Array ( [0] => {{short description|Vehicle or machine designed to fly in space}} [1] => {{redirect|Orbiter}} [2] => {{redirect|Orbital vehicle}} [3] => {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} [4] => {{Use American English|date=January 2020}} [5] => [[File:Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft2edit1.jpg|thumb|[[List of Soyuz missions|More than 140]] Soviet and Russian crewed [[Soyuz (spacecraft)|Soyuz]] spacecraft ([[Soyuz TMA|TMA]] version shown) have flown since 1967 and now support the [[International Space Station]].]] [6] => {{Spaceflight sidebar}} [7] => [8] => A '''spacecraft''' ({{plural form}}: spacecraft) is a vehicle that is designed to [[spaceflight|fly in outer space]] and operate there. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including [[Telecommunications|communications]], [[Earth observation satellite|Earth observation]], [[Weather satellite|meteorology]], [[navigation]], [[space colonization]], [[Planetary science|planetary exploration]], and [[Space transport|transportation]] of [[Human spaceflight|humans]] and [[cargo spacecraft|cargo]]. All spacecraft except [[single-stage-to-orbit]] vehicles cannot get into space on their own, and require a [[launch vehicle]] (carrier rocket). [9] => [10] => On a [[sub-orbital spaceflight]], a [[space vehicle]] enters [[outer space|space]] and then returns to the surface without having gained sufficient energy or velocity to make a full [[Geocentric orbit|Earth orbit]]. For [[orbital spaceflight]]s, spacecraft enter closed orbits around the [[Earth]] or around other [[Astronomical object|celestial bodies]]. Spacecraft used for human spaceflight carry people on board as crew or passengers from start or on orbit ([[space station]]s) only, whereas those used for [[robotic space mission]]s operate either [[autonomous robot|autonomously]] or [[telerobotics|telerobotically]]. [[Robotic spacecraft]] used to support scientific research are [[space probe]]s. Robotic spacecraft that remain in orbit around a planetary body are artificial [[satellite]]s. To date, only a handful of [[interstellar probe]]s, such as ''[[Pioneer 10]]'' and ''[[Pioneer 11|11]]'', ''[[Voyager 1]]'' and ''[[Voyager 2|2]]'', and ''[[New Horizons]],''are on trajectories that leave the [[Solar System]]. [11] => [12] => Orbital spacecraft may be recoverable or not. Most are not. Recoverable spacecraft may be subdivided by a method of [[Atmospheric entry|reentry]] to Earth into non-winged [[space capsule]]s and winged [[spaceplane]]s. Recoverable spacecraft may be [[reusable spacecraft|reusable]] (can be launched again or several times, like the [[SpaceX Dragon]] and the [[Space Shuttle orbiter]]s) or expendable (like the [[Soyuz (spacecraft)|Soyuz]]). In recent years, more space agencies are tending towards reusable spacecraft. [13] => [14] => Humanity has achieved space flight, but [[Timeline of first orbital launches by country|only a few nations have the technology for orbital launches]]: [[Russia]] ([[Roscosmos State Corporation|RSA]] or "Roscosmos"), the [[United States]] ([[NASA]]), the member states of the [[European Space Agency]] (ESA), [[Japan]] ([[JAXA]]), [[China]] ([[CNSA]]), [[India]] ([[ISRO]]), [[Taiwan]]{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/taiwanese-navy-accidentally-fires-nuclear-8730387|title=Taiwanese navy fires NUCLEAR MISSILE at fisherman during horrifying accident|first=Sam|last=Adams|website=[[Daily Mirror]]|date=29 August 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://defencenews.in/article/At-Mach-10,-Taiwans-Hsiung-Feng-III-Anti-China-Missiles-could-be-faster-than-the-BrahMos-18873|title=At Mach-10, Taiwan's Hsiung Feng-III 'Anti-China' Missiles could be faster than the BrahMos|website=defencenews.in|access-date=2019-01-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807021440/http://defencenews.in/article/At-Mach-10%2C-Taiwans-Hsiung-Feng-III-Anti-China-Missiles-could-be-faster-than-the-BrahMos-18873|archive-date=2017-08-07|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.chinatopix.com/articles/104213/20161021/taiwan-extending-range-hsiung-feng-iii-missiles-world-s-fastest.htm|title=Taiwan Extending the Range of its Hsiung Feng III Missiles to Reach China|first=Arthur Dominic|last=Villasanta|date=21 October 2016}}{{cite web |last1=Elias |first1=Jibu |title=TSMC set to beat Intel to become the world's most advanced chipmaker |url=https://in.pcmag.com/chipsets-processors/120341/tsmc-set-to-beat-intel-to-become-the-worlds-most-advanced-chipmaker |website=PCMag India |language=en |date=10 April 2018 |access-date=12 May 2019 |archive-date=12 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512201148/https://in.pcmag.com/chipsets-processors/120341/tsmc-set-to-beat-intel-to-become-the-worlds-most-advanced-chipmaker |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |title=TSMC is about to become the world's most advanced chipmaker |url=https://www.economist.com/business/2018/04/05/tsmc-is-about-to-become-the-worlds-most-advanced-chipmaker |newspaper=The Economist |date=5 April 2018}} [[National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology]], [[National Space Organization|Taiwan National Space Organization (NSPO)]],{{cite web|url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3349525|title=Taiwan's upgraded 'Cloud Peak' mi... – Taiwan News|publisher=Taiwan News|date=25 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.defenseworld.net/news/21837/Taiwan_To_Upgrade____Cloud_Peak____Medium_range_Missiles_For_Micro_Satellites_Launch|title=Taiwan To Upgrade 'Cloud Peak' Medium-range Missiles For Micro-Satellites Launch|website=www.defenseworld.net}}{{cite web|url=https://spacewatch.global/2018/01/taiwans-new-ballistic-missile-capable-launching-microsatellites/|title=Taiwan's New Ballistic Missile Capable of Launching Microsatellites – SpaceWatch.Global|first=John|last=Sheldon|website=spacewatch.global|date=30 January 2018}} [[Israel]] ([[Israel Space Agency|ISA]]), [[Iran]] ([[Iranian Space Agency|ISA]]), and [[North Korea]] ([[National Aerospace Development Administration|NADA]]). In addition, [[private spaceflight|several private companies]] have [[Timeline of first orbital launches by country#Other launches and projects|developed or are developing]] the technology for orbital launches independently from government agencies. The most prominent examples of such companies are [[SpaceX]] and [[Blue Origin]]. [15] => [16] => ==History== [17] => {{see also|History of spaceflight}} [18] => [[File:Sputnik asm.jpg|thumb|The first artificial satellite, [[Sputnik 1]], launched by the [[Soviet Union]]]] [19] => [20] => A German [[V-2]] became the first spacecraft when it reached an altitude of 189 km in June 1944 in [[Peenemünde]], Germany.''Peenemünde (Dokumentation)'' Berlin: Moewig, 1984.