From Jules Verne to the former USSR and the United States to Elon Musk – the goal of the moon does not scare them!
Like Icarus trying to fly towards the sun, people dream fly into space since the antiquity. In the 2nd century, the Greek philosopher Lucian of Samosata imagined a sailing boat approaches the moon. Even stronger: Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac invented no fewer than nine ways to fly into space in the 17th century! It was Jules Verne who, two centuries later, popularized this topic of space exploration in From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon. Its impact is such that it will push engineers to make this dream come true!
The companies ofspace travel From the 1920s, they flourished in the USA, Austria and Argentina. But also in Germany, where the army quickly recognized the purpose of their work. In 1934, the country launched two A2 rockets that reached a height of 2,500 m. When the war begins, the Germans have a head start thanks to funds provided by Hitler. On October 3, 1942, a rocket engine powered by liquid oxygen and ethyl alcohol climbed to an altitude of 80 km and covered a flight distance of 190 km. The Luftwaffe begins production of V2 rockets, the forerunner of all rockets.
The USSR, leader of the cosmos
The conquest of space is the daughter of cold War Less risky than a military conflict, more media and popular, this scientific and technological confrontation to gain control of space became the priority of the two powers. The offspring and the large budgets provided in each camp push research forward by leaps and bounds. In this fierce competition, the Soviet Union is at the forefront.
In 1957, she was the first to put a satellite into orbit, the famous one sputnik 1. Two years later, she sent a first probe, Luna 2, to land on the moon. Notably, on April 12, 1961 at 9:7 a.m., a Semiorka rocket, towered over by a Vostok 1 spacecraft, with Yuri Gagarin on board, took off from the Baikonur base. In orbit, it orbits the Earth and lands in a field less than two hours later the first man in space. The world marveled at this feat, which lit up the red star of the Soviets in the firmament and at the same time humiliated the American adversary.
NASA strikes back
No question of giving space to the Russians! In a speech before Congress on May 25, 1961, President Kennedy made a promise: the first man on the moon would be an American. THE Apollo program was launched in 1961. A crazy bet, colossal funds: the cost was set at $25 billion while NASA’s workforce grew from 10,000 to 36,000 in six years. In total, 20,000 companies, 20 universities and almost 10 million people from near and far work for the lunar program.
The investment pays off: On December 24, 1968, Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders orbit the moon on board the Apollo and undo the previous humiliations. On July 21, 1969, the Americans struck hard: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin erected the Stars and Stripes on the moon. This “giant leap” for mankind will be broadcast live worldwide… except in the Eastern Bloc, where this archenemy’s success must not be widely known. A total of twelve American astronauts will set foot on the moon: Apollo 17 will be in December 1972 last moon mission.
France also wants to play a role in the conquest of space
In 1965, the Diamond A missile was launched the first French satellite, the aptly named Asterix, in orbit. On December 24, 1979, the first Ariane rocket was launched from Kourou, French Guiana. At the same time, European cooperation was organized in 1962 and the European Space Agency was founded in 1975.
After the end of the Cold War, the major powers banded together to build the International Space Station (ISS), a crazy project that ended in 2011. In just a few decades, conquering the stars has transformed our daily lives. Satellites – today more than 2,000 – inform us about the weather and road routes. Above all, space travel always makes you fantasize. More and more probes are being fired, giving us incredible images.
Space ambitions are spreading across the planet
China, of course, but also India, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Israel… Private companies are also involved. With the billionaires Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson, space tourism experienced a glittering and media-savvy start. Elon Musk, head of SpaceX who invented the “reusable rocket”, plans a mission to Mars by 2026. At a time when the earth doesn’t always spin, outer space might as well be dreaming.
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