SPACE EXPLORATION
Space exploration is considered one of the greatest adventures for all humans which represents humanity’s biggest journey into the unknown. Also, the space age officially started in 1961 when Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space itself. This achievement further marked the beginning of human space exploration. After that, astronauts have further landed on the Moon and lived on space stations for months, while space travel itself has expanded to send spacecraft for studying distant planets.
As per scientific observations, life in space is totally different regarding the conditions we experience on Earth. Astronauts become taller in space because gravity itself does not press on their bones further. Without gravity, the spine stretches and makes the body grow slightly. We are seeing 16 sunrises and sunsets every day on the International Space Station because it goes around Earth in only 90 minutes. Moon footprints will actually stay there for millions of years. There is definitely no wind or rain to wash them away.
There are some space organizations worldwide to explore outer space, advance scientific knowledge and develop new technologies for our benefit. They aim to study planets, stars, and galaxies to better understand the universe, while also focusing on Earth observation for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and disaster management and to develop satellites that improve communication, navigation, and security. The organizations like NASA, ESA, ISRO, CNSA, DLR, CSA, SpaceX, JAXA , etc. are continuously working on it.
Here are 11 fun facts about space exploration :
1.The First Human in Space : Yuri Gagarin from Russia was the first human to go to space in 1961, and his trip was the same as 108 minutes only.
2.Astronauts Grow Taller in Space: Astronauts become taller in space because gravity itself does not press down on their spine. This further allows their body to stretch naturally.
3. The Space Station Never Sleeps: The International Space Station actually goes around Earth about 16 times each day. This definitely means it completes one full circle around our planet every 90 minutes.
4.The Moon’s Faded Flags: Basically, the American flag that Apollo 11 left on the Moon is now the same as a white flag because the harsh sunlight bleached out all the colors.
5.Sunrise Every 45 Minutes: Astronauts on the ISS witness sunrise and sunset every 45 minutes as the station itself orbits Earth rapidly. This frequent cycle further allows them to observe multiple day-night transitions during a single day.
6. Footprints That Last Forever: We are seeing that astronaut footprints on the Moon will remain there for millions of years only because there is no wind or rain to remove them.
7.Space Suits: Mini Spaceships :Space suits work like small spacecraft and provide oxygen, water, and temperature control to astronauts. The suit itself protects astronauts further by maintaining proper conditions in space.
8.Taste Buds Act Strange in Space: In space, astronauts’ taste buds change further, and they need spicy food itself.
9. A Day Longer Than a Year: Venus surely takes more time to complete one rotation than one revolution around the Sun. Moreover, this happens because the planet spins very slowly on its axis.
10.A Time Machine :We are seeing galaxies that are very far away through the Hubble Space Telescope, and these pictures are helping us look back in time only. The telescope can take photos of galaxies that are billions of light years from us.
11. The Golden Record for Aliens: NASA actually sent Voyager 1 with a Golden Record that has music and greetings in different languages. They definitely made this so aliens could find it and learn about Earth.
