The key factor in our ability to make trips to the moon, and even explore the solar system is advances in technology. Since the late 1950s when we created the first satellite, Sputnik, we have been able to install new software and create more aerodynamically efficient shuttles. Now, our shuttles have the capacity to hold non-astronaut passengers and a tremendous amount of cargo. Without this addition of new technology, we would not have accomplished nearly as much as we have. 

Perhaps the most important advance in aeronautical design has been the Hubble Telescope. The Hubble was first launched in 1990 with the purpose of giving scientists a better picture of astronomical structures: black holes, stars, and even other galaxies. In the beginning months and years, the telescope struggled to give clear pictures and accurate data. Scientists didn’t even know if the telescope would even last a few months. However, after many servicing missions and modifications to its software, it has been the greatest advance in astronomy since putting Neil Armstrong on the moon. The discoveries by the telescope have given birth to over 18,000 published papers and these works have been referenced in over 900,000 publications. In a non-scientific setting, the telescope has been responsible for the popularization of space in the public. In many movies and books, images and data captured by the Hubble telescope are utilized to captivate an audience. I believe that the Hubble is responsible for the spark of interest in space due to the clear pictures of unimaginable cosmic structures. Just by viewing a picture of a black hole, or the pillars of creation (see below), makes you intrigued. Overall, the Hubble telescope has been a creation that has exponentially grown our scientific knowledge.

In terms of spacecraft, the shuttle was first used in 1981 in test flights, and eventually in 1982, the shuttle was launched into space. The basic layout of a rocket is an external fuel tank along with two rockets that help propel the system into orbit. After the ship reaches certain heights, the fuel tanks and boosters break off, leaving the space shuttle in open space. The shuttle can then maneuver and guide itself to the intended destination. The fuel tanks can heat up to almost 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit! Once the shuttle is in space, the astronauts aboard, or mission control, is able to use IBM supercomputers to make decisions about the flight path and fuel consumption. However, the trip into space is not nearly as dangerous as the return flight. When a ship is entering the atmosphere, the shuttle can combust easily and it heats up to almost 3,000 degrees. 

When it comes to space, technology continues to evolve and grow. It drives our exploration capabilities and has become the focus of the attention of media moguls like Elon Musk. I hope our desire to create new technology does not fuel financial incentives, but rather helps us achieve our goal of learning about the universe.

Sources:

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/the-pillars-of-creation

https://history.nasa.gov/sts25th/tech.html