Just 100 years ago, people could not even dream of being able to travel through the air, overcoming great distances at high speed. Moreover, the idea of a man in space seemed something fantastic. At the present time, the fact of half-year stays of people in orbit is already commonplace. Often on TV screens they talk about people conquering space. But sometimes they are called astronauts, and sometimes they are called cosmonauts. What's the difference?
Where did the word begin
In order to understand how an astronaut differs from an astronaut, you need to understand the origin of the words.
The world first learned the word "astronaut". It is believed that it made its debut in the pages of a fantasy novel by the English writer P. Greg in 1880. But it didn't gain much popularity. In 1929 this wordwas used as a scientific definition in a British Astronomical Association article.
The word "cosmonaut" in 1935 was proposed by a scientist involved in the calculation of rocket flight trajectories, a popularizer of the science of space - Sternfeld A. A. But the scientific community did not immediately accept this innovation. Some pundits categorically rejected the new term, classifying it as an unnecessary neologism. Nevertheless, the term "astronaut" after the middle of the 20th century first replenished the scientific vocabulary, and then the vocabulary of the common man.
Both words have Greek roots. "Cosmonaut" from the language of Pythagoras literally translates as "universal navigator", and "astronaut" - "star navigator".
If we consider the exact definitions of each word, then the difference between an astronaut and an astronaut cannot be found. After all, both terms denote a person engaged in scientific research in outer space. True, in different countries of the world these concepts are shared, speaking about people of the same profession. So, let's clarify how an astronaut differs from an astronaut, what is the difference?
Cold War
Politics played a major role in the differentiation of terms. She determined the difference between an astronaut and an astronaut. After the end of World War II, the Soviet Union and America were bogged down for several decades in an arms race and scientific discoveries to overtake the enemy country. Or, as they often say, in the Cold War.
In the post-war period, active development of programs related to space exploration began. Decommissioning trials have begunmanned spacecraft into Earth orbit. People sent outside the Earth, in the USSR, it was decided to call astronauts, and in America - astronauts. And although, in fact, these concepts are synonymous, the warring countries deliberately focused on the difference between an astronaut and an astronaut.
Until now, in the media and scientific literature of different countries, talking about people plowing the expanses of the universe, they use different terms. It turns out that the main difference in how an astronaut differs from an astronaut is his nationality. If a Russian pilot flies to the stars, then they say "cosmonaut" about him, if an American, Japanese, European - "astronaut".
First in space
We are, of course, aware that it doesn't matter how an astronaut differs from an astronaut, because all these people are real heroes.
The first man in space was a Soviet test pilot, and part-time cosmonaut, Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin. This happened in 1961, on April 12th. The flight lasted a little over 100 minutes. Now on this day our country celebrates Cosmonautics Day.
The second person who went on a rocket into low Earth orbit was cosmonaut German Stepanovich Titov. He spent more than a day in space.
In America, the first person and the third in the world to orbit the Earth in a spaceship was astronaut John Herschel Glenn Jr. During his stay in space, he circledaround the planet three times.
And the first woman cosmonaut to conquer space was Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova (1963).
Who's in orbit now?
According to Mission Control, as of June 2, 2017, there is a crew of three on the International Space Station:
- Test Cosmonaut 1st Class, ISS-52 Commander – Fedor Nikolaevich Yurchikhin (Russia).
- NASA astronaut, flight engineer - Peggy Winston (USA).
- NASA astronaut, flight engineer - Jack Fisher (USA).
For these people, it doesn't matter how an astronaut differs from an astronaut. The main thing is scientific and research work, which will allow earthlings to get closer to the secrets of the Universe. Perhaps it is thanks to such selfless people that we will be able to travel among the stars and other planets.
