Space

In pictures: the history of space travel

photo of the milkyway

Humans have been travelling to space for 60 years. Image: Unsplash/Andy Holmes

Douglas Broom
Senior Writer, Forum Agenda
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an explainer detailing six ways space technologies benefit life on Earth
Six ways space technologies benefit life on Earth. Image: World Economic Forum
image of soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who became the first human to fly in space
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly in space. Image: Arto Jousi/Wikimedia Commons
image of US Air Force captain Robert H Lawrence Jnr, who was chosen as the nations first American astronaut.
US Air Force captain Robert H Lawrence Jnr was chosen as the nation’s first African American astronaut in 1967. Image: NASA/Flickr
image of Ed White, who became the first American to walk in space
In 1965, Ed White became the first American to walk in space. Image: NASA/Flickr
image of Neil Armstrong
“That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” - Neil Armstrong Image: NASA/Flickr
image of the Earth rising over the Moon’s horizon
The Apollo 11 astronauts were the first to see this spectacle. Image: NASA/Flickr
image of a parade to welcome the crew of Apollo 11 after the first Moon landing
A welcome parade for Apollo 11 after their first Moon landing. Image: NASA/Flickr
image of the US Space Shuttle Atlantis docking with Russia’s Mir space station
The US Space Shuttle Atlantis docking with Russia’s Mir space station. Image: NASA/Flickr
image of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragically exploding during the accident of 1986
The Space Shuttle Challenger explosion resulted in the tragic loss of seven crew members. Image: NASA/Flickr
image of Mae Jemison became the first Black woman to fly in space on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in September 1992
Mae Jemison - the first Black woman to fly in space on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Image: NASA Flickr
image of The Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope. Image: NASA/Flickr
space image of two galaxies grazing each other's orbits
Two galaxies grazing each other’s orbits. Image: NASA/Flickr
image of the Space Shuttle Columbia
The Space Shuttle Columbia broke when re-entering the earth's atmosphere, killing everyone on board. Image: NASA/Flickr
image of the International Space Station
The International Space Station. Image: NASA/Flickr
image of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was the first powered, controlled flight in any world beyond Earth IN 2021. Image: NASA
image of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft making a soft landing in New Mexico in December 2019
The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft . Image: NASA/Flickr
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