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Sputnik I launched by USSR
Sputnik I launched into space by the USSR, becoming the first artificial satellite in space. The satellite, a steel sphere, weighed 184 pounds, was 23 inches in diameter. -
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Space Race during the Cold War
The Major Events of the Race to outer space, the moon, and beyond. -
Sputnik 2 launched by USSR
Sputnik 2 launched into space, carrying the first living creature into space: a dog named Laika. -
Explorer I launched by USA
Explorer I is launched into space, becoming the first satellite launched by the USA. The launch of Explorer I marks the physical beginning of the race to space between the USSR and USA. -
NASA formed by USA
NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958, replacing its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The agency became operational on October 1, 1958. -
The "Mercury 7" astronauts selected by NASA
Mercury Seven was the group of seven Mercury astronauts selected by NASA on April 9, 1959. They are also referred to as the Original Seven and Astronaut Group 1. This was the only astronaut group with members that flew on all classes of NASA manned orbital spacecraft of the 20th century: Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and ending with John Glenn's flight on the STS-95 Space Shuttle mission. -
Joe Kittinger skydives through the atmosphere.
On August 16, 1960, he made the final jump from the Excelsior III at 102,800 feet. Towing a small drogue parachute for initial stabilization, he fell for four minutes and 36 seconds, reaching a maximum speed of 614 miles per hour before opening his parachute at 18,000 feet. Pressurization for his right glove malfunctioned during the ascent, and his right hand swelled up to twice its normal size. -
Discoverer XIV launched by USA
Discoverer XIV was the first camera-equipped spy satellite to be launched by the USA. -
Yuri Gagarin, USSR, becomes the first man in space.
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, Hero of the Soviet Union, was a Soviet cosmonaut. On 12 April 1961, he became the first human in outer space and the first to orbit the Earth. He received medals from around the world for his pioneering tour in space. -
Alan B Sheperd 1st American in space
Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was an American naval aviator and astronaut who became the second person, and the first American, in space. Ten years later, he commanded the Apollo 14 mission, and was the fifth person to walk on the Moon. -
Valentia Tereshkova, USSR, the first woman in space.
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Alexei Leonov, USSR, performs the first spacewalk.
Alexei Leonov spends 12 minutes outside of his Voskhod spacecraft performing the first spacewalk. -
Ed White performs America's first spacewalk.
Edward Higgins White, II was an engineer, United States Air Force officer and a NASA astronaut. On June 3, 1965, he became the first American to "walk" in space. -
Luna 10, USSR, first spacecraft to orbit the Moon.
Luna 10 was a Luna program, robotic spacecraft mission, also called Lunik 10. The Luna 10 spacecraft was launched towards the Moon from an Earth orbiting platform on March 31, 1966. It was the first artificial satellite of the Moon (or another heavenly body, for that matter). -
Apollo 8 - First manned flight to the moon by the USA
Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders begin the first manned journey from the Earth to the Moon. On Christmas Eve they take turns reading Genesis in a broadcast heard around the world. -
Apollo 11 - first men to walk on the Moon, USA
Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to walk on the Moon while crewmate Michael Collins orbits around the Moon alone. -
First joint mission of USA & USSR
The joint mission began when Soyuz 19 was first launched on 15 July 1975 at 12:20 UTC, and the Apollo craft was launched with the docking module six and a half hours later. The two craft rendezvoused and docked on July 17 at 16:19UTC. The three astronauts conducted joint experiments with the two cosmonauts, and the crew shook hands, exchanged gifts, and visited each other's craft.
