Space: History
It is without a doubt that humanity’s missions into space have been some of the greatest achievements in our collective history. Even before Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon in the summer of 1969, there had already been almost two decades of steady progress in the what would become known as the Space Race, a game of one-upmanship played out on the international stage between the emerging superpowers following the end of the Second World War, the United States and the Soviet Union.
There are undoubtedly questions that surround the timeline of our journey into the stars. For example, just why were the moon landing missions canceled, despite already having been budgeted for? Did they, in fact, go ahead in secret, and if so, what was the reason for such a suddenly discreet mission?
And there are also the alleged cover-ups on the Soviet side of the race into space. What, for example, became of the alleged “lost cosmonauts” – seemingly the victims of test flights into Earth’s orbit that went drastically wrong, and were, according to the reports, left to burn up as they entered the planet’s atmosphere, or left to drift into the outer reaches of space, facing an agonizing death when whatever limited oxygen was on board those early spacecraft ran out…?
Sub-Topics
- Future Exploration (4)
- History (10)
- Our Solar System (3)
- The Universe (5)
Steps Toward A Permanent Residency In Space: The Journey To The International Space Station
Although the International Space Station didn’t come to life until the final years of the twentieth century, its roots go back to the very beginning of the Space Race, if only in concept. Following NASA’s successful moon landings as the sixties morphed into the 1970s, the Soviet Union would once more take the lead in this, albeit less dramatic but no less important part of the Space Race. Ultimately, the space station projects of the seventies and eighties set the foundations of what would become the International Space Station, and period of collaboration in space exploration…
- By
Marcus Lowth
- April 25, 2021
- September 28, 2021
- 31 min read
Success And The Realization Of A Nightmare: The Space Shuttle Era
There is little doubt that the Space Shuttle Program, which ran for three decades between 1981 and 2011 is a classic era in space exploration, and one where interest in such matters surged. However, it was also one that witnessed two tragic incidents resulting in the deaths of 14 astronauts - tragedies compounded by apparent missed warnings and lessons not learned…
- By
- April 11, 2021
- September 29, 2021
- 23 min read
The Handshake In Space – The Apollo-Soyuz Project
The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project was not only the first collaborative effort between the United States and the Soviet Union in space, but it marked the start of a thawing of the attitudes of each side during the Cold War. And while the fall of the Soviet Union was still a decade and a half away, the desire to work together was displayed before billions of people watching the event around the world. Indeed, the importance of the project should not be understated, and is truly a historic moment in the timeline of space exploration…
- By
- January 16, 2021
- September 29, 2021
- 10 min read
Close Calls And Controversy: The Last Hurrah Of The Apollo Missions
The Apollo program would deliver the missions that would firmly establish the United States as the clear winners of the Space Race, making them the dominant force in space exploration. However, far from being perfect missions, there were several heart-stopping moments during the course of the missions, perhaps specifically so when crewed vehicles were sent to the moon…
- By
- January 6, 2021
- September 29, 2021
- 25 min read
- 1
The Realm Of The Gods: The Apollo Program, The Moon Landings, And A New Dawn
While the moon landings essentially won the Space Race for the United States, the historic occasion truly marked a change in the attitude of the Americans and the Soviet Union. Although the Cold War would rage for a further two decades following this achievement, there appeared to be a discreet climbing down of hostility, at least as far as space exploration was concerned…
- By
- December 31, 2020
- September 29, 2021
- 22 min read
- 1
Into The Heavens: The First Humans In Space And The Underlying Drive Of The Cold War
After the tentative steps of the late 1950s, the sixties saw the Space Race accelerate dramatically. And with those advancement came tragic consequences for both sides. Following the initial advancements of the Soviet Union, the United States eventually nosed in front in the race to reach the stars and beyond…
- By
- December 22, 2020
- September 29, 2021
- 15 min read
High-Altitude Rockets, Satellites, And Spacecraft: The Early History Of The Space Race
When we think of the Space Race most of us likely also think of the Cold War – a race between the United States and Soviet Union to reach the stars and explore space. The fact is, though, the origins of the space go back even further, to the rocket designs of Nazi scientists who would then continue their work on both sides of the ideological divide following the war, and taking humanity on arguably one of the greatest journeys in history…
- By
- November 29, 2020
- September 29, 2021
- 18 min read
- 1
The Salyut 7 Incident – Space Hallucinations, Or The Watchers?
An apparent incident in July 1984, witnessed on separate occasions by several Soviet cosmonauts while on the Soviet space station, Salyut 7, is perhaps an alien encounter, if we accept it to be genuine and authentic, that drifts into areas of spirituality, with claims of “angel-like” entities floating outside the space station, and a feeling of positive well-being spreading from them to the crew…
- By
- February 3, 2017
- September 29, 2021
- 6 min read
- 2
The Truth Behind Apollo 18 and the Missing Moon Rocks
Officially, the Apollo 17 mission was the last to leave the Earth and venture out to the Moon. Apollo 18 and 19 were cancelled due to budget cuts – at least officially. Many would point out that those missions were already technically paid for. And some would even insist that they went ahead secretly, away from the eyes of the world. When claims of “missing moon rocks” began to intertwine within the Apollo conspiracy, it would make many re-examine the goings-on around these mysterious Apollo missions…
- By
- December 8, 2014
- September 29, 2021
- 11 min read
- 14
Why Have We Never Returned to the Moon?
There are many alleged reasons for the sudden halt to the Moon missions. While officially, a drastic cut in budget was offered to the public for the sudden pulling of further missions of perhaps the greatest achievement in American history, many believed there were other reasons. Some would claim the missions were still happening, only in secret. Others, would claim there was already a presence on the Moon, and it had forced the cancellation of any further ventures there…
- By
- May 29, 2012
- September 29, 2021
- 25 min read
- 79