Space exploration has advanced humanity’s knowledge and technology in many ways. It inspires young people worldwide to pursue careers in science, engineering and mathematics. It fosters global understanding and helps develop lasting diplomatic relationships through the cooperation of nations in joint space missions. Its economic benefits stimulate growth in the space industry and in national economies overall. Technological advancements resulting from space exploration find wide application on Earth, including advances in healthcare, agriculture and transportation. It also offers a unique perspective of the vastness of the universe, which helps us appreciate both our insignificance as a tiny dust-speck among other worlds and our value as stewards of this planet.
Orbital Spacecraft
In the 1950s and 60s, satellites were sent into orbit to take pictures of the Earth, map distant celestial bodies and send data back to Earth. Since then, manned and unmanned space probes have explored the Moon, Mars and the outer solar system. These probes are controlled from Earth and communicate with their scientists via radio. Two of the oldest spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2, have traveled so far that they have left our Sun’s heliosphere and entered into interstellar space.
The International Space Station, built by a partnership of space agencies from the United States, Russia, Japan, Europe and Canada, is the largest fully functional inhabited space facility in history. The ISS serves as a testbed for technologies needed for future human space flight to Mars and beyond, such as sustainable life support systems.