A while ago, I did two Religion OPs based off quotes from a user who will remain nameless. Recently, that user returned and posted this comment:
“Why not keep them on earth where God intended for man to live?”
While it was in response a comment about what happens to babies’ souls if they die, it got me thinking. If God “intended” for humans to live on Earth, then why have hundreds of astronauts been able to leave it for orbit and beyond?
Let’s start with some figures. According to Astronomy Magazine, 676 human beings have reached space, which is considered to start at 50 miles above the Earth according to the definition used in the US. 643 of them have gone to or above the Karman line, which is 62 miles. Furthermore, 12 of these astronauts went beyond that line and walked on the Moon, with another 12 orbiting it exclusively. Over the last 24 years, a rotating crew of astronauts has built and inhabited the International Space Station with no known interruptions.
That leads back to my original question. It’s clear humans are able to survive in space, whether for the 15 minutes Alan Shepard spent there during Freedom 7 or the 437 days cosmonaut Valery Polyakov spent aboard Mir. So what happened? If God “intended” for us to live on Earth, did He forget to put a barrier up to prevent us from reaching orbit and beyond?
Fossil
Article URL : https://www.astronomy.com/space-exploration/how-many-people-have-gone-to-space/