{{ISBN|3-8118-4341-9}}. [[Sputnik 1]] was the first [[artificial satellite]]. It was launched into an elliptical [[low Earth orbit]] (LEO) by the [[Soviet Union]] on 4 October 1957. The launch ushered in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments; while the Sputnik launch was a single event, it marked the start of the [[Space Age]].{{cite web |editor-last1=Garcia |editor-first1=Mark |title=60 years ago, the Space Age began |url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/60-years-ago-the-space-age-began |publisher=[[NASA]] |access-date=1 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122182320/http://www.nasa.gov/feature/60-years-ago-the-space-age-began/ |archive-date=22 January 2023 |date=4 October 2017 |url-status=live}}{{Cite book|title=This New Ocean, A History of Project Mercury|quote=On October 4, 1957 Sputnik I shot into orbit and forcibly opened the Space Age.|last1=Swenson|first1=L. Jr.|last2=Grimwood|first2=J. M.|last3=Alexander|first3=C. C.|pages=66–62424}} Apart from its value as a technological first, Sputnik 1 also helped to identify the upper [[Earth's atmosphere#Temperature|atmospheric layer]]'s density, by measuring the satellite's orbital changes. It also provided data on [[radio]]-signal distribution in the [[ionosphere]]. Pressurized [[nitrogen]] in the satellite's false body provided the first opportunity for [[meteoroid]] detection. Sputnik 1 was launched during the [[International Geophysical Year]] from [[Gagarin's Start|Site No.1/5]], at the 5th [[Tyuratam]] range, in [[Kazakh SSR]] (now at the [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]]). The satellite travelled at {{convert|29,000|kph}}, taking 96.2 minutes to complete an orbit, and emitted radio signals at 20.005 and 40.002 [[MHz]] [21] => [22] => While Sputnik 1 was the first spacecraft to orbit the Earth, other human-made objects had previously reached an altitude of 100 km, which is the height required by the international organization [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale]] to count as a spaceflight. This altitude is called the [[Kármán line]]. In particular, in the 1940s there were [[List of V-2 test launches|several test launches]] of the [[V-2 rocket]], some of which reached altitudes well over 100 km. [23] => [24] => ==Crewed and uncrewed spacecraft== [25] => [26] => ===Crewed spacecraft=== [27] => {{see also|List of crewed spacecraft|Human spaceflight}} [28] => [[File:Apollo 17 Command Module AS17-145-22261HR.jpg|thumb|[[Apollo 17]] Command Module ''America'' in lunar orbit]] [29] => As of 2016, only three nations have flown crewed spacecraft: USSR/Russia, USA, and China. [30] => The first crewed spacecraft was [[Vostok 1]], which carried Soviet cosmonaut [[Yuri Gagarin]] into space in 1961, and completed a full Earth orbit. There were five other crewed missions which used a [[Vostok spacecraft]].{{cite web|url=http://www.astronautix.com/craft/vostok.htm|title=Vostok|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629092837/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/vostok.htm|archive-date=2011-06-29}} The second crewed spacecraft was named [[Mercury-Redstone 3|''Freedom 7'']], and it performed a [[sub-orbital spaceflight]] in 1961 carrying American astronaut [[Alan Shepard]] to an altitude of just over {{convert|187|km|sp=us}}. There were five other crewed missions using [[Project Mercury|Mercury spacecraft]]. [31] => [32] => Other Soviet crewed spacecraft include the [[Voskhod spacecraft|Voskhod]], [[Soyuz spacecraft|Soyuz]], flown uncrewed as [[Soyuz 7K-L1|Zond/L1]], [[Soyuz 7K-L3|L3]], [[TKS spacecraft|TKS]], and the [[Salyut program|Salyut]] and ''[[Mir]]'' crewed [[space station]]s. Other American crewed spacecraft include the [[Project Gemini|Gemini spacecraft]], the [[Apollo (spacecraft)|Apollo spacecraft]] including the [[Apollo Lunar Module]], the [[Skylab]] space station, the [[Space Shuttle orbiter|Space Shuttle]] with undetached European [[Spacelab]] and private US [[Spacehab]] space stations-modules, and the SpaceX Crew Dragon configuration of their [[SpaceX Dragon 2|Dragon 2]]. US company [[Boeing]] also developed and flown a spacecraft of their own, the [[Boeing Starliner|CST-100]], commonly referred to as [[Boeing Starliner|Starliner]], but a crewed flight is yet to occur. China developed, but did not fly [[Shuguang (spacecraft)|Shuguang]], and is currently using [[Shenzhou program|Shenzhou]] (its first crewed mission was in 2003). [33] => [34] => Except for the Space Shuttle and the [[Buran (spacecraft)|Buran spaceplane]] of the Soviet Union, the latter of which only ever had one uncrewed test flight, all of the recoverable crewed orbital spacecraft were [[space capsule]]s. [35] => [36] => [37] => File:NASA spacecraft comparison.jpg|alt=Drawings of Mercury, Gemini capsules and Apollo spacecraft, with their launch vehicles|American Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo spacecraft [38] => File:Vostok Spacecraft Diagram.svg|Soviet Vostok capsule [39] => File:Voskhod 1 and 2.svg|alt=Line drawing of Voskhod capsules|Soviet Voskhod (variant of Vostok) [40] => File:Soyuz 7K-OK(A) drawing.svg|alt=Soyuz 7K-OK(A) drawing|1967 Soviet/Russian Soyuz spacecraft [41] => File:Post S-7 Shenzhou spacecraft.png|alt=Drawing of Shenzhou spacecraft|Chinese Shenzhou spacecraft [42] => [43] => [44] => The [[International Space Station]], crewed since November 2000, is a joint venture between Russia, the United States, Canada and several other countries. [45] => [46] => ===Uncrewed spacecraft=== [47] => {{Main|Uncrewed spacecraft|Satellite|Space telescope|Cargo spacecraft}} [48] => {{See also|List of uncrewed spacecraft by program|Timeline of artificial satellites and space probes|List of Solar System probes|List of space telescopes}} [49] => [[File:Hubble 01.jpg|thumb|[[Hubble Space Telescope]]]] [50] => [[File:Iss016e034191.