Humankind has always been fascinated by space, a phenomenon dating back to the era of ancient civilizations like the Greeks and Babylonians. As a species, we have always been eager to understand what exists outside the confines of Mother Earth. However, despite the numerous attempts by our ancestors, it’s only recently that great strides have been made in space exploration, and it’s thanks to a few spacecraft. To celebrate the achievements astronauts have made, here are ten spacecraft that have made history in space exploration.
1. MW 18014 (V-2) Rocket
If it were not for this rocket, astronomers would still be relying on telescopes to explore space. The MW 18014 was a German rocket built in 1944 at the Peenemunde Army Research Center. While its initial purpose was to serve in World War II, this V-2 Rocket made history by being the first spacecraft to bypass Earth’s gravitational pull. Astronomers worldwide discovered through the MW 18014 that spacecrafts could break free from Earth’s gravity.
2. Sputnik Satellite 1 and 2
A USSR stamp depicting Sputnik 1 orbiting the Earth, the Earth orbiting the Sun and the Sun orbiting the center of the Milky Way galaxy
In 1957, the USSR launched two satellites into Earth’s orbit in only two months. The first satellite sent to space was Sputnik I, whose primary purpose was to send radio signals back to Earth. The launch of Sputnik I triggered the fierce space exploration battle between the United States and the USSR. Critics have also argued that the launch of Sputnik I was a show of might by the USSR. Whichever the case, it was a significant achievement.
On November 3, 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik II into Earth’s orbit. However, this time, it wasn’t just a satellite; this spacecraft ferried a dog called Laika, making it the first living animal ever to make it to space. Unfortunately, Laika passed away in space because it was a one-way trip. On the other hand, the mission proved space travel was possible for humans.
3. Vostok I
Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet astronaut, made history in 1961 by being the first man to go around Earth’s orbit aboard the Vostok I spacecraft. In a journey that took 1 hour and 48 minutes, Yuri Gagarin provided valuable insight into the effects of space travel on the human body. The Vostok I also collected crucial information about Earth’s orbit.
4. Apollo 11
Before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, a group of astronauts, including Frank Borman and James Lowell, had orbited the moon in 1968 using the Apollo 8 spacecraft. They came back with images of the moon and other helpful information.
A year later, the Apollo 11 crew made its way to the moon. This time, they didn’t orbit it but landed and planted the American Flag on the moon’s surface. Apollo 11 is celebrated as one of the most iconic spacecrafts that pushed the boundaries of space exploration. Note that Apollo 8 was not the first spacecraft to orbit the moon. This had already been accomplished by the USSR when they launched Luna 10 in 1966.
5. Salyut 1
The Soyuz 1 crew with the Salyut station in the background, in a Soviet commemorative stamp.
Before the 1970s, most spacecraft would spend little time outside the Earth’s atmosphere because of limited resources. Therefore, the Soviets came up with the idea of building a space station; that’s how the Salyut 1 came into existence.
It is the world’s first space station with three visits from spacecraft: Soyuz 10, 11 and 12. Even though one of these spacecraft didn’t make it back to Earth, the Salyut 1 made it possible for humans to explore space for an extended period.
6. Pioneer 10
Final parts of Pioneer 10 construction.
Exploring the moon was still not enough to quench the curiosity of astronomers. So, NASA built the Pioneer 10, a spacecraft designed to fly further into the solar system. It successfully escaped the solar system and got into interstellar space. Here, it captured pictures of Saturn and Jupiter. This was crucial because it gave NASA more information about neighboring planets and interstellar space.
7. Voyager I
In an era where people thought there was extraterrestrial life in space, NASA launched another spacecraft in 1977 known as the Voyager I. Its purpose wasn’t just to collect information about other planets and moons but also to carry pictures, sounds, and greetings from Earth. NASA’s goal was to send a message to space, hoping that if there were extraterrestrial life, Voyager 1 would introduce our planet.
8. The Challenger Space Shuttle
Built by Rockwell International Space Division, the Challenger Space Shuttle had one main mission – to deploy a tracking and data relay satellite. This equipment would be used to facilitate immediate communication with orbiting spacecraft.
Unfortunately, a minute after it took off, the Challenger Space Shuttle blew up, taking the lives of seven astronauts. People commemorate the Challenger Space Shuttle to remind us how dangerous spacecraft can be. Also, a lot was learned from what went wrong.
9. The International Space Station
More than two decades after the Soviets built the first space station, several countries, including Russia, the US, Japan, and Canada, came together and built the International Space Station in 1998. Construction went on until 2011.
The ISS is the biggest single space structure humankind has ever sent out of Earth’s orbit. It was built to facilitate permanent space exploration. Over the years, the ISS has conducted several experiments while supporting spacecraft exploring the solar system.
10. Falcon 9
After founding Space X, Elon Musk shocked the world by introducing Falcon 9, the first orbital-class reusable rocket. Unlike most astronomers who are interested in space exploration for data collection, Elon Musk wants to make space travel a tourism activity. Reusing the most expensive parts of a rocket makes launching them into space cheaper. Falcon 9 has had several versions while being tweaked to land successfully.