TOP 31 Facts about the Space Race

by | Oct 1, 2014 | Space | 0 comments

Space food

  1. Space race led to a quick progress in the diet of astronauts. In the beginning American astronauts were worried whether it would be at all possible to eat in space under the conditions of zero gravity (Soviet researchers have long had an answer to that question – zero gravity environment was created in a freefall plane).
  2. At first the food of the astronauts was liquid – in tubes something like toothpaste. Even pasta was liquid. American astronauts ate pre-cut pieces of food and powders which were dissolved in water. This was not enjoyable at all.
  3. After the first stage of the space race, researchers began thinking about “tasty” things. And the astronauts were allowed some liberties in their diet. For example, with another cargo ship during long flights astronauts were sent their favorite dishes (not necessarily delicacies, but each astronaut had his own eating habits).
  4. These days, astronauts’ meals take into account national peculiarities. Eating system is thought out in detail, and astronauts have everything they need, because in orbit one cannot go to the store to get ketchup or order pizza delivery.
  5. The station for long journey in space was a loss in the space race – it got to the orbit two years after the Soviet station – only in 1973.
  6. During the construction of the “Skylab” station Americans saved on everything. The station was built based on the upper stage of the American rocket “Saturn-1B.” Basically, they decided to take a piece of the rocket and put astronauts in it. And this piece was not small. They saved also on scientific equipment. For example, in order to take a tape with recordings of observation telescope, an astronaut had to get out into open space.
  7. Interestingly, the station became a place of the first and the only strike of astronauts. During the third mission the astronauts became so tired that they demanded a day off. They were refused. Then they turned off any radio communication for the whole day. And rested the whole day.
  8. However, this mission was the last for the station. Americans first mothballed the unsuccessful station, and then abandoned it altogether. The large size of the station led to the fact that it started losing orbit and soon fell to the ground.
  9. What is the reason for space exploration? In order to visit other planets, such as Mars, for example. And populate them. But we should begin with the Moon. And we cannot do without a lunar city. In 1962, the work began on the creation of super-rocket (N-1) capable of carrying everything necessary to the moon, as well as to nearby planets.
  10. Then the project to create a lunar city began. It was planned to build the city based on Soviet Arctic stations: a train that can carry everything to the city, and then used for work, and the settlement itself. Solar panels were immediately dismissed – the moon attracts a large amount of meteor dust, and the batteries would deteriorate rapidly. The city itself was supposed to be three-layered – double protection with foam filling compound in between the layers. Twelve people were supposed to live in 9 cigar-shaped modules. Each module block, directly on the lunar surface, with the help of air was transformed into a module with the floor area of ​​over 20 square meters. The project was almost completely ready by 1971, but the policy of the USSR in with regards to space exploration changed.
  11. By that time, Soviet scientists already knew the composition of lunar rock and developed a unique device to produce water directly on the moon.

American Space Station “Skylab”

  1. The station for long journey in space was a loss in the space race –it got to the orbit two years after the Soviet station – only in 1973.
  2. During the construction of the “Skylab” station Americans saved on everything. The station was built based on the upper stage of the American rocket “Saturn-1B.” Basically, they decided to take a piece of the rocket and put astronauts in it. And this piece was not small. They saved also on scientific equipment. For example, in order to take a tape with recordings of observation telescope, an astronaut had to get out into open space.
  3. Interestingly, the station became a place of the first and the only strike of astronauts. During the third mission the astronauts became so tired that they demanded a day off. They were refused. Then they turned off any radio communication for the whole day. And rested the whole day.
  4. However, this mission was the last for the station. Americans first mothballed the unsuccessful station, and then abandoned it altogether. The large size of the station led to the fact that it started losing orbit and soon fell to the ground.

Soviet Lunar City

  1. What is the reason for space exploration? In order to visit other planets, such as Mars, for example. And populate them. But we should begin with the Moon. And we cannot do without a lunar city. In 1962, the work began on the creation of super-rocket (N-1) capable of carrying everything necessary to the moon, as well as to nearby planets.
  2. Then the project to create a lunar city began. It was planned to build the city based on Soviet Arctic stations: a train that can carry everything to the city, and then used for work, and the settlement itself. Solar panels were immediately dismissed – the moon attracts a large amount of meteor dust, and the batteries would deteriorate rapidly. The city itself was supposed to be three-layered – double protection with foam filling compound in between the layers. Twelve people were supposed to live in 9 cigar-shaped modules. Each module block, directly on the lunar surface, with the help of air was transformed into a module with the floor area of ​​over 20 square meters. The project was almost completely ready by 1971, but the policy of the USSR in with regards to space exploration changed.
  3. By that time, Soviet scientists already knew the composition of lunar rock and developed a unique device to produce water directly on the moon.

Russian Space

Soyuz

фотобанк Лори

  1. In 50 years of space exploration, according to Alexander Zheleznyakov, Russia / USSR made 2,782 successful space launches, the United States – 1,333 (half as much). Other countries have completed 10 times fewer launches.
  2. During the same time period the number of space crafts launched into orbitwas 3,287 for Russia / USSR, and 1,928 for the USA. Other countries fall behind by 15 times or more.
  3. The official language of the space is Russian. If you are planning to travel into space, then you have to learn the Russian language. All astronauts from all other countries have at least intermediate or excellent command of the Russian language.