/ CBS Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Astronaut Scott Kelly is back on Earth after a record-setting trip to the International Space Station. After nearly a year in space, Kelly and two Russian cosmonauts landed in Kazakhstan Wednesday night. Their goal was to see how their bodies handled that much time in space.
There are three remaining astronauts on the International Space Station – one American, one Russian and one Brit. Within the next two weeks, another three astronauts will head back up there -- leaving the Space Station with its full normal load.
So, how many people have gone to space? Good Question.
Astronaut wings are given to people who've gone 60 miles above the Earth's surface. The International Space Station is about 250 miles away.
"Space is defined as being 100 kilometers or 60 miles above the surface, so anytime you're above that, you're in space," says Ron Schmit, observatory coordinator at Jackson Middle School.
Since the inception of the space program, about 550 people have travelled into space. Slightly less than two-thirds have been Americans.
The vast majority were astronauts with at least two years of training, but there have also been a handful of space tourists between 2001-2009, some scientists, engineers and politicians as well as a half-dozen or so Air Force pilots.
"There have been Air Force pilots that have flown they're high performance rocket planes above that altitude, so even though they didn't fly for NASA they got their astronaut wings," Schmit said.
Since the sixth and final moon landing in 1972, astronauts have not left Earth's orbit.
"Only twelve people have walked on the moon," Schmit said. "Of the seven billion people on Earth, that's it."
Following the Apollo missions, there were 135 shuttle missions into space, until that program ended in 2011. Now, astronauts only head to space to connect to with the International Space Station, via a ride from the Russians.
The next mission in the works is to explore the space between the Earth and the moon. Following that is a trip to Mars, which is likely fifteen years away. Some commercial trips have been planned, which would be very short visits for lots of money, but none of those have taken off yet.
- In:
- Heather Brown
Thanks for reading CBS NEWS.
Create your free account or log in
for more features.
Greetings, I'm an enthusiast with a profound understanding of space exploration and astronautics. Over the years, I've delved into various facets of space travel, from historical missions to contemporary endeavors, and my grasp of the subject extends beyond the surface to encompass the intricacies of space science.
Now, let's dissect the concepts embedded in the provided article:
-
Scott Kelly's Return from the International Space Station (ISS):
- Scott Kelly, along with two Russian cosmonauts, returned to Earth after a record-setting year-long mission on the ISS. This mission aimed to study the long-term effects of space travel on the human body.
-
Remaining Astronauts on the ISS:
- Three astronauts, one American, one Russian, and one British, remained on the ISS after Scott Kelly's return. Additionally, three more astronauts were set to head to the ISS within the next two weeks.
-
Number of People Who Have Gone to Space:
- Astronaut wings are awarded to individuals who have traveled 60 miles above the Earth's surface, and space is defined as being 100 kilometers or 60 miles above the surface. About 550 people have traveled into space since the inception of the space program, with slightly less than two-thirds being Americans.
-
Types of Space Travelers:
- The majority of space travelers are astronauts with at least two years of training. However, there have also been space tourists (2001-2009), scientists, engineers, politicians, and a few Air Force pilots who earned astronaut wings by flying high-performance rocket planes above the defined altitude.
-
Moon Landings and Space Exploration Beyond Earth's Orbit:
- Since the last moon landing in 1972, astronauts have not left Earth's orbit. Only twelve individuals have walked on the moon. The article mentions 135 shuttle missions until 2011, after which astronauts have primarily traveled to the ISS with Russian assistance.
-
Future Space Missions:
- The next planned mission is to explore the space between Earth and the moon. Subsequent plans include a trip to Mars, estimated to be around fifteen years away. Some commercial space trips have been proposed, offering short visits for a substantial cost, but none have materialized as of the article's publication.
-
Space Shuttle Program Conclusion:
- The space shuttle program concluded in 2011 after 135 missions. Since then, astronauts rely on Russian rides to reach the ISS.
In essence, the article provides insights into the current state of space exploration, the number of individuals who have experienced space travel, and the future missions planned, including Mars exploration and commercial space tourism.
