PIX4647265: Astronauts in pre-breathing in the shuttle Atlantis - Pre-breathing period for astronauts in the space shuttle Atlantis - Astronauts Michael R. Clifford and Linda M. Godwin, in a period of oxygen pre-breathing prior to their exit into space. March 1996. Astronauts Michael R. (Rich) Clifford and Linda M. Godwin, the assigned space - walking mission specialists for STS - 76, go through a “” pre - breathing””” period on the Space Shuttle Atlantis' middeck. This practice is normal procedure for space - walkers in preparation for their Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and the wearing of their Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU) / Bridgeman Images

FLO4647268: Variety of Japanese camelias (Thea japonica Nois): Sakiwake, with white flowers and ecarlates. Eau forte en couleurs, woodcut by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842) botanist, entomology and Japanese zoology, published in Honzo Zufu, in 1884, an illustrative guide to medicinal plants. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4647277: Variety of camelias from Japan (Thea japonica Nois): Iso Arashi, with pea-spotted flowers. Eau forte en couleurs, woodcut by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842) botanist, entomology and Japanese zoology, published in Honzo Zufu, in 1884, an illustrative guide to Mždicinal plants. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4647289: Variety of camelias from Japan (Thea japonica Nois): Miyakomeguri, with pink and white flowers. Eau forte en couleurs, woodcut by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842) botanist, entomology and Japanese zoology, published in Honzo Zufu, in 1884, an illustrative guide to medicinal plants. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4647294: Shuttle Columbia (STS-80) 19/11/1996 - Launch of Shuttle Columbia. Nov 19 1996 - Launch of STS - 80 Shuttle Columbia from Pad 39B. Nov 19 1996 / Bridgeman Images

FLO4647304: Varieties of Japanese camelias (Thea japonica Nois): Senjyu and Kamitsuma, with yellow and ecarlate flowers. Eau forte en couleurs, woodcut by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842) botanist, entomology and Japanese zoology, published in Honzo Zufu, in 1884, an illustrative guide to Mždicinal plants. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4647312: Variety of camelias from Japan (Thea japonica Nois): Toushishi, with ecarlate flowers. Eau forte en couleurs, woodcut by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842) botanist, entomology and Japanese zoology, published in Honzo Zufu, in 1884, an illustrative guide to Mždicinal plants. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4647315: Shuttle Columbia landing (STS-80) 07/12/1996 - Shuttle Columbia landing 12/1996 - Shuttle Columbia landing at Kennedy Space center. Shuttle Columbia swoops down on KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33. Dec 07 1996 / Bridgeman Images

FLO4647373: Variety of camelias from Japan (Thea japonica Nois): Tagasode, with white and pink flowers. Eau forte en couleurs, woodcut by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842) botanist, entomology and Japanese zoology, published in Honzo Zufu, in 1884, an illustrative guide to medicinal plants. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4647380: Variety of camelias from Japan (Thea japonica Nois): Ariake and Hagomoro, with pink and white flowers. Eau forte en couleurs, woodcut by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842) botanist, entomology and Japanese zoology, published in Honzo Zufu, in 1884, an illustrative guide to medicinal plants. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4647382: R.Curbeam photography Earth 08/1997 - Astronaut Robert Curbeam takes pictures of Earth - Robert Curbeam takes pictures of Earth with a 70 mm handheld camera through the overhead windows on the aft flight deck of Discovery. Curbeam is making his first flight aboard a Space Shuttle. Aug 1997 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4647402: Data verification in Discovery 08/1997 - Data checking in space shuttle Discovery. 08/1997 - Astronaut Curtis Brown checks 50 pages of data sent by flight controllers. 08/1997. At the Space Shuttle Discovery's Thermal Imaging Printing System (TIPS) station, Curtis Brown checks some 50 pages of data sent up by flight controllers. Aug 1997 / Bridgeman Images

