Space exploration

Space exploration is the ongoing discovery and exploration of celestial structures in outer space by means of continuously evolving and growing space technology. While the study of space is carried out mainly by astronomers with telescopes, its physical exploration though is conducted both by unmanned robotic space probes and human spaceflight.

History

Space exploration has been conducted since ancient times with the first attempts being the construction of telescopes and the study of the night sky. The actual exploration of space, however, began in the 20th century following significant advances in rocketry after World War II.

Spacecraft and spaceports

Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, planetary exploration, and transportation of humans and cargo. On a sub-orbital spaceflight, a spacecraft enters space and then returns to the surface, without having gone into an orbit. For orbital spaceflights, spacecraft enter closed orbits around the Earth or around other celestial bodies.

Space agencies

There are several space agencies worldwide, with the most well-known being the NASA (United States), the ESA (Europe), the Roscosmos (Russia), the CNSA (China), and the ISRO (India).

Future of space exploration

The future of space exploration involves both telescopic exploration and the physical exploration of space by unmanned robotic spacecraft and human spaceflight. Near-term physical exploration missions, as of 2016, are focused on Mars by NASA and ESA, and on the Moon by China's CNSA.

See also

• Astronaut
• Spacecraft propulsion
• Space medicine
• Space tourism
• Space weather
• Extraterrestrial life

External links

• NASA
• ESA