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Jules Verne ATV|Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)]] approaches the [[International Space Station]] on Monday, March 31, 2008.]] [51] => [52] => Uncrewed spacecraft are spacecraft without people on board. Uncrewed spacecraft may have varying levels of autonomy from human input; they may be [[Remotely operated vehicle|remote controlled]], remote guided or even [[autonomous vehicle|autonomous]], meaning they have a pre-programmed list of operations, which they will execute unless otherwise instructed. [53] => [54] => Many space missions are more suited to telerobotic rather than [[Human spaceflight|crewed]] operation, due to lower cost and lower risk factors. In addition, some planetary destinations such as [[Venus]] or the vicinity of [[Jupiter]] are too hostile for human survival. Outer planets such as [[Saturn]], [[Uranus]], and [[Neptune]] are too distant to reach with current crewed spaceflight technology, so telerobotic probes are the only way to explore them. Telerobotics also allows exploration of regions that are vulnerable to contamination by Earth micro-organisms since spacecraft can be sterilized. Humans can not be sterilized in the same way as a spaceship, as they coexist with numerous micro-organisms, and these micro-organisms are also hard to contain within a spaceship or spacesuit. Multiple space probes were sent to study Moon, the planets, the Sun, multiple small Solar System bodies (comets and asteroids). [55] => [56] => Special class of uncrewed spacecraft is [[space telescope]]s, a [[telescope]] in outer space used to observe astronomical objects. The first operational telescopes were the American [[Orbiting Astronomical Observatory]], [[OAO-2]] launched in 1968, and the Soviet [[Orion (space telescope)|Orion 1 ultraviolet telescope]] aboard space station [[Salyut 1]] in 1971. Space telescopes avoid the filtering and distortion ([[Scintillation (astronomy)|scintillation]]) of [[electromagnetic radiation]] which they observe, and avoid [[light pollution]] which [[Observatory#Ground-based observatories|ground-based observatories]] encounter. The best-known examples are [[Hubble Space Telescope]] and [[James Webb Space Telescope]]. [57] => [58] => [[Cargo spacecraft]] are designed to carry [[cargo]], possibly to support [[space station]]s' operation by transporting food, propellant and other supplies. Automated cargo spacecraft have been used since 1978 and have serviced [[Salyut 6]], [[Salyut 7]], [[Mir]], the [[International Space Station]] and [[Tiangong program|Tiangong]] space station. [59] => [60] => ===Other=== [61] => Some spacecrafts can operate as both a crewed and uncrewed spacecraft. For example, the [[Buran (spacecraft)|Buran spaceplane]] could operate autonomously but also had manual controls, though it never flew with crew onboard.{{cite web |url=http://www.buran.ru/htm/bighand.htm |title=Средства обеспечения работ с полезным грузом: система бортовых манипуляторов "Аист" |website=Buran.ru |language=ru |access-date=13 April 2020 |archive-date=30 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200430105409/http://www.buran.ru/htm/bighand.htm |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://rtc.ru/history/ |title=История ЦНИИ РТК |trans-title=History of the Central Research Institute of RTK |website=RTC.ru |access-date=13 April 2020 |archive-date=13 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513144601/https://rtc.ru/history/ |url-status=live }} [62] => [63] => Other dual crewed/uncrewed spacecrafts include: [[SpaceX Dragon 2]],{{cite tweet|last=Bridenstine |first=Jim|user=JimBridenstine|number=1251178705633841167|date=17 April 2020|title=BREAKING: On May 27, @NASA will once again launch American astronauts on American rockets from American soil! With our @SpaceX partners, @Astro_Doug and @AstroBehnken will launch to the @Space_Station on the #CrewDragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket. Let's #LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/RINb3mfRWI|access-date=17 April 2020}} {{PD-notice}}{{cite tweet|user=SpaceX|number=1265739654810091520|date=27 May 2020|title=Standing down from launch today due to unfavorable weather in the flight path. Our next launch opportunity is Saturday, May 30 at 19:22 UTC|access-date=27 May 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2019/02/06/|title=NASA, Partners Update Commercial Crew Launch Dates|work=NASA Commercial Crew Program Blog|date=6 February 2019|access-date=6 February 2019 |archive-date=2 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302204511/https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2019/02/06/|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZL0tbOZYhE|title=Crew Demo-1 | Launch|website=[[YouTube]]|access-date=8 March 2019|archive-date=8 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308142733/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZL0tbOZYhE|url-status=live}} [[Dream Chaser]],{{cite web |title=Sierra Nevada explores other uses of Dream Chaser |url=https://spacenews.com/sierra-nevada-explores-other-uses-of-dream-chaser/ |first=Jeff |last=Foust |website=spacenews.com |date=14 January 2020|access-date=11 July 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Ben |first1=Evans |title=SNC Shooting Star Wins Contract for Unmanned Orbital Outpost |url=https://www.americaspace.com/2020/07/17/snc-shooting-star-wins-contract-for-unmanned-orbital-outpost/ |website=AmericaSpace |date=July 17, 2020 |access-date=20 July 2020}} and [[Tianzhou (spacecraft)|Tianzhou]].{{cite news|url=https://spaceflight101.com/spacecraft/tianzhou/|title=Tianzhou Spacecraft Overview|work=Space Flight}}{{cite news|url=https://www.space.com/tianzhou-4-undocks-china-tiangong-space-station|author=Andrew Jones|date=November 10, 2022 [64] => |title=Tianzhou 4 cargo spacecraft undocks from China's Tiangong space station (video)|work=Space.com}} [65] => [66] => ==Types of spacecraft== [67] => [68] => ===Communications satellite=== [69] => {{main|Communications satellite}} [70] => [71] => A communications satellite is an [[artificial satellite]] that relays and amplifies [[radio]] telecommunication signals via a [[Transponder (satellite communications)|transponder]]; it creates a [[communication channel]] between a source [[transmitter]] and a [[Radio receiver|receiver]] at different locations on [[Earth]]. Communications satellites are used for [[television]], [[telephone]], [[radio]], [[internet]], and [[military]] applications.{{cite encyclopedia |title=satellite communication |encyclopedia=Britannica.com |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/524891/satellite-communication |access-date=2016-02-10 |last=Labrador |first=Virgil |date=2015-02-19}} Many communications satellites are in [[geostationary orbit]] {{convert|22,300|mi|km}} above the [[equator]], so that the satellite appears stationary at the same point in the sky; therefore the [[satellite dish]] antennas of ground stations can be aimed permanently at that spot and do not have to move to track the satellite. Others form [[satellite constellation]]s in [[low Earth orbit]], where antennas on the ground have to follow the position of the satellites and switch between satellites frequently. [72] => [73] => The high frequency [[radio wave]]s used for telecommunications links travel by [[Line-of-sight propagation|line of sight]] and so are obstructed by the curve of the Earth. The purpose of communications satellites is to relay the signal around the curve of the Earth allowing communication between widely separated geographical points.