Space Flight

Space scientists are very interested in the phenomenon of weightlessness. They have carried out extensive studies on the fact that the weight of the object depends on its position relative to the centre of the earth.

Space travel means travelling through space to visit and explore other worlds. The scientists that travel to space are called ASTRONAUTS. Space flight can occur with spacecraft /spaceship or without humans on board.

Examples of human space flight include the Russian Soyuz program, the US space shuttle program, as well as the ongoing international space station.

Examples of unmanned space flight include satellites in orbits around the earth.

In 1961, the USSR successfully placed the first man, Yuri Gagarin in Orbit around the earth. His flight, on April 12, 1961, lasted 108 minutes as he circled the Earth for a little more than one orbit in the Soviet Union’s Vostok spacecraft.

On 21 July 1969, Neil Armstrong a US astronaut became the first human being to step on the moon. 

The Nigerian satellite was launched in September 2003. 

Purposes of Space Flight /Space Travel:

The purpose of space travel is for space exploration to gather information about different planets, space tourism, and satellite telecommunication.

Others include:

• Uniting different nations.

• To place a satellite.

• Search for knowledge on the possibility of life on other planets.

• The military rivalry between nations such as Russia (USSR) and America.

• Ensuring the future survival of humanity.