Space Exploration

Explorer 1

Jan 31, 1958

The first U.S. satellite in orbit. It lifts off from Cape Canaveral using a ABMA-JPL Jupiter-C rocket. It discovered the Earth's raditation belt.

Explorer 2

Mar 5, 1958

This is launched by a Jupiter-C rocket, it failed to reach orbit.

Vangurad 1

Mar 17, 1958

Vanguard 1 satellite is launched into orbit. It continued to transmit for 3 years.

Pioneer 1

Oct 11, 1958

This U.S - IGY space probe is launched to a height of 70,700 miles.

Pioneer 4

Mar 3, 1959

This is the fourth U.S. - IGY space probe was launched by a Juno II rocket. It achieved an earth-moon trajectory. It passed within 37,000 miles of the moon. After, it fell into a solar orbit and became the first U.S. sun orbiter.

Tiros 1

Apr 1, 1960

This was the first successful weather satellite.

Discoverer XIV

Aug 18, 1960

Discoverer XIV launches the first U.S. camera-equipped Corona spy satellite.

Freedom 7

May 5, 1961

This carries Alan B. Shepard, Jr. He was the first U.S. astronaut into space, in a suborbital flight.

Friendship 7

Feb 20, 1962

This lifted off with John H. Glenn, Jr. He was the first American in orbit and orbited around the Earth three times.

Aurora 7

May 24, 1962

M. Scott Carpenter was launched in this. It made three orbits.

Telstar 1

Jul 10, 1962

This U.S. satellite beamed the first love transatlantic telecast.

Mariner 2

Dec 14, 1962

This is the first successful planetary spacecraft. It flew past Venus and enetered a solar orbit.

Ranger 7

Jul 31, 1964

This relays the first close up photos of the moon.

Gemini 3

Mar 23, 1965

This was the first manned flight of the Gemini Program. Virgil I. Grissom and John W. Young were in this. It orbited three times around Earth.

Ranger 9

Mar 24, 1965

Ranger 9 transmitted high-quality images of the moon. Many were shown liv in the first TV spectacular about the moon.

Gemini 4

Jun 3, 1965

Duration of this was 22 minutes. Edward White II made the first U.S. spacewalk.

Mariner 4

Jul 14, 1965

This U.S. mission brought back the first close-range photos of Mars.

Gemini 7

Dec 4, 1965

Frank Borman and James A. Lovell, Jr. were launched in this. It made 206 orbits around Earth and proved that a trip to the moon is possible.

Gemini 6

Dec 15, 1965

Walter Schirra, Jr. and Thomas Stafford make the first space rendezvous with Gemini 7.

Surveyor 1

Jun 2, 1966

The first U.S spacecraft to soft land on the moon.

Lunar orbiter 1

Aug 14, 1966

This enetered moon orbit and took the first photos of the Earth from the distance of the moon.