The German V-2 was a short range ballistic missile developed during World war II targeted at London. But liquid propellant rocket more commonly known as V-2 rocket turned out to be worlds first long range combat-ballistic missile and first known human artifact to reach outer space. With flight altitude of 82 Km when launched at trajectory and 206Km when lauched vertically, V-2 paved way for space flight. After war many units and production staff and scientists were siezed by UK, USA and Soviet Union. Today I start a new series of post about spaceflights. Enjoy!
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| Robert H. Goddard | Image from Wikimedia Commons |
Robert H. Goddard
An American Professor, physicist and inventor is credited for building world's first liquid-fueled Rocket. He launched 34 rocket between 1926 and 1941 achieving highest altitude of 2.6Km. His patented inventions Multi-staged rockets and Liquid-fueled rockets, proved to be milestones in Spaceflight. Goddard originally aimed designing rockets to scientifically study atmosphere. Later recognized its potential to be used in military and space travel. Lack of Vision and serious interest towards rocketry potential, Goddard's liquid-fueled rocket was neglected by US Government itself, but advanced in German.
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| Luna 2 | Image from Wikimedia Commons |
Luna Missions
With knowing the potential of rockets, began the space age and so did the quest to reach the moon. USSR began the Luna programme, a series of robotic spacecraft mission on Lunar Surface. On 12th September 1959, after previous failures, Luna 2 successfully impacted the Lunar surface on 14th September 1959 after around 36 hours of Journey. Luna 2 also carried Soviet pennants, which scattered on Lunar surface after its impact.
Later on October 4 Lunar-3 launched few days later after Luna 2 photographed the other side of the moon, which cannot be seen from the earth. Total 29 Photos were taken covering 70% of the farside, out of which only 17 were viewable but had poor quality.
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| Vostok | Image from Wikimedia Commons |
Vostok
On April 12th, Yuri Gagarin became the first Human being to reach outer space, orbit the earth and successfully return to earth on spacecraft- Vostok 1. The mission lasted for 1 hour 48mins. Traveling through the day side and the night side of earth, Yuri Gagarin made 1 orbit around the earth. Yuri Gagarin landed on earth separately from his spaceship at 26 kms south-west of Engels, Saratov. On reaching altitude of 7Km, he was ejected from his spaceship and landed using parachute At 2.5 Km altitude parachute was deployed for spaceship.
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| Buzz Aldrin on Lunar Surface | Image from Wikimedia Commons |
Apollo 11
On 20th July 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became first humans to step on Lunar surface. They also carried with them 21.5 Kg of lunar sample back to earth. Buzz Aldrin took Holy Communion on moon and is considered the first food eaten there! Apollo 11 mision lasted for 8 days and carried Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. Michael Collins was command module pilot. Armstrong is believed to have walked 60 m from the Lunar module but not more than that. They walked on Moon for 2 and half hour. The Spacecraft returned to Earth on 24th of July 1969, landing in Pacific Ocean. ON returned all astronauts were quarantined till 'Clean bill of Health' was given on 10th August 1969.
Luna 15
Few days before Apollo 11, USSR secretly launched unmanned spacecraft, Luna 15 in an attempt to collect Lunar sample back to Earth before anyone else. Interestingly, Luna 15 during descent, crashed just 2 hours before Apollo crew took off from Lunar surface. Lunar 15 had made 52 orbits around moon and Apollo crew had already walked the moon before Luna's descent. The two spacecrafts landed and crash-landed 740 miles apart.