{{cite web |title=Satellites - Communication Satellites |url=http://satellites.spacesim.org/english/function/communic/index.html |access-date=2016-02-10 |publisher=Satellites.spacesim.org}} Communications satellites use a wide range of radio and [[microwave]] [[frequencies]]. To avoid signal interference, international organizations have regulations for which frequency ranges or "bands" certain organizations are allowed to use. This allocation of bands minimizes the risk of signal interference.{{cite web |date=2010-04-01 |title=Military Satellite Communications Fundamentals | The Aerospace Corporation |url=http://www.aerospace.org/2013/12/12/military-satellite-communications-fundamentals/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905170449/http://www.aerospace.org/2013/12/12/military-satellite-communications-fundamentals/ |archive-date=2015-09-05 |access-date=2016-02-10 |website=Aerospace}} [74] => [75] => ===Cargo spacecraft=== [76] => {{further|Comparison of space station cargo vehicles}} [77] => [[File:Progress-HTV-Dragon-ATV Cyngus Cygnus-extended Collage.jpg|thumb|A collage of automated cargo spacecraft used in the past or present to resupply the [[International Space Station]]]] [78] => Cargo or resupply spacecraft are robotic spacecraft that are designed specifically to carry [[cargo]], possibly to support [[space station]]s' operation by transporting food, propellant and other supplies. [79] => [80] => Automated cargo spacecraft have been used since 1978 and have serviced [[Salyut 6]], [[Salyut 7]], [[Mir]], the [[International Space Station]] and [[Tiangong program|Tiangong]] space station. [81] => [82] => As of 2023, three different cargo spacecraft are used to supply the [[International Space Station]]: Russian ''[[Progress (spacecraft)|Progress]]'', American [[SpaceX Dragon 2]] and [[Cygnus (spacecraft)|Cygnus]]. Chinese ''[[Tianzhou (spacecraft)|Tianzhou]]'' is used to supply [[Tiangong space station]]. [83] => [84] => ===Space probes=== [85] => {{main|Space probe}} [86] => Space probes are robotic spacecraft that are sent to explore deep space, or [[Astronomical object|astronomical bodies]] other than Earth. They are distinguished from [[Lander (spacecraft)|landers]] by the fact that they work in open space, not on planetary surfaces or in planetary atmospheres. Being robotic eliminates the need for expensive, heavy life support systems (the [[Apollo program|Apollo]] crewed Moon landings required the use of the [[Saturn V]] rocket that cost over a billion dollars per launch, adjusted for inflation) and so allows for lighter, less expensive rockets. Space probes have visited every planet in the Solar System and [[Pluto]], and the [[Parker Solar Probe]] has an orbit that, at its closest point, is in the [[Chromosphere|Sun's chromosphere]]. There are five space probes that are [[Parabolic trajectory|escaping the Solar System]], these are ''[[Voyager 1]]'', ''[[Voyager 2]]'', ''[[Pioneer 10]]'', ''[[Pioneer 11]]'', and ''[[New Horizons]]''. [87] => [88] => ====Voyager program==== [89] => {{main|Voyager program}} [90] => The identical [[Voyager program|Voyager probes]], weighing {{convert|721.9|kg|lb}},{{Cite web |title=Voyager 1 - NASA Science |url=https://science.nasa.gov/mission/voyager-1/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=science.nasa.gov |language=en}} were launched in 1977 to take advantage of a rare alignment of [[Jupiter]], [[Saturn]], [[Uranus]] and [[Neptune]] that would allow a spacecraft to visit all four planets in one mission, and get to each destination faster by using [[gravity assist]]. In fact, the rocket that launched the probes (the [[Titan IIIE]]) could not even send the probes to the orbit of [[Saturn]], yet ''[[Voyager 1]]'' is travelling at roughly {{convert|17|km/s|sp=us|mi/s|abbr=unit}} and ''[[Voyager 2]]'' moves at about {{convert|15|km/s|sp=us|mi/s|abbr=unit}} kilometres per second as of 2023. In 2012, ''Voyager 1'' exited the heliosphere, followed by ''Voyager 2'' in 2018. ''Voyager 1'' actually launched 16 days after ''Voyager 2'' but it reached Jupiter sooner because ''Voyager 2'' was taking a longer route that allowed it to visit Uranus and Neptune, whereas ''Voyager 1'' did not visit Uranus or Neptune, instead choosing to fly past Saturn’s satellite [[Titan (moon)|Titan]]. As of August 2023, ''Voyager 1'' has passed 160 [[astronomical unit]]s, which means it is over 160 times farther from the [[Sun]] than Earth is. This makes it the farthest spacecraft from the Sun. ''Voyager 2'' is 134 AU away from the Sun as of August 2023. NASA provides real time data of their distances and data from the probe’s cosmic ray detectors.{{Cite web |title=Mission Status |url=https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status/}} Because of the probe’s declining power output and degradation of the [[Radioisotope thermoelectric generator|RTGs]] over time, [[NASA]] has had to shut down certain instruments to conserve power. The probes may still have some scientific instruments on until the mid-2020s or perhaps the 2030s. After 2036, they will both be out of range of the [[Deep Space Network]]. [91] => [92] => ===Space telescopes=== [93] => {{main|Space telescope}} [94] => A space telescope or space observatory is a [[telescope]] in outer space used to observe astronomical objects. Space telescopes avoid the filtering and distortion of [[electromagnetic radiation]] which they observe, and avoid [[light pollution]] which [[Observatory#Ground-based observatories|ground-based observatories]] encounter. They are divided into two types: satellites which map the entire sky ([[astronomical survey]]), and satellites which focus on selected [[astronomical object]]s or parts of the sky and beyond. Space telescopes are distinct from [[Earth imaging satellite]]s, which point toward Earth for [[satellite imaging]], applied for [[Weather satellite|weather analysis]], [[Reconnaissance satellite|espionage]], and [[Remote sensing|other types of information gathering]]. [95] => [96] => ===Landers=== [97] => {{main|Lander (spacecraft)}} [98] => [[File:Apollo 16 LM.jpg|thumb|The [[Apollo 16]] Extended [[Apollo Lunar Module]], a lunar lander]] [99] => A lander is a type of spacecraft that makes a soft landing on the surface of an [[astronomical body]] other than [[Earth]]. Some landers, such as [[Philae]] and the [[Apollo Lunar Module]], land entirely by using their fuel supply, however many landers (and landings of spacecraft on [[Earth]]) use [[aerobraking]], especially for more distant destinations. This involves the spacecraft using a fuel burn to change its trajectory so it will pass through a planet (or a moon's) atmosphere. [[Drag (physics)|Drag]] caused by the spacecraft hitting the atmosphere enables it to slow down without using fuel, however this generates very high temperatures and so adds a requirement for a [[heat shield]] of some sort. [100] => [101] => ===Space capsules=== [102] => {{main|Space capsule}} [103] => Space