Page 459 - Canadian BC Science 9

Space Travel
The first stages of space travel involved launching uncrewed probes. Animals were then sent up to test the living conditions required for space travel. The next phase involved sending up humans. From there, the Moon became the focus of attention (Figure 12.29). In 1969, the U.S. landed the first person on the Moon, Neil Armstrong.
As countries realized how expensive space exploration was, they started working together. The International Space Station is an excellent example of a truly international mission. Numerous partnerships between private business and governments are now also working on space projects.
Canadian contributions to space exploration
One of the largest successes in NASA’s space program has been the Canadian-designed and -built robotic arms. The first “Canadarm” was used to retrieve and launch many satellites and to provide a stable platform for astronauts going about their tasks in space.
Canadarm 2, a mobile remote manipulator system designed for the International Space Station, does everything that Canadarm 1 did, but it is larger and able to move by itself (Figure 12.30). Moving like a caterpillar, the system can travel to nearly every part of the space station’s exterior. The newest development is the robotic manipulator officially named Dextre (for “dexterous”), a two-armed robot that attaches to the end of Canadarm 2. It can perform tasks that previously required astronauts to work outside the safety of the space station.
The first landing of a human on the Moon, 1969
Find out more about Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency’s “Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator.” Start by going to www.bcscience9.ca.
Figure 12.29
Canadarm 2 is used to move large payloads, dock the shuttle, and assist astronauts with repair and assembly duties.
Figure 12.30
Chapter 12 Human understanding of Earth and the universe continues to increase through observation and exploration. • MHR 441