Aristotle
• Year – 347BC
• believed that
the Earth was
at the center of
the universe.
Ptolemy
• Year – 100AD
• He believed Earth was at
the center of the
universe and all other
heavenly bodies
revolved around it.
• This theory is known as
the geocentric theory.
Nicolas Copernicus
• 1543
• All of the planets
revolve around the sun.
• This theory is known as
the heliocentric theory.
Galileo Galilei
• In 1609, Galileo used a
telescope to look at the
sky.
• He confirmed
Copernicus’ theory that
the planets revolved
around the sun.
Sputnik
• first artificial
satellite into space on
Oct.4, 1957.
• Launched by Soviet
Union
• Sputnik orbited the
Earth for 6 months
before falling back to
Earth.
Yuri Gagarin
• April 1961
• First person to go into
space.
• He orbited the Earth
one time.
• He was from the
Soviet Union(Russia).
Alan Shepherd
• May 1961
• First American
to go into space.
• Stayed in space for
15 minutes.
Space Race
• A “race” between United States
and Soviet Union(Russia) to see
who could go the farthest in space.
• "I believe this nation should
commit itself to achieving the goal,
before this decade is out, of
landing a man on the moon and
returning him safely to the Earth."
• He asked Congress for 22 billion
dollars to finance the Apollo
missions.
John Glenn
• February 20,1962
• The first man to
orbit the Earth in
space.
• Orbited 3 times
around Earth
• Landed in Atlantic
Ocean
Capsule returning to Earth
Rocket at launch pad
Capsule in space
Capsule lands in ocean and
is recovered by a Navy
ocean liner
Gemini Program
• Mid 1960s (1965)
• Sent 2 people into
space to work on
techniques for a
lunar mission.
• “Space walks”
• Spent up to 14 days in
space
Apollo 11
• July 20, 1969
• 1st mission to land
on the moon
• Neil Armstrong and
Buzz Aldrin 1st to
walk on the moon
• Michael Collins
orbited the moon
Pictures from Apollo 11 mission
Space Shuttle
• First launch in 1981
• First reusable
rocket
• Can carry a crew of
5-8 astronauts
• Put satellites into
orbit and/or make
repairs
Hubble Space Telescope
• Put into orbit in 1990
• Satellite that orbits
Earth and takes
pictures of other
stars, galaxies, and
planets
Mir
• Russian Space
Station put into
orbit in 1986
• U.S. and Russian
astronauts lived and
worked in space for
months at a time
• Came crashing back to
Earth in 2001
International Space Station
• Construction started in 1998
• Space station built by
United States, Russia,
Canada, Japan, and other
countries
• Scientists live here and
perform experiments
Rovers that have landed on Mars
• 1997 – Pathfinder lands
safely on Mars and
releases rover – Sojourner
to study the surface.
2003 Spirit lands
on Mars
Mariner satellites
• 1971
• Explored inner
planets –
Mercury, Venus,
and Mars
Voyager
• Launched from Earth in
1977
• Sent to study the outer
planets – Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, Neptune
• Discovered Great Red
Spot is a storm and
Neptune has the strongest
winds
Cassini
• Launched in 1997
• Reached Saturn in
2004
• Studying the rings
and moons of
Saturn