Discoveries

Scientific Discoveries

Not until around 1400 years later did Nicolaus Copernicus,the Polish astronomer, systematically elucidate that the planets, as well as the earth, revolve around the sun. In the 16th century the findings of Tycho Brahe, a Danish astronomer, extremely influenced Kepler’s laws of planetary motion. Sir William Herschel, Edmund Halley, Galile, and Sir James Jeans were additional astronomers who created contributions applicable to astronautics.
Mathematicians and physicists also helped to establish the foundations of astronautics. Otto von Guericke ,the German physicist, in 1654 validated that a vacuum could be sustained, refuting the familiar theory that natural law "abhors" a vacuum. Newton in the late 17th century formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation. Newton's laws of motion firmly incorporated the fundamental principles commanding the orbital motion and propulsion of modern spacecraft.

Notwithstanding the scientific foundations set forth in preceding ages, however, space travel didn’t seem possible until the improvements of the 20th century granted the actual means of guidance, rocket propulsion, and control for space vehicles.

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