion light years from Earth.
When NASA landed on Pathfinder on Mars, it paralyzed the Internet. people were desperate for images and information about his journey
The Pathfinder became a turning point in how the public could see information about missions. The days of waiting for the printed newspapers to publish images were behind the fans of space from that point.
Image: NASA Pathfinder Sojourner Rover robotics data collection vehicle exploring the surface terrain of the planet Mars [19659008] The mission of Pathfinder is to demonstrate the technology and equipment necessary to deliver a lander to Mars in an efficient and cost effective manner.
The sojourner rover, Sojourner, Sojourner Truth, the American defender of civil rights, and Pathfinder have survived their life as a draftsman.
The Pathfinder has returned 2.3 million information including 16,500 images of the LG and 550 rover images.
a joint project between the United States, Russia, Japan, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
The first part of the ISS was launched nto space in 1998, and the last pressurized module was installed in 2011. It should be used until 2028.
Image: International space station houses astronauts performing various types of research
Since its inception, 230 people from 18 countries have visited the station, and it is occupied continuously since 2000.
There have been 205 sorties in space since 1998, For the construction, maintenance and repair of the station
The space station travels an equivalent distance to the Moon and returns in a day
Scientists on board the ISS can carry up to 20 payloads at a time.
The ISS can be seen orbiting the Earth, even from large cities
Image: A Spirit Artist impression of Mars
Mars Spirit and The Opportunity rovers were launched in 2003 and landed on the Red Planet in 2004. They are looking for evidence of the history of water on the planet.
They each have panoramic cameras, thermal emission spectrometers and alpha particle X-ray spectrometers. The tools help them carry out geological investigations on the spot, which they forward to NASA
Spirit stopped communicating with NASA in May 2011. But it has far exceeded the estimate of the mission of 90 days.
of Opportunity in June 2018.
The Curiosity rover landed on Mars in 2012, and explores the possibility of life on Mars.
The rover badyzes soil and rock samples, showing how the Martian atmosphere The Mars Curiosity rover takes a selfie “/>
The Mars Curiosity rover takes a selfie
In June 2018, the Curiosity has found more evidence that Mars could have supported ancient life, including "hard" organic molecules in sedimentary rocks, which contain elements like carbon and hydrogen.
Curiosity also found evidence of water, essential to life
He found evidence in the crater Gale billions of years ago. Could have supported life on the planet, which is now inhospitable.
Image: The NASA March 2020 rover on the surface of Mars. Artist impression
March 2020 is the next step in the exploration of life on Mars
The rover is going to have 23 cameras, with an increase in color and 3D imaging compared to its predecessors.
having a wider field of vision, he will spend less time panicking, snapping and stinging as he will see more with a single image.
The 2020 rover will select and store samples of rocks and soils that could return to Earth on a future mission.