capsules are a type of spacecraft that can return from space at least once. They have a blunt shape, do not usually contain much more fuel than needed, and they do not possess wings unlike [[spaceplanes]]. They are the simplest form of recoverable spacecraft, and so the most commonly used. The first such capsule was the [[Vostok (spacecraft)|Vostok]] capsule built by the Soviet Union, that carried the first person in space, [[Yuri Gagarin]]. Other examples include the [[Soyuz (spacecraft)|Soyuz]] and [[Orion (spacecraft)|Orion]] capsules, built by the Soviet Union and [[NASA]], respectively. [104] => [105] => ===Spaceplanes=== [106] => {{main|Spaceplane}} [107] => [[File:STS-73 landing.jpg|thumb|''Columbia'' orbiter landing]] [108] => Spaceplanes are spacecraft that are built in the shape of, and function as, [[airplane]]s. The first example of such was the [[North American X-15]] spaceplane, which conducted two crewed flights which reached an altitude of over {{convert|100|km|mi}} in the 1960s. This first reusable spacecraft was air-launched on a suborbital trajectory on July 19, 1963. [109] => [110] => The first reusable orbital spaceplane was the [[Space Shuttle orbiter]]. The first orbiter to fly in space, the [[Space Shuttle Columbia|Space Shuttle ''Columbia'']], was launched by the USA on the 20th anniversary of [[Yuri Gagarin]]'s flight, on April 12, 1981. During the Shuttle era, six orbiters were built, all of which have flown in the atmosphere and five of which have flown in space. ''[[Space Shuttle Enterprise|Enterprise]]'' was used only for approach and landing tests, launching from the back of a [[Shuttle Carrier Aircraft|Boeing 747 SCA]] and gliding to deadstick landings at [[Edwards AFB, California]]. The first Space Shuttle to fly into space was ''[[Space Shuttle Columbia|Columbia]]'', followed by ''[[Space Shuttle Challenger|Challenger]]'', ''[[Space Shuttle Discovery|Discovery]]'', ''[[Space Shuttle Atlantis|Atlantis]]'', and ''[[Space Shuttle Endeavour|Endeavour]]''. ''Endeavour'' was built to replace ''Challenger'' when it was [[STS-51-L|lost]] in January 1986. ''Columbia'' [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|broke up]] during reentry in February 2003. [111] => [112] => The first autonomous reusable spaceplane was the [[Buran programme|''Buran''-class shuttle]], launched by the USSR on November 15, 1988, although it made only one flight and this was uncrewed. This [[spaceplane]] was designed for a crew and strongly resembled the U.S. Space Shuttle, although its drop-off boosters used liquid propellants and its main engines were located at the base of what would be the external tank in the American Shuttle. Lack of funding, complicated by the [[dissolution of the USSR]], prevented any further flights of Buran. The Space Shuttle was subsequently modified to allow for autonomous re-entry in case of necessity. [113] => [114] => Per the [[Vision for Space Exploration]], the Space Shuttle was retired in 2011 mainly due to its old age and high cost of program reaching over a billion dollars per flight. The Shuttle's human transport role is to be replaced by [[SpaceX]]'s [[SpaceX Dragon 2]] and [[Boeing]]'s [[CST-100 Starliner]]. Dragon 2's first crewed flight occurred on May 30, 2020.{{cite tweet|user=SpaceX|number=1266812530833240064|date=30 May 2020|title=Liftoff!|access-date=31 May 2020}} The Shuttle's heavy cargo transport role is to be replaced by expendable rockets such as the [[Space Launch System]] and [[United Launch Alliance|ULA]]'s [[Vulcan (rocket)|Vulcan]] rocket, as well as the commercial launch vehicles. [115] => [116] => [[Scaled Composites]]' [[SpaceShipOne]] was a reusable suborbital [[spaceplane]] that carried pilots [[Mike Melvill]] and [[Brian Binnie]] on consecutive flights in 2004 to win the [[Ansari X Prize]]. [[The Spaceship Company]] built a successor [[SpaceShipTwo]]. A fleet of SpaceShipTwos operated by [[Virgin Galactic]] was planned to begin reusable [[private spaceflight]] carrying paying passengers in 2014, but was delayed after the [[VSS Enterprise crash|crash of VSS ''Enterprise'']]. [117] => [118] => ====Space Shuttle==== [119] => [[File:Space Shuttle Columbia launching.jpg|thumb|The US [[Space Shuttle]] flew 135 times from 1981 to 2011, supporting [[Mir]], the [[Hubble Space Telescope]], and the [[International Space Station]]. (''Columbia''{{'s}} [[STS-1|maiden launch]], which had a white external tank, shown)|alt=Columbia's first launch on the mission]] [120] => {{main|Space Shuttle}} [121] => The [[Space Shuttle]] is a retired reusable Low Earth Orbital launch system. It consisted of [[Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster|two reusable Solid Rocket Boosters]] that landed by parachute, were recovered at sea, and were the most powerful rocket motors ever made until they were superseded by those of [[NASA|NASA’s]] [[Space Launch System|SLS]] rocket, with a liftoff thrust of {{convert|2,800,000|lbf|MN}}, which soon increased to {{convert|3,300,000|lbf|MN}} per booster,{{cite web|url=http://www.braeunig.us/space/specs/shuttle.htm|title=Space Launchers - Space Shuttle|website=www.braeunig.us|access-date=February 16, 2018}} and were fueled by a combination of [[Polybutadiene acrylonitrile|PBAN]] and [[Ammonium perchlorate composite propellant|APCP]], the [[Space Shuttle orbiter|Space Shuttle Orbiter]], with 3 [[RS-25]] engines that used a [[liquid oxygen]]/[[liquid hydrogen]] propellant combination, and the bright orange throwaway [[Space Shuttle external tank]] from which the RS-25 engines sourced their fuel. The orbiter was a spaceplane that was launched at NASA’s [[Kennedy Space Center|Kennedy Space Centre]] and landed mainly at the [[Shuttle Landing Facility]], which is part of Kennedy Space Centre. A second launch site, [[Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 6]] in [[California]], was revamped so it could be used to launch the shuttles, but it was never used. The launch system could lift about {{convert|29|tonnes|lb}} into an eastward [[Low Earth orbit|Low Earth Orbit]]. Each orbiter weighed roughly {{convert|78|tonnes|lb}}, however the different orbiters had differing weights and thus payloads, with ''Columbia'' being the heaviest orbiter, ''Challenger'' being lighter than ''Columbia but'' still heavier than the other three. The orbiter structure was mostly composed of aluminium alloy. The orbiter had seven seats for crew members, though on [[STS-61-A]] the launch took place with 8 crew onboard. The orbiters had {{convert|4.6|m|ft}} wide by {{convert|18|m|ft}} long payload bays and also were equipped with a {{convert|15.2|m|ft}} [[Canadarm|CanadaArm1]], an upgraded version of which is used on the [[International Space Station]]. The heat shield (or [[Space Shuttle thermal protection system|Thermal Protection