Category: Space Exploration

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Physics Astronomy Space Exploration

Is Faster-Than-Light (FTL) Travel possible? Dr. Harold “Sonny” White and Limitless Space

Faster-Than-Light (FTL) travel: Spaceship with Warp Drive
Is Faster-Than-Light (FTL) travel possible? Futuristic spacecraft in the initiating state of a warp drive. Image: Spaceship with Warp Drive on Deposit Photos

Is faster-than-light (FTL) travel possible?

Ever since astronomers found that Earth and the Solar System are not unique in the cosmos, humanity has dreamed of the day when we might explore nearby stars and settle extrasolar planets. Unfortunately, the laws of physics impose strict limitations on how fast things can travel in our Universe, otherwise known as Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. Per this theory, the speed of light is constant and absolute, and objects approaching it will experience an increase in their inertial mass (thereby requiring more mass to accelerate further).

By Matt Williams

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Mars Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

Mariner 9, the First Spacecraft to Orbit Mars was Launched on May 30, 1971

Mariner 9
Mariner 9 (Artist conception)

On May 30, 1971, Mariner 9 robotic spacecraft was launched from LC-36B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on top of an Atlas SLV-3C Centaur-D rocket. It reached Mars on November 14 of the same year and became the first spacecraft to orbit Mars, and in general, another planet.

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This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History Space Exploration

European Space Agency (ESA) was founded on May 30, 1975

European Space Agency ESA's Headquarters in Paris, France
European Space Agency ESA's Headquarters in Paris, France. The photograph was taken on 23 November 2015, showing the new 22 member state decorations. Photo by ESA/M. Trovatello - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo, Link

The European Space Agency (ESA), an international organization dedicated to the exploration of space was founded on May 30, 1975.

Shortly after its formation, on August 9, 1975, the space agency ESA launched its first major scientific mission, Cos-B, a space probe monitoring gamma-ray emissions in the universe, which was first worked on by ESRO (European Space Research Organization, one of the precursors of the European Space Agency).

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This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History Space Exploration

Discovery performed the first Space Shuttle docking to the International Space Station (ISS) on May 29, 1999

Space Shuttle Discovery docked to the International Space Station
Illustration of the Space Shuttle Discovery docked to the International Space Station (ISS) during Space Shuttle flight STS-96.

On May 29, 1999, the STS-96 crew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery became the first to dock with the International Space Station. Using the Integrated Cargo Carrier, Discovery delivered the Russian cargo crane, STRELA, the SPACEHAB Oceaneering Space System Box, and the American crane, ORU Transfer Device, to the space station.

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Space Exploration Astronomy

Voyager 1 is Generating Random-Looking Telemetry Data

Voyager 1 in deep space
NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft, shown in this illustration, has been exploring our solar system since 1977, along with its twin, Voyager 2. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft has technical problems, it is generating random-looking telemetry data, and as a result, the spacecraft doesn’t know where it is.

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Moon Landing Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

John F. Kennedy announced Moon landing goal on May 25, 1961

John F. Kennedy announces the Moon Landing goal on May 25 1961
On May 25, 1961, John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States stood before the congress, and proposed that the United States "should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

In an address to Congress on “Urgent National Needs” on May 25, 1961, John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States called for America to send astronauts to the moon and return him safely to Earth before the end of the decade.

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This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History Moon Landing Space Exploration

Apollo 10 was launched on May 18, 1969

Apollo 10 launch
The Apollo 10 (Spacecraft 106/Lunar Module 4/Saturn 505) space vehicle is launched from Pad B, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center at 12:49 p.m. (EDT).

Apollo 10, the fourth crewed mission in the Apollo program (NASA’s project to land humans on the moon), and the second (after Apollo 8) to orbit the Moon was launched on On May 18, 1969.

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This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History Space Exploration

Space Shuttle Endeavour completed its maiden voyage on May 16, 1992

STS-49 Space Shuttle Endeavour first landing drag chute
Space Shuttle Endeavour concludes the planned 7-day mission extended by two days to allow extra time to rescue the Intelsat VI satellite and complete Space Station assembly techniques. After a perfect rendezvous in orbit and numerous attempts to grab the satellite, spacewalking astronauts recovered the satellite on the third spacewalk with the support of the mission. On a record-breaking spacewalk (the longest in history), the three astronauts took hold of the satellite and directed it to the shuttle where a booster motor was attached to launch it to its proper orbit. Commander Dan Brandenstein and Pilot Kevin Chilton brought Endeavours' record-setting maiden voyage to a perfect landing at Edwards AFB with the first deployment of a drag chute on a space shuttle mission.

On May 16, 1992, Space Shuttle Endeavour completed its maiden voyage and landed safely on runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base in the California desert. It was the first use of a drag chute for a Space Shuttle landing.

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This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History Space Exploration

The first U.S. human spaceflight was performed on May 5, 1961

The first U.S. human spaceflight: Alan Shepard
The first U.S. human spaceflight: Astronaut Alan Shepard photographed in flight by a 16mm movie camera inside the Freedom 7 spacecraft. Shepard is just about to raise the shield in front of his face during descent after opening of the main parachute.

On May 5, 1961, American astronaut Alan Shepard (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) performed the first United States human spaceflight. It was also the first human-piloted spaceflight in the history of space exploration. Yuri Gagarin, the first human to fly into space on April 12, 1961, wasn’t controlling the Vostok 1 spacecraft, it was controlled by a computer.

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This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History Space Exploration

The First Space Station, Salyut 1 was launched on April 19, 1971

The First Space Station, Salyut 1
The First Space Station, Salyut 1, with a Soyuz ferry docked.

On April 19, 1971, the world’s first space station, Salyut 1 (DOS-1, also referred to in documents as “Product 17K” or No. 121) was launched into space by the Soviet Union.

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