NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Space age

The Space Age is a contemporary period encompassing the activities related to the space race, space exploration, space technology, and the cultural developments influenced by these events. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (700x813, 126 KB)Launching of the NASA Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-1 in April 1981. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (700x813, 126 KB)Launching of the NASA Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-1 in April 1981. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... For other uses, see Space Race (disambiguation). ... Space exploration is the physical exploration of outer space. ...

Beginning

The Space Age began on October 4, 1957, with the launch of Sputnik 1 by the Soviet Union. This was the world's first artificial satellite, orbiting the Earth in 98 minutes and weighing about 80kg. The launch of Sputnik I ushered a new era of political, scientific and technological achievements that became known as the Space Age. October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sputnik 1 (Russian: , Satellite 1) was the first artificial satellite to be put into orbit, on October 4, 1957. ...

The space age was characterized by rapid development of new technology in a close race mainly between USA and the Soviet Union. Rapid advances were made in rocketry, material science, computers and many other areas. Much of the technology originally developed for space applications has been spun off and found other uses. Today, the term 'space age' still connotes a sense of something new and innovative. A rocket is a vehicle, missile or aircraft which obtains thrust by the reaction to the ejection of fast moving exhaust from within a rocket engine. ... Materials science includes those parts of chemistry and physics that deal with the properties of materials. ... The tower of a personal computer. ... A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a new company formed from a university research group. ...

The space age reached its peak with the Apollo program which captured the imagination of much of the world's population. The landing of Apollo 11 is an event watched by over 500 million people around the world and is widely recognized as one of the defining moments of the 20th century. Since then and with the end of the space race due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, public attention has largely moved to other areas. Description Role: Earth and Lunar Orbit Crew: 3; CDR, CM pilot, LM pilot Dimensions Height: 36. ... Apollo 11 was the fifth human spaceflight of the Apollo program, the third human voyage to the moon, and the first manned mission to land on the Moon. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... The rise of Gorbachev Although reform stalled between 1964–1982, the generational shift gave new momentum for reform. ...

During the 1990s funding for space related programs fell sharply as the Soviet union disintegrated and NASA no longer had any direct competition. Also, public perception of the dangers and cost of space exploration in the USA was greatly affected by the Challenger disaster in 1986. This article is about the year. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... STS-51-L was the 25th launch of a Space Shuttle and the tenth launch of the Challenger. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Since then participation in space launches have increasingly widened to more governments and commercial interests. Since the 1990s, the current period has more often been referred to as the Information Age rather than the Space Age, since space exploration and space related technologies are felt to be common place by significant portions of the public. This article is about the year. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Current period

In the early 21st century, the Ansari X Prize competition was set up to help jump start commercial space exploration which was won by Space Ship One in 2004, becoming the first spaceship not funded by a government agency. The X prize logo shows a stylised letter X representing a spacecraft trajectory and containing a starfield. ... SpaceShipOne is small, having a three-person cabin and short but wide wings. ...

Several countries now have space programs; from related technology ventures to full fledge space programs with launch facilities. There are many scientific and commercial satellites in use today, with a total of hundreds of satellites in orbit and several countries have plans to send humans in space. A satellite is any object that orbits another object (which is known as its primary). ...

Major events

October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sputnik 1 (Russian: , Satellite 1) was the first artificial satellite to be put into orbit, on October 4, 1957. ... April 12 is the 102nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (103rd in leap years). ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin (Russian: Ð®Ñ€Ð¸Ð¹ ÐÐ»ÐµÐºÑÐµÐµÐ²Ð¸Ñ‡ Ð“Ð°Ð³Ð°Ñ€Ð¸Ð½; March 9, 1934 â€“ March 27, 1968), was a Soviet cosmonaut who in 1961 became the first human to survive space flight and the first human to orbit the Earth. ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... Neil Alden Armstrong (born August 5, 1930) is a former American astronaut, test pilot, and naval aviator famous as the first human ever to set foot on the Moon. ... April 12 is the 102nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (103rd in leap years). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... February 19 is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Meanings of MIR: Mail-in rebate Medical Inspection Room - the place for sick parade in most British and Commonwealth militaries and many NGOs. ...

Trivia

The Space Age might also have begun much earlier, already on October 3, 1942, when the third A4 rocket of the V-2 rocket program reached space, therefore becoming the first man-made object to enter space. October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... The V-2 rocket or Vergeltungswaffe 2 (Reprisal weapon 2) was an early ballistic missile used by the German Army during the later stages of World War II against mostly British and Belgian targets. ... The V-2 rocket or Vergeltungswaffe 2 (Reprisal weapon 2) was an early ballistic missile used by the German Army during the later stages of World War II against mostly British and Belgian targets. ... Layers of Atmosphere - not to scale (NOAA) Outer space, also called just space, refers to the relatively empty regions of the Universe outside the atmospheres of celestial bodies. ...

Contents

Beginning

Current period

Major events

Trivia

See also