Mission Index
an organized list of links to program, mission, and spacecraft information
An "armchair history"
is a sort of lazy man's history. The "armchair historian" does not contribute
any original research the topic under discussion. Instead, he simply collects
the research of other historians and then presents it in an organized fashion.
The author may choose to include some original analysis, but no previously
unknown historical facts are uncovered.
The core of my "armchair history" of manned spaceflight is contained on this
page. As you can see, I have included a large number of links to pages on
other web sites, principally the
NASA
Human Spaceflight site and the
Encyclopedia
Astronautica (a.k.a.
Astronautix.com), in
what I hope is a reasonably useful, index-like manner. They are grouped into
separate sections roughly by decades and tabulated with American programs in
the left columns and Russian programs in the right.
Go ahead and start digging into the links for the "classic" spaceflight programs
of the 1960's. I'll be following up soon with the 1970's and later decades
will be added as I have time. Don't worry, there's plenty of info there for
now. I've been studying this topic for years, and I'm not even close to done!
In other words, feel free to take your time and dawdle a bit. This page isn't
going away any time soon.
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1960's - The "Classic" Programs
|
Shocked by the Soviet Union's successful launch of Sputnik I in 1957 and
spurred on by the terrifying prospect of nuclear warheads raining down from
the sky, the United States squares off against Russia in a Cold War battle
to determine which nation can place a man in orbit around the Earth first
-- and rule heavens...
|
American |
Russian |
| Mercury |
Vostok |
|
|
|
Seeking to best the seemingly unbeatable Soviet space program, the United
States dares to set its sights on the moon but realizes that many lessons
in spaceflight need to be learned first. Russia responds with
record-breaking orbital stunts and learns a lesson the hard way...
|
American |
Russian |
| Gemini |
Voskhod |
|
|
|
America races to fulfill its fallen president's mandate to reach the moon by
the end of the decade while Russia falls behind. Both nations face deadly
consequences...
|
American |
Russian |
| Apollo |
Soyuz |
|
|
|
|
1970's - The Space Stations and the Apollo/Soyuz Test Project
|
America dabbles with orbiting laboratories before turning its attention
elsewhere. The Soviet Union determines to perfect the space station...
|
American |
Russian |
| Skylab |
Almaz & Salyut |
|
|
|
The United States lends a hand with rendezvous and docking, and the Cold War
ice begins to thaw...
|
International |
| Apollo ASTP |
Soyuz ASTP |
|
|
|
|
1980's & 1990's - The Space Shuttle and Mir
|
NASA builds the worlds first space truck, and the Russians push the envelope
of long-term spaceflight...
|
American |
Russian |
| NASA Space Shuttle |
Buran Space Shuttle |
|
|
Mir - Phase I
|
|
International |
| Shuttle/Mir Project |
Mir - Phase II |
|
|
|
|
American |
Russian |
| NASA Space Shuttle (cont.) |
Mir - Phase II (cont.) |
|
|
|
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2000 & Beyond - The International Space Station
|
The world comes together to establish a permanent human presence in outer
space...
|
International |
| American Flights |
Russian Flights |
|
|
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Copyright © 2001-2002 Evan Wilson. All rights reserved. Unauthorized
duplication is a violation of applicable laws.
Not responsible for web content outside evan-wilson.com.
