It’s been almost a month since Space X’s Falcon 9 rocket launched the first Americans into space from US soil since the end of the shuttle program — the first private rocket to do so. How did Space X get to this point? Today’s infographic takes a look at the history of the company and it’s various missions before the historic May 30 launch. [VIA]
Since 1957 and Sputnik 1, man had been sending satellites into space, all with different jobs to do. While some are turned towards space to observe, others are used for communication, and some are turned back to Earth to observe life here. Just what do they see, however? Today’s infographic takes a look at some of these Earth-observing satellites and gives sample images from most. [VIA]
On June 16, 1963, Soviet space capsule Vostok 6 blasted off. On board was cosmonaut Valentina Tereshova who over almost 3 days completed 48 orbits in her craft, the “Seagull”. Tereshova experienced a great deal of difficulty in flight, suffering from assorted aches and pains, vomiting, and equipment malfunctions, leading many to believe later that her flight was possibly sabotaged (one wonders if it’s because she was a woman).
Despite all this, it was revealed in 2004 that there was an error in the flight control program that caused her craft to begin to ascend, rather than descend from orbit, an error she noticed immediately that would have caused her to shoot off into space if not corrected. She was able to correct her course and return safely to Earth, but in the tradition of the Soviet space program, was ordered not to talk about the incident at the time.
Check out this video to learn more:
Since the dawn of mankind, we have looked up and been fascinated by the stars. What were once mysterious orbs — the homes of gods and legends — are now a little more understood scientifically, not no less fascinating. Today’s infographic takes a look at our 44 closest celestial neighbors in order of distance from our solar system and compares their characteristics to the star we are most familiar with, our own sun.. [VIA]
Use the photos posted in this feature for writing prompts, warm-up activities, drawing templates or as part of a photo analysis.
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Use the photos posted in this feature for writing prompts, warm-up activities, drawing templates or as part of a photo analysis.
Photograph of New York City illuminated at night from the International Space Station. Taken March 23, 2013.
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Photo posted for educational and informational purposes only,. Any and all copyrights are retained by the original holders.
Use the photos posted in this feature for writing prompts, warm-up activities, drawing templates or as part of a photo analysis.
Almost 9 years ago to the day!
May 16, 2011. “The Space Shuttle Endeavour during launch.” Photo credit: NASA.
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Photo posted for educational and informational purposes only,. Any and all copyrights are retained by the original holders.
| Dance Like a Chicken Day
National Buttermilk Biscuit Day |
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GEORGE LUCAS (1944) — American filmmaker & entrepreneur. Creator of Star Wars and co-creator of Indiana Jones. Founder of LucasFilm. |
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EOIN COLFER (1965) — Irish author, best known for the Artemis Fowl series. |
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MARK ZUCKERBERG (1984) — American computer programmer and entrepreneur. Co-founder of Facebook. |
| 1607 – Jamestown, Virginia is settled as an English colony, becoming the first permanent English settlement in North America. |  |
| 1796 – English physician Edward Jenner administers the first smallpox inoculation. The disease will be officially deemed eradicated in 1980. |  |
| 1804 – Wiliam Clark and the Corps of Discovery depart Camp Dubois, Illinois to meet Meriwether Lewis in St. Charles, Missouri, marking the beginning of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. |  |
| 1948 – Israel is declared an independent state and a provisional government is established. It is immediately attacked by neighboring countries, igniting the Arab-Israeli War. |  |
| 1973 – The United States’ first space station, Skylab, is launched. |  |
| Cartoonists Day
Cinco de Mayo National Concert Day Museum Lovers Day National Hoagie Day National Teacher Day Oyster Day World Asthma Day Revenge of the Fifth |
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SØREN KIERKEGAARD (1813-1855) — Danish philosopher, theologian, & poet. Considered first existentialist philosopher. |
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KARL MARX (1818-1883) — German philosopher, sociologist economist, and social revolutionary. Author of The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital. |
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NELLIE BLY (1864-1922) — American journalist. Best known for her record breaking trip around the world in 72 days and undercover expose of a mental institution (Ten Days in a Mad-House) |
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SIR MICHAEL PALIN (1943) — English comedian, actor, author, and television presenter. Best-known as part of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. |
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JOHN RHYS-DAVIES (1944) — Welsh actor & producer (Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, Sliders). |
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ADELE (1988) — English singer-songwriter |
| 1821 – Emperor Napoleon I dies in exile on the South Atlantic island of Saint Helena. |  |
| 1862 – Cinco de Mayo — Outnumbered Mexican forces repel French invaders at the Battle of Puebla |  |
| 1865 – The government of the Confederate States of America is declared officially dissolved in Washington, Georgia. |  |
| 1961 – Astronaut Alan Shepard is the first American in space, spending 15 minutes in a sub-orbital flight. |  |
Every so often we hear about solar flares and sunstorms and their ability to wreak havoc on the world’s electronics and computer networks. I have always been amazed about the power of nature, both here on Earth and in space. Today’s infographic helps to break down the different types of activity we can observe on the sun and what it might mean to us in the future. [VIA]
