How is space explored

Telescopes on Earth and in orbit around Earth provide scientists with information about our solar system. With each mission, scientists added new knowledge to our understanding of the solar system. Only one other body in our solar system has been visited by humans — the Moon! The Apollo astronauts brought back nearly pounds of lunar samples, which scientists continue to study today.

Chunks of planets and asteroids sometimes land on Earth as meteorites, giving scientists the chance to study pieces of other worlds. Moon exploration is also key, because it will serve as a forward base for human missions to deep space. Leveraging its long-standing experience in orbital infrastructures, robotics, space transportation systems and exploration, Thales Alenia Space has become a leading partner, providing 3 pressurised modules for the lunar Gateway space station.

We are also providing the backbone of the spaceship that will take the next man - and the first woman - to the Moon, while studying an innovative human landing vehicle and future solutions to guarantee a permanent human presence on the lunar surface.

It certainly does! Understanding the environment on other planets where humans may one day live, and studying our own biological systems and how materials behave when not influenced by gravity, are crucially important endeavours for our future — and space exploration is helping us to find answers to our questions.

Thales Alenia Space makes the pressurised cargo modules for all Cygnus vessels. It will lead to an massive data harvest that will feed scientists' research for many years to come. Read more. You are here : Home. Share this article Facebook Twitter LinkedIn. We're sure you'd like at least one of them. You can browse through all of our Wonders here. Hi Trey! Sounds like you're ready for a Wonder Journey--look up more information on the Internet or at your local library.

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That's definitely one way, Justyna! Try reading this Wonder one more time to see what other technology is used to explore the solar system!! That's a good question, Kayenath! See if you can do a little exploring to find the answer to this one. There are a lot of fascinating things to learn about space, huh Krystalite?

The crazy thing is still how much we don't know about space! You're right, aleisha! That's one way scientists explore parts of the solar system! Thank you for joining the discussion. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Leah. It may help to go back and re-read the text to get a better understanding. You may also want to check out the links provided in the "Try It Out" section above. Hi, Natalie!

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Help spread the wonder of families learning together. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. How do scientists explore the solar system? In addition to unlocking clues about our solar system, asteroids may provide clues about our Earth. By understanding more about asteroids we may learn more about past Earth impacts and possibly find ways to reduce the threat of future impacts.

Future robotic missions to asteroids will prepare humans for long-duration space travel and the eventual journey to Mars. Robotic missions will provide reconnaissance information about asteroid orbits, surface composition, and even return samples to Earth for further evaluation. These robotic missions are a critical step in preparing humans to visit asteroids where we will learn about the valuable resources available in space, and further develop ways to use them in our quest for more efficient and affordable exploration.

Mars has always been a source of inspiration for explorers and scientists. Robotic missions have found evidence of water, but if life exists beyond Earth still remains a mystery. Robotic and scientific robotic missions have shown that Mars has characteristics and a history similar to Earth's, but we know that there are striking differences that we have yet to begin to understand. Humans can build upon this knowledge and look for signs of life and investigate Mars' geological evolution, resulting in research and methods that could be applied here on Earth.

A mission to our nearest planetary neighbor provides the best opportunity to demonstrate that humans can live for extended, even permanent, stays beyond low Earth orbit. The technology and space systems required to transport and sustain explorers will drive innovation and encourage creative ways to address challenges. As previous space endeavors have demonstrated, the resulting ingenuity and technologies will have long lasting benefits and applications.