FLO4647408: Variety of camelias from Japan (Thea japonica Nois): Shirataki and Shiroshishi, with white flowers. Eau forte en couleurs, woodcut by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842) botanist, entomology and Japanese zoology, published in Honzo Zufu, in 1884, an illustrative guide to Mždicinal plants. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4647415: The Atlantis shuttle goes to its firing range - STS - 86 - 08/1997 - Space Shuttle Atlantis Rollout - STS - 86 - 08/1997 - The Atlantis shuttle is heading towards its firing path. Shortly before dawn, a red - rimmed moon helps to light the way for the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it rolls out to Launch Pad 39A in preparation for launch of Mission STS - 86. STS - 86 will be the seventh docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. Liftoff is targeted for no earlier than September 22 / Bridgeman Images

FLO4647424: Variety of Japanese camelias (Thea japonica Nois): Kagiri and Monokaha, with white flowers. Eau forte en couleurs, woodcut by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842) botanist, entomology and Japanese zoology, published in Honzo Zufu, in 1884, an illustrative guide to medicinal plants. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646756: Astronauts in Discovery STS - 26 10/1988 - Astronauts in space shuttle Discovery Oct. 1988 - John Lounge experimented with weightless drink under the eyes of Frederick Hauck (left) and David Hilmers (d.). 10/1988. STS-26 Mission Specialist John M. Lounge, using a beverage container, experiments with microgravity as Commander Frederick H. Hauck (left) and MS David C. Hilmers (right) look on. Lounge freefloats as he closes in on a sphere of the red liquid drifting in front of his mouth. Hauck holds a spoon while sipping from a beverage container as he balances a meal tray assembly on his thighs. Hilmers, partially blocked by the open airlock hatch and holding a spoon and a can of food, pauses to watch the experiment. October 198 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646783: Astronauts in the shuttle Atlantis - 12/1988 - Astronauts in Space Shuttle Atlantis. December 1988 - Astronauts William Shepherd (upstairs) and Guy Gardner float in the space shuttle Atlantis (Mission STS-27). December 1988. Astronauts William M. Shepherd (top), mission specialist, and Guy S. Gardner, pilot, float on the middeck of the Earth - orbiting Space Shuttle Atlantis. Sleep stations are seen in the background. Just above Shepherd's head is part of the new escape pole that will be on each craft in the shuttle fleet, an added element following the Challenger accident of January 1986. Shepherd is strapped to a chair which floats with him / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646805: Discovery Shuttle Discovery 04/1990 - Launch of Shuttle Discovery STS - 31. Apr 24 1990 - Decolving the Discovery shuttle (STS-31 mission) with Loren Shriver, Charles Bolden, Steven Hawley, Bruce McCandless and Kathryn Sullivan and the Hubble telescope. In the foreground, the Columbia shuttle is on its fire pad. 24/04/1990. The Space Shuttle Columbia on Pad 39A “” watches”” the picture - perfect ascent of sister ship Discovery after liftoff of STS - 31. This was the first time since January 1986 that there was a Shuttle on each pad, which are separated by 1.6 miles. Discovery, carrying a five - member crew and the Hubble SpaceTelescope, lifted off at 8:34 EDT, April 24. Columbia, with its Astro - 1 observatory, is scheduled for launch in May / Bridgeman Images

FLO4646806: Mushrooms: milk pepper - Japanese print by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842), from Honzo Zufu, illustrative guide to medicinal plants, 1916 - Tsuchigamuri mushroom, Lactarius piperita - Colour printed woodblock engraving by Kan'en Iwasaki, from “” Honzo Zufu””, 1916 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646834: Decollage Columbia STS - 32 01 - 1990 - Decollage of the shuttle Columbia STS - 32 with Daniel Brandenstein, James Wetherbee, Bonnie Dunbar, Marsha Ivins and George Low. 09 - 01 - 1990 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646853: Astronaut Meal in the Space Shuttle Columbia 12/1990 - Astronauts meal in the space shuttle - Astronauts eat in the Columbia STS - 35, from left to right: Robert Parker, Ronald Parise and Vance Brand. 10/12/1990. (from l. to r.) Robert Parker, Ronald Parise and Vance Brand enjoying a meal on the middeck of Columbia. Dec 10 1990 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646870: Shuttle Columbia 06/1991 - Space shuttle Columbia is landing 06/1991 - Landing of Shuttle Columbia STS-40. This flight was the first mission in space devoted to the study of the reaction of the body in weightlessness and its readaptation to the return to Earth. 14/06/1991. Columbia before landing on Runway 22 at Edwards, California. STS-40 was the first space shuttle mission dedicated to life sciences research to explore how the body reacts to a weightless environment and how it readjusts to gravity on return to earth. Jun 14 1991 / Bridgeman Images

