Important dates in space exploration

first applications satellite launched

Aug 1, 1960

The satellite was launched and named sputnik

First human to orbit Earth

Sep 12, 1961

When Yuri Gagarin orbited the Earth on April 12, 1961, the plan had never been for him to land inside his Vostok spacecraft.

first recovery of a payload from Earth orbit

Aug 11, 1962

First data returned from another planet (Venus)

Dec 14, 1962

Unlike its partner, Venera 7 did successfully fire its escape-stage rocket engine to begin the nearly four month cruise to Venus. The probe reached Venus in December of 1970 and made its historic landing on the planet on Dec.

First woman in space

Jun 16, 1963

made history as the first woman in space aboard the then-Soviet Union's Vostok 6 spacecraft in 1963

first satellite to operate in geostationary

Jun 26, 1963

above Earth's Equator in which a satellite's orbital period is equal to Earth's rotation period of 23 hours and 56 minutes.

First space walk

Mar 18, 1965

Ed White spent roughly 20 minutes floating in space attached by only a 23 foot tether and 25 foot umbilical, with the world far below him.