To infinity … and beyond! Human spaceflight and life science

摘要: The early writings of Jules Verne (From the Earth to Moon, 1865; Fig. 1) and H. G. Wells (First Men on 1901; 2) were starting point science fiction dream space exploration. proposed a “projectile bullet capsule” shot from long cannon named Columbiad as means for 3 explorers achieve escape velocity needed leave Earth’s gravity (1). Even in 1865 there concerns about humans’ ability survive extreme velocities. made crude calculations length human launch moon. Almost 100 yrs later, United States used very similarly shaped Apollo capsule Columbia take astronauts—Armstrong, Collins, Aldrin—to moon return Earth. vision spaceflight began with literature, which was followed decades later by science, engineering other technological achievements that it reality. It took momentum war further advance technology where travel possible. After World War II, USSR repurposed spoils war, transforming once terrorizing German V-2 rocket program into new programs. Some vehicles are specifically designed suborbital (ballistic) flight; examples include crewed vehicles, such X-15 plane, sounding rockets, Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, uncrewed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). first reached an altitude 17 nautical miles (31.5 km) above earth. Ballistic flights, definition, do not go orbit have only brief periods microgravity (10 10 6 g). During lasts few seconds or minutes hours before returning planet. This type flight offers short opportunities scientific query. Orbital flights at 17,500 per hour ( 32,400 km/h) around planet different scale experimental time since can last days, weeks, months years. support wide range investigations