FLO4646880: Mushrooms: benitake varietes - Japanese print by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842), from Honzo Zufu, illustrative guide to medicinal plants, 1916 - Benitake mushroom varieties - Colour printed woodblock engraving by Kan'en Iwasaki, from “” Honzo Zufu””, 1916 / Bridgeman Images

FLO4646890: Mushrooms: shimeji varietes, tricholome - Japanese print by Kanen Iwasaki (1786-1842), from Honzo Zufu, illustrative guide to medicinal plants, 1916 - Zenbon shimeji mushrooms - Colour printed woodblock engraving by Kan'en Iwasaki, from “” Honzo Zufu””, 1916 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646902: Astronaut Roberta Bondar in the rotating chair 01/1992 - Astronaut Roberta Bondar in rotator chair - Roberta Bondar in the spacelab module, prepares for the experience of the rotating chair in order to experiment with the effects of microgravite on the vestibular system (the main sensory system of perception of motion and orientation in relation to vertical). 01/1992. STS - 42 Payload Specialist Roberta L. Bondar gets into the Microgravity Vestibular Investigations rotator chair to begin an experiment. The chair is mounted in the center aisle of the International Microgravity Laboratory 1 spacelab module. Just above Bondar's head is the helmet assembly which is outfitted with accelerometers to measure head movements and visors that fit over each eye independently to provide visual stimuli. The chair system has three movement patterns: “” sinusoidal”” or traveling predictably back and forth over the same distance at a constant speed; “” pseudorandom””” or moving back and forth over varying distances; and “” stepped”””” or varying speeds beginning and stopping suddenly. 01/199 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646920: Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis - 08/1991 - Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis - August 02 1991 - Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS - 43) with John Blaha, Michael Allen Baker, Shannon Lucid, James Craig Adamson and David Low. 02/08/1991. Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS - 43) carrying astronauts John Blaha, Michael Allen Baker, Shannon Lucid, James Craig Adamson, and David Low / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646985: Astronauts in Discovery STS - 51 09/1993 - STS - 51 astronauts during sleep period on Discovery's middeck - Astronauts sleeping in the shuttle Discovery STS - 51. Frank Culbertson (lower centre), from g. to d.: Daniel Bursch, Carl Walz and William Readdy photographs by James Newman. September 1993. Four of the five STS - 51 crew members were photographed during one of their sleep periods on Discovery's middeck. At bottom center, astronaut Frank L. Culbertson Jr., mission commander, is barely visible, with most of his body zipped securely in the sleep restraint. Others, left to right, are astronauts Daniel W. Bursch and Carl E. Walz, mission specialists, and William F. Readdy, pilot. The photograph was taken by astronaut James H. Newman, mission specialist / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646987: C. Brown and R. Gibson in Endeavour STS - 47 09/92 - C. Brown and R. Gibson in Endeavour - Robert Gibson (left) and Curtis Brown put the shuttle Endeavour at the end of the 8 days of the STS-47 mission from 12 to 20/09/92. Robert Gibson (left) at the commanders station and Curtis Brown at the pilots station are powering down OV - 105 at the conclusion of the eight - day Spacelab Japan (SLJ) mission. Sep 20 1992 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646997: Decolving the shuttle Columbia STS - 55 04/1993 - Launch of STS - 55 Columbia from Kennedy Space center. 04/1993 - Decolving the shuttle Columbia STS - 55 with Steven R. Nagel, Terence T. Henricks, Jerry L. Ross, Charles J. Precourt, Bernard A. Harris, Ulrich Walter and Hans Schlegel. 26/04/1993. Launch of STS - 55 Columbia from Kennedy Space Pad 39A. Apr 26 1993 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4647054: Extra - vehicle exit C.Meade - M.Lee STS - 64 1994 - Astronauts Carl Meade and Mark Lee EVA - Extra - vehicle exit by Carl Meade and Mark Lee (right at the end of the articule arm) who are testing a SAFER (Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue) rescue procedure. 16/09/1994. Astronauts Carl Meade and Mark Lee (red strip on suit) test the new Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system. The pair was actually performing an in - space rehearsal or demonstration of a contingency rescue using the never - before flown hardware. Sep 16 1994 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4647057: Extravehicular activity - Astronaut Mark Lee floats free of tether during EVA. Sep 16 1994 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4647062: Release of Mr Lee 09/1994 - Astronaut M.Lee during EVA. Sep 16 1994 - Extra vehicle release by Mark Lee testing the SAFER (Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue) system. 16/09/1994. Astronaut M.Lee tests SAFER (Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue) system during EVA. Sep 16 1994 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4647074: Release of Mr Lee 09/1994 - Astronaut M.Lee during EVA. Sep 16 1994 - Extra vehicle release by Mark Lee testing the SAFER (Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue) system. 16/09/1994. Astronaut Mark C. Lee, STS - 64 mission specialist, tests the new Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system 130 nautical miles above Earth. The forward cargo bay is reflected in Lee's helmet visor in the 35 mm frame, exposed through the space shuttle Discovery's aft flight deck windows. Part of the hardware for the LIDAR - in - Space Technology Experiment (LITE) is in center foreground. Astronauts Lee and Carl J. Meade, mission specialist, took turns using the SAFER hardware during their shared Extrahicular Activity (EVA) on Sept. 16, 1994. The test of SAFER is the first phase of a larger SAFER program whose objectives are to establish a common set of requirements for both space shuttle and space station program needs, develop a flight demonstration of SAFER, validate system performance and, finally, develop a production version version of SAFER for the shuttle and station programs / Bridgeman Images

