Space Exploration
Rockets, Rovers & the International Space Station
Space exploration has revealed the wonders of our solar system and beyond. From the first satellite to land on the Moon to rovers exploring Mars, human ingenuity has pushed the boundaries of what is possible. The future includes missions to Mars and beyond.
Milestones in Space Exploration
- 1957: Sputnik 1 — first artificial satellite
- 1961: Yuri Gagarin — first human in space
- 1969: Apollo 11 — first Moon landing
- 1998: International Space Station construction begins
- 2004: Spirit and Opportunity land on Mars
- 2015: New Horizons flies past Pluto
- 2021: Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter on Mars
International Space Station
The ISS is the largest structure humans have ever put in space. It has been continuously inhabited since November 2000 and serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory. Astronauts from many countries live and work aboard the station.
Future Missions
NASA's Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable presence there as a stepping stone for future Mars missions. SpaceX, Blue Origin, and other companies are developing new spacecraft for deep space exploration.