"How did humans learn so much about space, Dr. Smith? How long
have humans been going into outer space?"
"Well, Mrs. Funnel, humans have only had the ability to travel into
outer space for a short period of time, only about 45 years. But, humans
have spent thousands of years looking up at the sky wishing they could travel to
distant planets and stars. Of course, not everyone gets the chance to
fulfill that dream."
In the night sky, there is always something amazing to look at, like brightly
shining stars, huge planets, meteors burning up, and comets appearing and
disappearing. No wonder the night sky has fascinated many astronomers like
Galileo Galilee, Johannes Kepler, and Isaac
Newton. Galileo was the first person
to build a refracting telescope that was used for space. Newton discovered the
force of gravity and Kepler discovered 3 mathematical laws that explain how
planets move in relation to the sun. All of these things have helped us with
discoveries about space.
Did you know that the first device to qualify as a rocket was a wooden bird?
Rockets have improved greatly since then. The Chinese experimented with rockets
during religious festivals. NASA used some designs that Robert H. Goddard used
to create the liquid propellant rocket. Rockets have opened the universe to
direct exploration by humans.
Hop into the journey to outer space and beyond! In this section, there are
many people trying hard to become successful astronauts. They have to pass many
difficult tasks and activities. They also have to go through many different
kinds of training for every possible emergency. Going into space may seem fun,
but it takes a lot of work to be an astronaut. So if you are deciding to be one
in the future, explore this interesting section about what astronauts have to do
before their hard journey to outer space!
Now we will be exploring Early Space Exploration. Here, we have important
events from the past that affected our life on Earth. It all started when the
first living creature went to space. The first space traveler, Laika (a dog),
was sent up in a satellite as a test experiment. There are many more facts about
how humans used their technology and knowledge to explore the unknowns of space.
As
our astronauts continue to fly into space, scientists constantly try to improve
the food they eat. At first there wasn’t much to pick from, mostly
freeze-dried powders, bite size cubes, and semi-liquids stuffed in aluminum
tubes. Now, space food is actually similar to what you might find at the grocery
store. They can choose their menu from a variety of foods. Just imagine how food
would taste in outer space!
History of Astronomy