System]]) of the orbiter, used to protect it from extreme levels of heat during [[Atmospheric entry|atmospheric reentry]] and the cold of space, was made up of different materials depending on weight and how much heating a particular area on the shuttle would receive during reentry, which ranged from over {{convert|1600|C|F|sigfig=2|abbr=on|order=flip}} to under {{convert|370|C|F|sigfig=2|abbr=on|order=flip}}. The orbiter was manually operated, though an autonomous landing system was added while the shuttle was still on service. It had an in orbit maneouvreing system known as the Orbital Manoeuvring System, which used the hypergolic propellants [[Monomethylhydrazine|monomethylhydrazine (MMH)]] and [[dinitrogen tetroxide]], which was used for orbital insertion, changes to orbits and the deorbit burn. [122] => [[File:SpaceShuttleGroundProcessingActual.jpg|thumb|right|Refurbishing the orbiters and the solid rocket boosters after flight was very complex, expensive and slow. The shortest time between landing and reflight for a Space Shuttle was 54 days for the Space Shuttle [[Space Shuttle Atlantis|Atlantis]].]] [123] => {{main|Criticism of the Space Shuttle Program}} [124] => Though the shuttle’s goals were to drastically decrease launch costs, it did not do so, ending up being much more expensive than similar expendable launchers. This was due to expensive refurbishment costs and the external tank being expended. Once a landing had occurred, the SRBs and many parts of the orbiter had to be disassembled for inspection, which was long and arduous. Furthermore, the RS-25 engines had to be replaced every few flights. Each of the heat shielding tiles had to go in one specific area on the orbiter, increasing complexity more. Adding to this, the shuttle was a rather dangerous system, with fragile heat shielding tiles, some being so fragile that one could easily scrape it off by hand, often having been damaged in many flights. After 30 years in service from 1981 to 2011 and 135 flights, the shuttle was retired from service due to the cost of maintaining the shuttles, and the 3 remaining orbiters (the other two were destroyed in accidents) were prepared to be displayed in museums. [125] => [126] => ===Other=== [127] => Some spacecraft do not fit particularly well into any of the general spacecraft categories. This is a list of these spacecraft. [128] => [129] => ====SpaceX Starship==== [130] => {{main|SpaceX Starship (spacecraft)}} [131] => [132] => Starship is a spacecraft and [[Upper stage|second stage]]{{cite web |title=SpaceX - Starship |url=https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/ |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=[[SpaceX]] |quote=Starship is the fully reusable spacecraft and second stage of the Starship system.}} under development by American aerospace company [[SpaceX]]. Stacked atop its booster, [[SpaceX Super Heavy|Super Heavy]], it composes the identically named [[SpaceX Starship|Starship]] [[Super heavy-lift launch vehicle|super heavy-lift]] [[space vehicle]]. The spacecraft is designed to transport both crew and cargo to a variety of destinations, including Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and potentially beyond. It is intended to enable long duration [[Interplanetary spaceflight|interplanetary]] flights for a crew of up to 100 people. It will also be capable of point-to-point transport on Earth, enabling travel to anywhere in the world in less than an hour. Furthermore, the spacecraft will be used to [[Orbital propellant depot|refuel]] other Starship vehicles to allow them to reach higher orbits to and other space destinations. [[Elon Musk]], the CEO of SpaceX, estimated in a tweet that 8 launches would be needed to completely refuel a Starship in [[low Earth orbit]], extrapolating this from Starship's payload to orbit and how much fuel a fully fueled Starship contains.{{Cite web |title=Musk Says That Refueling Starship For Lunar Landings will Take 8 Launches (Maybe 4) |date=18 August 2021 |url=https://www.universetoday.com/152220/musk-says-that-refueling-starship-for-lunar-landings-will-take-8-launches-maybe-4/}} To land on bodies without an atmosphere, such as the Moon, Starship will fire its engines and thrusters to slow down.{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=6 January 2021 |title=SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Dynetics Compete to Build the Next Moon Lander |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/spacex-blue-origin-and-dynetics-compete-to-build-the-next-moon-lander |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129041255/https://spectrum.ieee.org/spacex-blue-origin-and-dynetics-compete-to-build-the-next-moon-lander |archive-date=29 November 2021 |access-date=29 November 2021 |work=[[IEEE Spectrum]] |language=en}} [133] => [134] => ====Mission Extension Vehicle==== [135] => The [[Mission Extension Vehicle]] is a robotic spacecraft designed to prolong the life on another spacecraft. It works by docking to its target spacecraft, then correcting its orientation or orbit. This also allows it to rescue a satellite which is in the wrong orbit by using its own fuel to move its target to the correct orbit. The project is currently managed by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. As of 2023, 2 have been launched. The first launched on a [[Proton]] rocket on 9 October 2019, and did a rendezvous with [[Intelsat 901|Intelsat-901]] on 25 February 2020. It will remain with the satellite until 2025 before the satellite is moved to a final graveyard orbit and the vehicle does a rendezvous with another satellite. The other one launched on an [[Ariane 5]] rocket on 15 August 2020. [136] => [137] => ==Subsystems== [138] => {{Cleanup rewrite|2=section|date=November 2022}} [139] => A spacecraft [[astrionics]] system comprises different subsystems, depending on the mission profile. Spacecraft subsystems comprise the spacecraft's [[Spacecraft bus|bus]] and may include attitude determination and control (variously called ADAC, ADC, or ACS), [[guidance, navigation and control]] (GNC or GN&C), communications (comms), command and data handling (CDH or C&DH), power (EPS), [[spacecraft thermal control|thermal control]] (TCS), propulsion, and structures. Attached to the bus are typically [[payload]]s. [140] => [141] => ; Life support [142] => : Spacecraft intended for human spaceflight must also include a [[life support system]] for the crew. [143] => [144] => [[File:Shuttle front RCS.jpg|thumb|[[Reaction control system]] thrusters on the front of the U.S. [[Space Shuttle]]]] [145] => [146] => ; Attitude control [147] => : A spacecraft needs an [[Spacecraft attitude control|attitude control]] subsystem to be correctly oriented in space and respond to external [[torque]]s and forces properly. This may use [[reaction