History of Space Exploration

Sputnik 1

Oct 4, 1957

First man-made object to orbid the Earth

Sputnik 2

Nov 3, 1957

Sputnik 2 is launched carrying the dog Laika for 7 days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz63twfoW3c

Explorer 2

Mar 5, 1958

Explorer 2 launched but fails to reach orbit.

Luna 2 Launched

Sep 12, 1959

Luna 2 is launched carrying a copy of the Soviet coat of arms.

Luna 2 Lands On Moon

Sep 13, 1959

Luna 2 lands becomming the first man-made object to land on the moon.

First American to Orbit the Earth

Feb 20, 1962

Mercury Friendship 7 lifts off with John H. Glenn, Jr., the first American in orbit.

First Woman in Space

Jun 16, 1963

Vostok 6 carries Soviet Cosmonaut Valentia Tereshkova.

First Space Walk

Mar 18, 1965

The first space walk is made by Cosmonaut Alexei A. Leonov.

First Spacecraft Fatality

Apr 23, 1967

Soviet Soyuz 1 is launched, carrying Vladimir M. Komarov. April 24 it crashed, killing Komarov, the first spaceflight fatality.

Apolo 13

Apr 11, 1970

Apollo 13 is launched, an explosion in its oxygen tanks. Its Moon landing is aborted, and the crew, James A. Lovell, Jr., John L. Swigert, Jr. and Fred W. Haise, Jr., return safely.

Apollo 14

Jan 31, 1971

Apollo 14 moon mission is launched by the U.S. with Alan Shepard with Stuart Roosa and Edgar Mitchell on board. They land in the Apollo 13 site. They explore with a two-wheeled cart. Shepard, the first man to hit a golf ball on the moon.

Pictures of the Mars surface are taken

Jul 20, 1976

First U.S. Woman in Space

Jun 19, 1983

Sally K. Ride is the first U.S. woman to travel in space.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hffVvDNNBoI&feature=related

First Unteathered Space Walk

Feb 3, 1984

Bruce McCandless takes the first untethered space walk.

Supernova 1987A blazes into view.

Feb 25, 1987

Mars Odyssey probe is launched

Apr 7, 2001