Humanity’s Place Among the Stars IHST8801 Understanding the Past and Current Efforts in Human Space Exploration. Alexander Johnson

Contents Rationale and Summary Human Space Exploration: a Historical context Achievements and Outcomes Costs and Requirements Current Space Policy Aims, Goals and New Directions

Rationale: In the beginning of the 21st Century the human race is on the verge of a new era in space exploration. The paths we can take, where we go from here, are limited only by our goals, ambitions and personal endeavour.

Rationale Importance. Intended audience. Summary.

Human Space Exploration: A Historical Narrative WWII World War II German rocket program V2 rocket Post World War II/Cold War Space Race Missile-based arms race post WWII. Intent to launch satellites (July/August 1955) Launch of Sputnik 1 – Launch of Juno

Human Space Exploration: A Historical Narrative Intention shifted to putting the first human in space. April – Yuri Gagarin on Vostok 1. May – Alan Shepard on Freedom 7. May – Special joint session of Congress by Kennedy. February – John Glenn on Friendship 7. September “We choose to go to the moon…” Kennedy.

Human Space Exploration: A Historical Narrative Development of the greater race by the US. Project Gemini in Flight schedule Multiple person spacecraft Ability to change orbits Capability to perform EVA. Many USSR firsts over this time. In 1964 started concentrating on race to the moon. Plans for larger spacecraft to be ready post Height of Soviet space program.

Human Space Exploration: A Historical Narrative 1960’s Apollo Project: July 20, 1969 Apollo 11 completes lunar landing Neil Armstong and ‘Buzz’ Aldrin walk on the surface of the moon Space Race is effectively won.

Achievements and Outcomes Many technologies arise from any lengthy endeavour with scientific aims. The Space Race was no different. Many fields have benefited from the human exploration of space

Costs and Requirements Financial Costs Human Costs Environmental Costs

Current Space Policy Lower Earth Orbit New nations – second Space Race??? Use of robots Human Exploration!!!

Aims, Goals and New Directions Continued missions to the ISS. Development of space faring capacities of other nations. Private enterprise. Plans(?) for lunar landings and colonies, asteroid visits, Mars orbits and landing.

“Dinosaurs are extinct today because they did not build space craft. Were no funds available? Did their politicians lack foresight? More likely it was because their brains were tiny. And the absence of an opposable thumb didn’t help either.” “Make no mistake: the path to discovery inherent in space exploration has become not a choice but a necessity, and the consequences of that choice affect the survival of absolutely everyone, including those who remain thoroughly unenlightened by the multitude of discoveries made by their own species throughout its time on Earth.”