About this Book

Although its roots lie in early rocket technologies and the international tensions that followed World War II, the space race began after the Soviet launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957. The space race became an important part of the cultural and technological rivalry between the USSR and the United States during the Cold War. Modern space exploration is reaching unbelievable areas. Mars is the focal point of space exploration. In the long term, there are tentative plans for manned orbital and landing missions to the Moon and Mars, establishing scientific outposts that will then give way to permanent and self-sufficient settlements. Additional exploration will potentially involve expeditions and settlements on other planets and their moons, as well as the establishment of mining and fueling outposts, particularly in the asteroid belt. Physical exploration outside the solar system will be robotic in the foreseeable future.