Important Dates in Space Exploration

By Josie K

  • The World's First Artificial Satellite

    The World's First Artificial Satellite
    The Soviet Union launches Sputnik.

  • First Animals to Return Alive from Space

    First Animals to Return Alive from Space
    Two female monkeys named Able and Baker are launched by the U.S. and came back alive.

  • The First Man in Space

    The First Man in Space
    The Soviet Union sends Yuri Gagarin into space.

  • First Woman in Space

    First Woman in Space
    The Soviet Union puts Valentina Tereshkova into space, making her the first woman in space.

  • The First Spacewalk

    The First Spacewalk
    Alexei Leonov from the Soviet Union does the first space walk.

  • First Man on the Moon

    First Man on the Moon
    American Neil Armstrong is the first man to set foot on the moon.

  • The First Space Station is Launched

    The First Space Station is Launched
    Russia launches the first space station, Salyut.

  • The First Free Fly in Space

    The First Free Fly in Space
    Bruce McCandless becomes the first person to do a spacewalk without being attached to a spacecraft.

  • The Assembly of the ISS Begins

    The Assembly of the ISS Begins
    Assembly of the ISS begins, its first module, Zarya, launches.

  • The First Space Tourist

    The First Space Tourist
    Dennis Tito pays $20m to board the ISS for 8 days.