PIX4647091: Release of Carl J. Meade 09/1994 - Astronaut Carl J. Meade during EVA. Sep 16 1994 - Extra vehicle release by Carl J. Meade testing the SAFER (Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue) system. 16/09/1994. Astronaut Carl J. Meade tests the new Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system 130 nautical miles above Earth. The scene was captured with a 70 mm handheld Hasselblad camera with a 30 mm lens attached. The hardware supporting the LIDAR - in - Space Technology Experiment (LITE) is in the lower right. A TV camera on the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm records the Extravehicular Activity (EVA). Astronauts Meade and Mark C. Lee took turns using the SAFER hardware during their shared EVA of Sept. 16, 1994. The test of SAFER is the first phase of a larger SAFER program whose objectives are to establish a common set of requirements for both space shuttle and space station program needs, develop a flight demonstration of SAFER, validate system performance and, finally, develop a production version version of SAFER for the shuttle and station programs / Bridgeman Images

FLO4646047: English hunters hunting deer attacked by doe. Handcoloured lithograph from Carl Hoffmann's Book of the World, Stuttgart, 1857. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4646048: Herschel Satellite - Illustration - Herschel Satellite. Artwork - Artist's view of the European satellite Herschel. The Herschel Space Observatory, scheduled to launch in 2009, will study in the infrared the formation of galaxies, stars and planetary systems. This satellite measures nearly 7 metres high by 4.3 metres wide and weighs 3.25 tonnes. Its telescope has a 3.5-meter mirror, making it the largest mirror ever made for a scientific space mission. Herschel will orbit around Lagrange 2, approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. ESA's Herschel Space Observatory (formerly called Far Infrared and Submillimetre Telescope or FIRST) will solve the mystery of how stars and galaxies were born. Infrared astronomy is as young as it is fruitful. In less than three decades infrared astronomers have unveiled tens of thousands of new galaxies, and have made discoveries as surprising as the huge amounts of water vapour that fill the galaxy. Yet scientists know there is still much more to discover. Objects such as other planetary systems, or processes like the birth of galaxies in the early universe, can best be studied with infrared space telescopes in space. This is the reason for Esa's Herschel. ESA's Herschel Space Observatory will be bigger and better than any of its predecessors. Moreover, it will observe at wavelengths never covered before. It will be located 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth, farther than any previous space telescope. Due for launch in 2009, Herschel is one the Cornerstone missions ESA's Horizons 2000 programme. Herschel is a key project space astronomy in the next millennium / Bridgeman Images