Space Exploration

  • First object in space

    First object in space
    On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union sent the first unmanned mission into space. They launched a satellite called Sputnik 1, which successfully remained in outer space for 3 months.
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    Space Exploration

  • TIROS-1

    TIROS-1
    The first Weather Satellite ever launched was TIROS-1 on April 1, 1960
  • Lt. Yuri Gagarin circles the Earth

    Lt. Yuri Gagarin circles the Earth
    Russian Lt. Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit Earth in Vostok 1. His flight lasted 108 minutes, and Gagarin reached an altitude of 327 kilometers.
  • First Manned Flight into space

    First Manned Flight into space
    Astronaut Alan B. Shepard made the first U.S. piloted spaceflight in the Mercury Freedom 7 spacecraft on May 5, 1961. During this suborbital mission lasting 15 minutes and 22 seconds, Shepard reached an altitude of 186 kilometers.
  • First Moon Mission

    First Moon Mission
    The First successful Moon Mission
  • First Lunar Rover

    First Lunar Rover
    On this day, July 31, 1971, Apollo 15 became the first mission to use the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). The Apollo 15 LRV was driven by astronauts David Scott and Jim Irwin. The LRV was a lightweight, electric vehicle designed to operate in the low-gravity vacuum of the Moon.
  • Pioneer 10 reaches Jupiter for the first real pictures of Jupiter

    Pioneer 10 reaches Jupiter for the first real pictures of Jupiter
    Launched in March 1972, Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to visit Jupiter when it flew by the gas giant in December 1973 on its way to the farthest regions of the Solar System. Its twin probe, Pioneer 11, made its closest approach to Jupiter on December 1974
  • Enterprise is the first space shuttle created

    Enterprise is the first space shuttle created
    The first space shuttle, named Enterprise, was rolled out in September 1976. Enterprise made some glide flights in 1977, but never reached space. However, the second orbiter to come off the line did. Columbia blasted off on April 12, 1981, and the rest is history.
  • Voyager 2 is launched 16 days before Voyager 1

    Voyager 2 is launched 16 days before Voyager 1
    Voyager 2 is launched before Voyager 1 due to complications with power from Voyager 1
  • Challenger Crashes and Explodes

    Challenger Crashes and Explodes
    The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster was a fatal incident in the United States' space program that occurred on January 28, 1986, when the Space Shuttle Challenger (OV-099) broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members aboard.
  • Hubble Launched

    Hubble Launched
    The Hubble Space Telescope is a large telescope in space. It was launched into orbit by space shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1990. Hubble orbits about 547 kilometers (340 miles) above Earth.
  • First Mars Rover landed

    First Mars Rover landed
    Mars Pathfinder was a U.S. spacecraft that landed a base station with a roving probe on Mars on July 4, 1997. It consisted of a lander and a small 10.6 kilograms (23 lb) wheeled robotic rover named Sojourner, which was the first rover to operate on the surface of Mars.
  • International Space Station

    International Space Station
    Launch date of the International Space Station
  • SpaceX is created

    SpaceX is created
    Elon Musk Creates the first private space company
  • Voyager 1 leaves the Solar system

    Voyager 1 leaves the Solar system
    Voyager 1 exited the solar system's northern hemisphere in 2012.