wheel]]s or it may use small rocket thrusters. The altitude control subsystem consists of [[sensor]]s and [[actuator]]s, together with controlling algorithms. The attitude-control subsystem permits proper pointing for the science objective, sun pointing for power to the solar arrays and earth pointing for communications. [148] => [149] => ; GNC [150] => : Guidance refers to the calculation of the commands (usually done by the CDH subsystem) needed to steer the spacecraft where it is desired to be. Navigation means determining a spacecraft's [[orbital elements]] or position. Control means adjusting the path of the spacecraft to meet mission requirements. [151] => [152] => ; Command and data handling [153] => : The C&DH subsystem receives commands from the communications subsystem, performs validation and decoding of the commands, and distributes the commands to the appropriate spacecraft subsystems and components. The CDH also receives housekeeping data and science data from the other spacecraft subsystems and components, and packages the data for storage on a [[data recorder]] or transmission to the ground via the communications subsystem. Other functions of the CDH include maintaining the spacecraft clock and state-of-health monitoring. [154] => {{further|On-Board Data Handling}} [155] => [156] => ; Communications [157] => : Spacecraft, both [[Robotic spacecraft|robotic]] and [[Human spaceflight|crewed]], have various communications systems for communication with terrestrial stations and for [[inter-satellite service]]. Technologies include [[space radio station]] and [[Free-space optical communication|optical]] communication. In addition, some spacecraft payloads are explicitly for the purpose of ground–ground [[Commsat|communication]] using [[Bent pipe|receiver/retransmitter]] electronic technologies. [158] => [159] => ; Power [160] => : Spacecraft need an electrical power generation and distribution subsystem for powering the various spacecraft subsystems. For spacecraft near the [[Sun]], [[Solar panels on spacecraft|solar panels]] are frequently used to generate electrical power. Spacecraft designed to operate in more distant locations, for example [[Jupiter]], might employ a [[radioisotope thermoelectric generator]] (RTG) to generate electrical power. Electrical power is sent through power conditioning equipment before it passes through a power distribution unit over an electrical bus to other spacecraft components. Batteries are typically connected to the bus via a battery charge regulator, and the batteries are used to provide electrical power during periods when primary power is not available, for example when a low Earth orbit spacecraft is [[eclipsed]] by Earth. [161] => [162] => ; Thermal control [163] => : Spacecraft must be engineered to withstand transit through [[Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]] and the [[space environment]]. They must operate in a [[vacuum]] with temperatures potentially ranging across hundreds of degrees [[Celsius]] as well as (if subject to reentry) in the presence of plasmas. Material requirements are such that either high melting temperature, low density materials such as [[beryllium]] and [[reinforced carbon–carbon]] or (possibly due to the lower thickness requirements despite its high density) [[tungsten]] or [[Ablation|ablative]] carbon–carbon composites are used. Depending on mission profile, spacecraft may also need to operate on the surface of another planetary body. The [[thermal control subsystem]] can be passive, dependent on the selection of materials with specific radiative properties. Active thermal control makes use of electrical heaters and certain [[actuators]] such as louvers to control temperature ranges of equipments within specific ranges. [164] => [165] => ; [[Spacecraft propulsion]] [166] => : Spacecraft may or may not have a [[Spacecraft propulsion|propulsion]] subsystem, depending on whether or not the mission profile calls for propulsion. The [[Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission|''Swift'']] spacecraft is an example of a spacecraft that does not have a propulsion subsystem. Typically though, LEO spacecraft include a propulsion subsystem for altitude adjustments (drag make-up maneuvers) and [[inclination]] adjustment maneuvers. A propulsion system is also needed for spacecraft that perform momentum management maneuvers. Components of a conventional propulsion subsystem include fuel, tankage, valves, pipes, and [[Rocket engine|thruster]]s. The thermal control system interfaces with the propulsion subsystem by monitoring the temperature of those components, and by preheating tanks and thrusters in preparation for a spacecraft maneuver. [167] => [168] => ; Structures [169] => : Spacecraft must be engineered to withstand launch loads imparted by the launch vehicle, and must have a point of attachment for all the other subsystems. Depending on mission profile, the structural subsystem might need to withstand loads imparted by entry into the [[Celestial body atmosphere|atmosphere of another planetary body]], and landing on the surface of another planetary body. [170] => [171] => ; Payload [172] => : The payload depends on the mission of the spacecraft, and is typically regarded as the part of the spacecraft "that pays the bills". Typical payloads could include scientific instruments ([[camera]]s, [[telescope]]s, or [[particle detector]]s, for example), cargo, or a [[Human spaceflight|human crew]]. [173] => [174] => ; Ground segment [175] => {{main|Ground segment}} [176] => : The [[ground segment]], though not technically part of the spacecraft, is vital to the operation of the spacecraft. Typical components of a ground segment in use during normal operations include a mission operations facility where the flight operations team conducts the operations of the spacecraft, a data processing and storage facility, [[Earth station|ground stations]] to radiate signals to and receive signals from the spacecraft, and a voice and data communications network to connect all mission elements.{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMDV71PGQD_0.html |title=The Rosetta ground segment |work=ESA.int |date=2004-02-17 |access-date=2008-02-11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311184637/http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMDV71PGQD_0.html |archive-date=2008-03-11 }} [177] => [178] => ; Launch vehicle [179] => : The [[launch vehicle]] propels the spacecraft from Earth's surface, through the [[atmosphere]], and into an [[orbit]], the exact orbit being dependent on the mission configuration. The launch vehicle may be [[Expendable launch system|expendable]] or [[Reusable launch system|reusable]]. In a [[Single-stage-to-orbit|single stage to orbit]] rocket, the rocket can be considered a spacecraft itself. [180] => [181] => ==Spacecraft records== [182] => === Fastest spacecraft === [183] => *[[Parker Solar Probe]] (estimated {{convert|343,000|km/h|mph|abbr=on|disp=or}} at first sun close pass, will reach {{convert|700000|km/h|mph|abbr=on|disp=or}} at final perihelion){{Cite web|url=https://www.space.com/42344-parker-solar-probe-first-sun-flyby-close-approach.html|title=NASA's Parker Solar Probe Just Made Its First Close Pass by the Sun!