From the dawn of the space race to an era of international cooperation, the exploration of outer space has pushed both the limits of human imagination and humankind's technological capability. Explore the rich history of space exploration below, along with where we may go in the future.
Hours of research by our editors, distilled into minutes of clarity.
Established in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has taken humanity from the Moon to deep space. This article marks 60 years of exploration with a tour through NASA’s most consequential and awe-inducing moments.
Created by Congress under the National Aeronautics and Space Act, NASA officially began in 1958, building on earlier aviation research and positioning the US to compete in the Space Race and lead global space exploration.
Since 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has led humanity’s exploration of space—from the Moon landings to space telescopes—driving scientific discovery and inspiring generations. Watch 1440’s breakdown of the world’s leading space agency.
Planned for a 2027 launch, NASA Gateway is a lunar-orbiting space station meant to support Artemis lunar missions and future Mars travel. This resource includes an interactive 3D model of the proposed station’s modules and layout.
The continued human occupancy of the International Space Station since 2000 has led to the development of social and cultural elements by crew members, which the ISS Archaeology Project has catalogued. Records of handmade cakes, decorations, and memorabilia highlight the human aspect of living in space.
A collection of 44 studies, primarily based on data from a 2021 tourist trip to low-Earth orbit, identified immune system disruption and some kidney damage in tourists, with women appearing to recover from space travel faster than men. Return trips from Mars may require human travelers to be on dialysis.
Beyond this line, approximately 100 kilometers above Earth's surface, aerodynamic lift is insufficient to keep aircraft aloft without special propulsion systems. The United Nations has historically accepted the line as delineating the boundary of space.
Popularize in the 1970s by Princeton physicist Gerard K. O'Neill, the 15-mile-long structures would be manufactured from lunar and asteroid materials and house human colonies. His space colony ideas have since influenced works of science fiction.
Although different companies have described focuses ranging from luxury tourism to Martian space colonies, all are building infrastructure to capitalize on the shift away from government-only control and betting big on reusability and scale. By securing public contracts and subsidies, they aim to develop strategic partnerships toward low-Earth orbital dominance.
The flaw in Hubble’s mirror was smaller than the width of a human hair, but fixing it required a space mission as complex as a Hollywood rescue story—with astronauts installing corrective optics like contact lenses for a giant eye in the sky.
From roughly 60 miles above the Earth's surface to farther than light has traveled during the entire age of the universe, space has captured human imagination for millennia. Explore the final frontier with the best resources curated from across the internet.