Since the dawn of time, humans have been fascinated with flight and there were many people in history who contributed to the creation of these modern flying machines. From the very first hot air balloons to the modern space craft and commercial airliners, these flying machines represent the pinnacle of human innovation and ambition. Here is a list of the 10 greatest flying machines ever created.
FLYING MACHINES EVER CREATED
1. DRONE
Technically named an ‘unmanned aerial vehicle’, this incredible invention is perhaps the most promising flying machine ever invented. A drone is an aircraft that does not require a human pilot and is the first time such an aircraft has been made. It was originally developed for military applications for missions that are too “dull, dirty, or dangerous” for humans and is regularly used to drop bombs on suspected terrorist targets in the ongoing wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Today, the drones are being developed for use in the retail industry as well and will most likely be used to deliver goods from retail giants like Amazon to your doorstep.
2. SPACE CAPSULE
A space capsule, though not a flying machine, is used in most manned space missions. It is basically a conical pod that has everything required to sustain human life in outer space for the duration of the mission including food, water, air supply and protection from radiation and extreme cold. It is attached to a rocket and launched into space. Once in orbit, the auxiliary parts fall off and the space capsule continues with its own propulsion. The capsule is also equipped to provide communication with Earth.
3. SPACECRAFT
A spacecraft is any flying machine that is designed to operate in outer space and can be used for a variety of purposes. Depending on the design, it can be used for communication, weather monitoring, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, planetary exploration, and transportation of humans and cargo. Unmanned and automatic spacecraft can stay in space for decades and are artificial satellites. They orbit the earth closer than the moon and their speed, distance from the Earth and frequency of communication with the Earth station depends on the purpose it was launched for.
4. SPACE PLANE
A space plane is an aerospace vehicle that has enough propulsion and speed to reach the Earth’s atmosphere and enter space, and also to return to Earth by landing safely. They can be propelled by rockets or use the assistance of air-breathing jet engines. As compared to unmanned spacecraft, very few space planes have been successfully launched till date and most of them were launched from the United States. The five successful launches were the North American X-15, Space Shuttle, Buran, SpaceShipOne and Boeing X-37.
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5. BOMBER
As the name suggests, a bomber is an aircraft designed specifically to bomb targets using air-to-ground weaponry, firing torpedoes or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. Bombers are used to destroy two types of targets – strategic and tactical. Strategic targets are long-range targets that include critical production and communicant infrastructure of enemy forces. Bombers used for this purpose have longer flying ranges and less maneuverability. On the other hand, tactical targets are battlefield targets that are short range but bombers used for this purpose require speed and maneuverability rather than range.
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