Essay on “Space Travel” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Space Travel

Essay No. 01

In olden days man worshipped Sun and Moon thinking them to be scared. But the scientists proved that the Sun is a star and the moon is a planet like other planets. After the atomic age man has entered the age of space travel.

In 1957 the scientists succeeded in launching the first earth satellite into the outer surface. A Russian dog called Laika was the first living being to go into space. In April 1961 Yuri Gagarin of the USSR became the first man to make an orbit of the earth. USA then sent spacemen into the space. In 1969 Russia launched Lunik I.  It passed within 6500 kms of the moon. It was the first space-ship which went into its own orbit round earth. In the same year the Russinas landed Lunik 3 and Americans Ranger 7 on the moon.

In July 1969 the American Apollo II landed on the moon with Neil Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins.  Neil Armstrong was the first man to step on the moon. He was joined by Edwin Aldrin. They took photographs, collected rock and soil samples and returned to the earth safely.

The moon was the first target of man. Scientists know that there is no air or water on the moon. It is about 30,0000 kms from the earth. This distance can be covered in ten hours if a spaceship moves at a speed of 40,000 kms an hours. The surface of the moon is rough and full of craters, rocks and mountains.

American scientists plan to establish manned colony on the moon as a spring board for exploration of the planets. Man has always been ready to face risks to satisfy his curiosity to gain knowledge about things around him.

Essay No. 02

Space Travel

Man is adventurous by nature. His spirit of adventure and thirst for knowledge have no limits. This insatiable thirst urged him to probe the limitless space. What is space? It a continuous limitless expanse extending in all three Space is everywhere and all round us. It is an ever-expanding thing, Space contains the whole universe including our planet earth the sun, the moon and whatever there is in the known an unknown world. The point where the earth’s atmosphere end is called outer space for convenience.

After atomic age dawned the space age. Man has been now using space to a great advantage. For example, travel through space by means of aeroplanes of various types has brought the world much closer. Now we can fly from one continent to another in a few hours. The progress in space technology and travel during the last three decades has almost been miraculous. During this period, several satellites and space craft’s have been launched for various purposes. The launching of satellites in the space has revolutionized the means of mass communication like radio and T.V. broadcasting, but the possibility of use of space for military purposes has been a source of constant worry.

The space age began in 1957 with the successful launching of the Russian Satellite Sputnik-I. Then Sputnik-II was sent into space carrying the dog Lika. Space travel has immensely enriched our knowledge of the solar system. It has afforded us a new scientific understanding of our own planet, the earth, through photographs taken by the astronauts. In April 1961 Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made man’s first space-flight. It was a milestone in space travel. In 1962 American astronaut John Glenn made three orbits of the earth in the space.

The U.S. Ranger IV was the first unmanned spacecraft to reach the moon. The moon is our nearest neighbour. Therefore, it was quite natural that space scientists tried to reach the moon first of all. It was only on July 20, 1969 that two American astronauts could reach the moon in their space-ship Apollo-II. American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. He was followed by his co-astronaut Edwin Buzz Aldrin. The third co-astronaut Michael Collins remained in orbit commanding the module. The two astronauts stayed on the surface of the moon for about 21 hours collecting rock samples, etc. and then returned to the earth on July 24, 1969. The U.S. made second landing on the moon on November 14, 1969.

In 1970 the Russians soft landed their unmanned Luna-II on the moon and then sent a first propelled space-ship on the Venus. The Americans again landed on the moon for the third time in 1971 in their space-craft Apollo-14. Then Apollo-15 landed on the moon for the fourth time. But the conquest of the moon is not enough. Man’s quest of the space knows no limits and therefore, the flights to other planets continue. The Americans landed Pioneer-I in March 1972 on 21-month mission into space post Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. It became the first man made object to escape the solar system. Apollo-16 made the fifth landing on the moon in 1972. The same year Apollo-17 landed on the moon in December. The two astronauts Cernam and Schmit stayed there for 75 hours collecting various samples.

Since man’s last landing on the moon there have been scores of space-flights by the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. In 1978 the U.S.S.R. sent the first international crew in the space consisting a Russian and a Czech Cosmonaut. In 1979 the Soviet

Cosmonauts succeeded in growing onion sprouts on board Salyut-6. In 1977 the U.S. launched Voyager-I to probe the outer space and the solar system. The Voyager-II was sent into space the same year past the planet Saturn.

Columbia, the first space-shuttle was launched by America on April 12, 1981 which returned to the earth after 54 hours in space. It is a multi-purpose reusable space craft which take off like a satellite and a glider. It can be used to launch satellites, contact, retrieve and repair space crafts in the orbit. The U.S. space craft Pioneer-10 was launched in June 1983 to travel for over past the planets and the sun amidst the stars. In 1984 the U.S. space shuttle challenger became the first space-craft to return from space to its launching site. Again spaceship retrieved and repaired an ailing solar Satellite April, 1984.

Thus, great progress has been made in space travel in these years. The day is not far when the moon may be used as a Spring-board for deep research and travel to the other planets and neighbouring stars. But it is imperative that the various countries reach an agreement at the earliest so as to confine the use of space for peaceful purposes only.