|last1=Bartels|first1=Meghan|last2=November 6|first2=Space com Senior Writer {{!}}|website=Space.com|access-date=2018-12-16|last3=ET|first3=2018 07:00am|date=6 November 2018}} [184] => *[[Helios probes|Helios]] I and II ''Solar Probes'' ({{convert|252792|km/h|mph|abbr=on|disp=or}}) [185] => [186] => === Furthest spacecraft from the Sun === [187] => [188] => * ''[[Voyager 1]]'' at 156.13 [[Astronomical unit|AU]] as of April 2022, traveling outward at about {{cvt|3.58|AU/yr|kph mph}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.heavens-above.com/SolarEscape.aspx?lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCT|title=Spacecraft escaping the Solar System|website=www.heavens-above.com|access-date=2018-12-16}} [189] => * ''[[Pioneer 10]]'' at 122.48 [[Astronomical unit|AU]] as of December 2018, traveling outward at about {{cvt|2.52|AU/yr|kph mph}} [190] => *''[[Voyager 2]]'' at 122.82 [[Astronomical unit|AU]] as of January 2020, traveling outward at about {{cvt|3.24|AU/yr|kph mph}} [191] => *''[[Pioneer 11]]'' at 101.17 [[Astronomical unit|AU]] as of December 2018, traveling outward at about {{cvt|2.37|AU/yr|kph mph}} [192] => [193] => ==See also== [194] => {{Portal|Spaceflight}} [195] => {{div col|colwidth=25em}} [196] => *[[Astrionics]] [197] => *[[Commercial astronaut]] [198] => *[[Flying saucer]] [199] => *[[List of crewed spacecraft]] [200] => *[[List of fictional spacecraft]] [201] => *[[NewSpace]] [202] => *[[Spacecraft design]] [203] => *[[Space exploration]] [204] => *[[Space launch]] [205] => *[[Spaceships in science fiction]] [206] => *[[Space suit]] [207] => *[[List of spaceflight records|Spaceflight records]] [208] => *[[Starship]] [209] => *[[Timeline of Solar System exploration]] [210] => *[[U.S. Space Exploration History on U.S. Stamps]] [211] => {{div col end}} [212] => [213] => == Notes == [214] => {{reflist|group=note}} [215] => {{notelist}} [216] => [217] => == References == [218] => === Citations === [219] => {{Reflist}} [220] => [221] => === Sources === [222] => {{refbegin}} [223] => * {{cite journal |url = http://www.newscientistspace.com/article.ns?id=dn8623 |title = Spacecraft skin 'heals' itself |journal = New Scientist |first = Will |last = Knight |date = January 23, 2006 |access-date = February 11, 2008 }} [224] => * {{cite book |title = Space Mission Analysis and Design |publisher = Microcosm |location = Torrance, California |first1 = James |last1 = Wertz |last2 = Larson |first2 = Wiley J. |edition = 3rd |year = 1999 |isbn = 978-1-881883-10-4 }} [225] => {{refend}} [226] => [227] => ==External links== [228] => {{Sister project links|commons=Category:Spacecraft|v=no|q=no|b=no|s=no|n=no}} [229] => *[http://science.hq.nasa.gov/missions/phase.html NASA: Space Science Spacecraft Missions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051108232330/http://science.hq.nasa.gov/missions/phase.html |date=2005-11-08 }} [230] => *[http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/SpacecraftQuery.jsp NSSDC Master Catalog Spacecraft Query Form] [231] => *[https://archive.today/20060323034258/http://www.planet-surveyor.com/content-cat-1.html Early History of Spacecraft] [232] => *[http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/ Basics of Spaceflight tutorial from JPL/Caltech] [233] => *[http://ismuseum.org/ International Spaceflight Museum] [234] => [235] => {{Spaceflight|state=collapsed}} [236] => [237] => {{Authority control}} [238] => [239] => [[Category:Spacecraft| ]] [240] => [[Category:Astronautics]] [241] => [[Category:Pressure vessels]] [] => )
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Spacecraft

A spacecraft is a vehicle designed to travel in outer space. It is used for a variety of purposes, including exploration, communication, weather observation, and satellite deployment.

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It is used for a variety of purposes, including exploration, communication, weather observation, and satellite deployment. Spacecraft can be manned or unmanned and come in various sizes, ranging from small satellites to large interplanetary probes. The history of spacecraft dates back to the mid-20th century when the Soviet Union and the United States engaged in the Space Race, resulting in the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957. Since then, numerous countries and organizations have developed and launched their own spacecraft, marking significant advancements in space technology and exploration. Spacecraft are typically launched into space using rockets. They are equipped with various instruments and technologies, such as communication systems, cameras, sensors, and propulsion systems, to perform their intended functions. Some spacecraft are designed for short-term missions, while others are built to withstand long-duration space travel, such as interplanetary missions. Spacecraft are utilized for a wide range of applications. They enable the exploration and study of celestial bodies, such as planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. They also provide valuable data on Earth's atmosphere, climate, and natural phenomena like hurricanes and wildfires. Additionally, spacecraft play a crucial role in satellite communication, enabling the transmission of television signals, telephone calls, and internet communication worldwide. The advancement of spacecraft technology has led to remarkable achievements, including the first human spaceflight, moon landings, and robotic missions to other planets. Spacecraft like the International Space Station facilitate scientific research and international collaboration in space. They also serve as platforms for testing technologies, developing space tourism, and potentially supporting future human settlements beyond Earth. Furthermore, the future of spacecraft holds promise for even more ambitious missions, such as crewed missions to Mars and the search for extraterrestrial life. Advances in propulsion systems, materials, and space infrastructure are driving innovation and pushing the boundaries of space exploration. Overall, spacecraft have revolutionized our understanding of the universe and continue to play a vital role in expanding human presence in space. They have opened up new possibilities for scientific discoveries, communication, and the exploration of our cosmic neighborhood.

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