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The biggest revolution in the history of the human race has taken
place in the past 50 years: we have been able to leave our planet and explore space. It
has completely changed our lives – certainly, many of us would not be familiar with
the world as it was before the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957. Now, flotillas of satellites
revolve Earth, beaming a cacophony of communications into our homes, while weather,
resources, and even wars are detected from space. The attendant breakthroughs in
miniaturization and computer power can be appreciated by anyone with a personal computer.
Space is also a human frontier. Hundreds of people have now flown in space and even walked
on the Moon – and with the oncoming International Space Station, thousands more will
join them. Further afield, advanced craft have explored all the planets of our Solar
System except Pluto – and the next step will be to reach for the stars themselves. |
