Space exploration

Space exploration is the use of astronomy and space technology to explore outer space. While the exploration of space is carried out mainly by astronomers with telescopes, its physical exploration is conducted both by uncrewed robotic space probes and human spaceflight. Space exploration, like its classical form astronomy, is one of the main sources for space science. While the observation of objects in space, known as astronomy, predates reliable recorded history, it was the development of large and relatively efficient rockets during the mid-twentieth century that allowed physical space exploration to become a reality. The world's first large-scale experimental rocket program was Opel-RAK under the leadership of Fritz von Opel and Max Valier during the late 1920s leading to the first crewed rocket cars and rocket planes, which paved the way for the Nazi era V2 program and US and Soviet activities from 1950 onwards. The Opel-RAK program and the spectacular public demonstrations of ground and air vehicles drew large crowds, as well as caused global public excitement as so-called "Rocket Rumble" and had a large long-lasting impact on later spaceflight pioneers like Wernher von Braun. Common rationales for exploring space include advancing scientific research, national prestige, uniting different nations, ensuring the future survival of humanity, and developing military and strategic advantages against other countries. The early era of space exploration was driven by a "Space Race" between the Soviet Union and the United States. A driving force of the start of space exploration was during the Cold War. After the ability to create nuclear weapons, the narrative of defense/offense left land and the power to control the air became the focus. Both the Soviet and the U.S. were fighting to prove their superiority in technology through exploring the unknown: space. In fact, the reason NASA was made was due to the response of Sputnik I.

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related publications (7)

Related people (3)

Related concepts (222)

Related courses (21)

Related lectures (173)

Related MOOCs (4)

Mechanical intelligence for learning embodied sensor-object relationships

Ahalya Prabhakar

Intelligence involves processing sensory experiences into representations useful for prediction. Understanding sensory experiences and building these contextual representations without prior knowledge

NATURE PORTFOLIO2022

Preliminary Design of a Lunar Reconnaissance Drone

Erik Uythoven, Thomas Pfeiffer

In this report, a preliminary design study of a compact lunar reconnaissance drone module which will assist exploration rovers is presented. It is designed to assist future exploratory rover missions

2022

Efficient Configuration Exploration in Inverse Dynamics Acquisition of Robotic Manipulators

Aude Billard, Farshad Khadivar, Walid Amanhoud, Sthithpragya Gupta

The inverse dynamics of a robotic manipulator is instrumental in precise robot control and manipulation. However, acquiring such a model is challenging, not only due to unmodelled non-linearities such

IEEE2021

EE-582: Lessons learned from the space exploration

The objective of the course is to present with different viewpoints, the lessons learned which lead to the decisions in the space exploration and their consequences today and for the decades to come.

EE-584: Spacecraft design and system engineering

The main objective of the course is to introduce the concept of space system design and engineering. The course will describe the various subsystems involved in the design of a satellite. It will also

ENG-411: Concurrent engineering challenge

The main objective of this course is to teach the students the fundamentals of concurrent engineering for space missions and systems. The course is built around a similar framework to that of the Euro

New Space Economy

The New Space Economy is a fast-growing market, driven by the commercialization of the historical institutional space sector. This course contains more than 30 videos-lectures from space experts from

New Space Economy

The New Space Economy is a fast-growing market, driven by the commercialization of the historical institutional space sector. This course contains more than 30 videos-lectures from space experts from

Space Mission Design and Operations

Learn the concepts used in the design of space missions, manned or unmanned, and operations, based on the professional experience of the lecturer.

Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program of the United States, running from 1958 through 1963. An early highlight of the Space Race, its goal was to put a man into Earth orbit and return him safely, ideally before the Soviet Union. Taken over from the US Air Force by the newly created civilian space agency NASA, it conducted 20 uncrewed developmental flights (some using animals), and six successful flights by astronauts. The program, which took its name from Roman mythology, cost $ (adjusted for inflation).

Spaceflight (or space flight) is an application of astronautics to fly objects, usually spacecraft into or through outer space, either with or without humans on board. Most spaceflight is uncrewed and conducted mainly with spacecraft such as satellites in orbit around Earth, but also includes space probes for flights beyond Earth orbit. Such spaceflight operate either by telerobotic or autonomous control.

Presents a brief teaser with a countdown from T minus 5 to lift off.

Explores the milestones and challenges of the early space programs in the United States and the Soviet Union, leading up to the Apollo program.

Explores space exploration, covering launch bases, Soyuz statistics, rocket evolution, modular launchers, Zenit vehicles, and mini-launchers.