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Space Exploration Dates
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Sputnik 1
In Russia the word Sputnik means satellite. Sputnik 1 was the first artificial Earth Satellite to successfully orbit around Earth. It was launched from Baikonur Cosdrome at Tyuratam in Kazakhanstan.Sputnik 1 was not a manned mission. -
Explorer 1
Explorer 1 was the first satellite launched by the United States. This followed the launch of Russia's Sputnik 1. Explorer 1 was a cosmic ray detector designed to measure the radiation enviroment in Earth orbit. Explorer 1 was not a manned mission. -
Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin was the first HUMAN to travel into space & he was also the first to orbit the Earth. Gagarin was a soviet officer. When Yuri was selected to go into space he was so excited about flying that he spent an entire summer in a tent next to the airfield. He took his first solo flight in 1955. -
Mercury Freedom 7
Mecury Freedom 7 spacecraft launched the first american into space (Alan Shepard) ! Mercury Freedom 7 was launched from launch complex at Florida's cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It only took 15 minutes to reach space ! Mecury Freedom 7 was apart of project Mercury which was an attempt by the United States to bring an astronaut into orbit around the Earth. -
Gemini 3
Gemini 3 was the first manned mission in Nasa's gemini program.The spacecraft was sent into space to test the nw, maneuverable Gemini. In space, the team fired thrusters to change the shape of their orbit. The original crew for the trip was Alan B. Shepard (command pilot) andThomas P. Stafford (Pilot) but soon changed to Walter M. Schirra and Thomas P. Stafford. -
Robert Henry Lawrence
Robert Lawrence was the first Black astronaut to go to space. He died at the start of a mission on December 8th 1967. From the start Robert was always interested in space exploration and science. -
Apollo 11
Apollo 11 was the first Nasa manned spacecraft to have its commander walk on the Moon. Astronaut Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon!! The main reason for Apollo 11 was to complete a national goal set by President John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1961: perform a crewed lunar landing and return to Earth. -
Viking 1
Viking 1 was a Nasa spacecraft that was apart of the Viking Mars mission. This spacecraft consisted of an orbiter and a lander, which traveled attactched together for nearly a year to reach Mars orbit. The conclusion from the Viking experiments revolutionized our view on Mars. -
Voyager 1
Voyager was was a spacecraft launched by Nasa. It's primary mission was the exploration of Jupiter and Saturn.Voyager 1 was not a manned mission -
Columbia (first launch)
Columbia was the first spaceworthy space shuttle in Nasa's orbital fleet. The first flight of Columbia was commaned by John Young a Gemini and Apolloe veteran whom was the ninth person to walk on the moon. It was designed to be a space- based science lab. -
Mae C. Jemison
Mae C. Jemison was the first African American woman to be a U.S astronaut. Not only was she an astronaut she was also a physician. In 1992 she flew into space aboard the Endeavour.
Her famous quote is " never limit yourself because, of others' limited imagination; never limit other because of your owm limited imagination". -
Ellen Ochoa
Ellen Ochoa was the first hispanic woman in space. She pattened an optical system to detect defects in a repeating patterns. She was a mission specialist and flight engineer, Ochoa is a veteran of four space flights, logging more than 950 hours in space. -
Mars Pathfinder
The satellite Mars Pathfinder was an engineering demostration of key technologies and concepts for use in future missions, it also delivered science instruments to the surface of Mars to investigate the structure of the martian atmosphere. The Mars Pathfinder was not a manned mission. -
International Space Station
The ISS is an artificial satellite in low Earth orbit launched by Nasa. This is the largest artificial body in orbit. It can be spotted at the right time with the naked eyes from Earth. -
Spirit and Opportunity
Spirit and Opportunity is apart of Nasa's Mars Exploration Rover Mission. This is an ongoing robotic space mission. Spirit and Opportunity was sent into space to explore the Martian suface and geology. -
Curiosity
Curiosity is a robotic rover that was sent by Nasa's Mars Science Laboratory. Curosity was sent to Mars to explore the Gale Crater, investigate Martian climate and geology. Curiosity is currently undergoing autonomous operation mode for approximately 25 days during Earth- Mars solar conjunction.
