History of Space Exploration

By Mondo

  • Isaac Newton's publication in 1600s Through 1900s

    1600 - 1960
    It was Sir Isaac Newton's publication of Principia that laid the foundation for space exploration. In the next centuries, much progress was made toward the development of the first rockets.

  • The 1960's Through 1970's of space exploration

    1961 - 1970
    The decade of the sixties was in many ways the golden age of space exploration, featuring the first manned space missions, the American Mercury and Gemini programs, and the first Moon landing in was in 1969.

  • The Apollo Program

    1971 - 1980
    This decade saw the Apollo program come to a close. The next few years were dominated by the first orbiting space stations and the first space probes sent to explore the mysteries of the Solar System.

  • Sputnik

    1957
    October 4 - The Soviet Union launched the first satellite, Sputnik, into space.

  • 1st Satellite Sent Into Space by the United States

    1958
    January 31 - Explorer 1 was the first satellite launched by the United States when it was sent into orbit on January 31, 1958. It was designed and built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of the California Institute of Technology. The satellite was sent aloft from Cape Canaveral in Florida by the Jupiter C rocket that was designed, built, and launched by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) under the direction of Dr. Wernher Von Braun.

  • First dogs to go into Space and Survive

    1960
    August 19 - The Soviet craft Sputnik 5 was launched, carrying the dogs Strelka and Belka. They became the first living beings to survive a trip into space.

  • First Human to go into Space

    1961
    April 12 - Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space.

  • First American in Space

    May 5 - Astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American in space.

  • First Spacecraft to orbit the Moon and Return

    1968
    September 15 - The Soviet spacecraft Zond 5 was launched and later became the first spacecraft to orbit the moon and return to Earth. This was important for exploring the moon.

  • Apollo 8 Launch

    1968- December 21 - Apollo 8 was launched, and later her crewmembers became the first men to orbit the moon.

  • First on Venus

    1970 December 15 - The Soviet Venera 7 became the first probe to land on Venus.

  • Last men to Walk on the Moon

    1972
    December 11 - Eugene Cernan and Harrison "Jack" Schmitt became the last men to walk on the moon.

  • Transmitting Saturn's Images

    1980
    November 13 - Voyager 1 reached Saturn and began transmitting images.

  • Transmitting Uranus Images

    1986
    January 24 - Voyager 2 began transmitting images from Uranus.